In 2023 a movie hit theatres with Mattel as one of the studios shown in the opening credits. That movie went on to gross nearly $1.5 billion worldwide and received 8 nominations at the Academy Awards. I'm of course talking about Barbie, but now we have another iconic 80s toy being brought back to the big screen with the latest version of Masters of the Universe, a movie I sadly don't think will make quite as much money. Some version of a new He-Man movie has been in development since the mid-2000s, and if you're looking for an interesting read I'd highly suggest checking out the development section of the film's Wikipedia to see just how much has changed with this project over the years.
The film follows Adam (Nicholas Galitzine), the prince of Eternos who is sent to Earth when the evil Skeletor attacks his family's home. He is sent with the Sword of Power, which he loses on the way. After fifteen years he has grown up and works in HR while looking for his sword. When he eventually finds the sword he is brought back home where he must use its power and the help of his old idols to defeat Skeletor and bring peace back to his home world.
The film is directed by Travis Knight, who previously made a solid throwback toy movie with Bumblebee. This is a lot messier of an effort, but it still delivers a lot of fun. This often feels like someone took a bunch of their toys and turned playtime into a movie, but that's where I think it brings a lot of charm. The costumes and sets are all pretty fantastic, and I was pleasantly surprised by the fight sequences. The visual effects are very hit or miss, with some looking fantastic and others making you question how the movie cost as much as it did. There's a talking tiger that looks particularly rough, and some green screen moments really didn't work for me. The biggest issue I have with the film though is its pacing. The movie is at least 20 minutes too long, and there are periods in the middle act of the film that honestly slog by. It's a tough task introducing a modern audience to these characters while also telling a full fledged story, but the film's fun tone can only do so much heavy lifting when the narrative is holding it back.
The main cast is where Masters of the Universe gets some brownie points back. Galitzine as He-Man/Adam is perfect, magically capturing the underdog turned superpowered being with the perfect blend of awkwardness and charm. Opposite him is Jared Leto in maybe my favourite performance of his. Maybe it helps that we can't see his face, but he somehow manages to make Skeletor an intimidating foe while also delivering some hilarious more cartoonish moments. The only supporting cast members that really get much time to shine are Idris Elba and Camilla Mendes, both of whom are solid, while Alison Brie is sadly miscast as Skeletor's second-in-command/lover(?).
All in all this is a film that you can easily have a good time with. Don't go in expecting a masterpiece, but go into it for a fun, cheesy throwback action-adventure and I don't think you'll be disappointed. 3/5
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