So what does it mean to be one of the Masters of the Universe? That’s the question raised in the first few minutes of the movie. We are introduced to the fantasy world of Eternia and a creation myth: before time immemorial, the power of the cosmos ran unchecked and was named Greyskull.
A castle sits at the heart of that power, and still does, as part of a greater whole, a cosmos that appears bound inside a gravity well. Eternia, the planet Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) comes from, may well exist within that anomaly, and whoever wields the singularity can reshape destiny. The visual clues are there in the opening frame: When we see a cosmic being hammer an entire black hole, accretion disc included, into the Sword of Power. Whether intentional or not, it evokes the idea that the blade contains a singularity, giving new meaning to the phrase “I have the power.”
When the Filmation series touched upon similar ideas in “Visitors from Earth,” it suggested that such a possibility already existed within the mythology. If the struggle centres on claiming a cosmic weapon capable of shaping reality itself, then the reason the franchise is what it is makes a great deal more sense.
But I digress. The toy line never came with a backstory or series bible to define who these heroes were or why they mattered. By the time Filmation got involved, they needed something: world-building, defined allegiances, and a reason for each character to exist. The IP never started as a unified canon. It was built to sell toys and survive shifting trends, picking up lore rewrites along the way and spawning multiple versions of the story. There’s even speculation that a black hole serves as a portal to an alternate world, which means it may not even matter who holds the power. That theory has never been explored, but let’s hope this take ventures there.
In the latest film, that MacGuffin carries a prophecy pulled from Arthurian tradition: in the world’s greatest need, a hero would step forward, wield the blade, and “use it awesomely.” Yes, that is how this film introduces Masters of the Universe to a new generation. Writers Chris Butler, the Nee brothers, and David Callaham leave deliberate gaps in that greater story arc. They want fans, new and old, to hunger for what comes next. The first film compresses a great deal of lore and early merchandise nods into its runtime, making the easter egg hunt genuinely worthwhile. It’s very self-aware of its roots, pokes fun at them, and trusts the humour to land.
The Frank Frazetta influence is strong, the pulp origins feel heavier than ever, and Queen… well, it’s about bloody time “Princes of the Universe” got used where it truly belongs. Originally composed for Highlander, the film even makes a joke about that, and I cackled. That stylistic choice works perfectly to modernise the 80s animated concept for today’s audience. It’s less about selling a product and more about giving this IP the feel of a Flash Gordon adventure.
Everyone here seems to enjoy being a real-life action figure. I never expected characters like Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba) or his daughter Teela (Camila Mendes) to translate properly from the original. Some costumes and designs were never meant for live action. Mekaneck is one example. Merman is another. The others took some adjustment, and taking them seriously as villains meant setting aside memories of the 80s series, where they mostly served as comedic foils to their heroic counterparts. Skeletor is the exception. Jared Leto knew when to channel his inner Alan Oppenheimer, the original voice actor, and the moments when it clicks are worth it. One moment that doesn’t: his attempt to wield the Sword of Power, which ultimately goes nowhere.
The costume Leto wore could have been better, but he likely performed in a motion-capture suit with facial markers that allowed animators to bring out his performance. Just like in the cartoon, there are moments when eyebrows should exist, yet only bone moves instead. Making him more physically imposing would have served the story well. Lightly buff doesn’t quite cut it for Skeletor.
Rather than following later iterations that tried to play the material straight, this film leans into comedy. Travis Knight‘s take follows the same light-hearted energy that Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert built into Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Nicholas Galitzine plays Adam as though he’s channelling Kevin Sorbo more than any previous animated version of the character. Had Sorbo been approached to play He-Man instead of Kull the Conqueror when he made his fantasy debut, he likely would have been up to the challenge.
No review is complete without mentioning the Sorceress (Morena Baccarin), guardian of Castle Greyskull. She receives very limited screen time here, and that was a genuine disappointment. Her moments don’t lean into the same gravitas as in the series, and that too must be noted. While her backstory isn’t strictly necessary, her role in the franchise matters. To replicate her costume with cartoon accuracy would have been a hurdle. To give her that tight fitting outfit is difficult to take seriously. With the right creative direction, a blend of Egyptian motifs drawn from Horus the Avenger and Isis could bridge that gap beautifully. What’s presented here feels plain by comparison. At least in bird form, the artistic direction comes together.
Even so, none of those shortcomings sink the film. Kringer/Battle Cat gets the short end of the stick, and there’s really no way around that in live action. The story leans heavily on the hero’s journey without dragging too many supporting elements along: Adam must find his way home and deal with the aftermath of Skeletor’s takeover of Eternia. What Knight delivers is IMAX-scale filmmaking, complete with spectacular fights, ambitious greenscreen work, and combat that makes the Optimus Prime and Megatron showdowns look restrained. Fans will enjoy this for what it is: pure popcorn entertainment. And for once, no stray floating alien compromises the narrative. This story is entirely about saving a planet before a dire threat turns its sights on the entire universe.
3 Stars out of 5
Masters of the Universe Trailer
