Masters of the Universe Review

The phrase “Summer Blockbuster” didn’t really have a definition for me until Masters of the Universe. Of course, I have heard it a billion times, but it wasn’t until I was sitting in the theater that the definition filled in the blank in my mind. When I got to my showing, the entire lobby was packed full of fans. Mattel had invited real He-Man fans, all wearing some incredible He-Man shirt (shout-out to the guy in the button-up with all the toys on it). But then there was the usual press, influencers, and contest winners. A group of younger audience members sat next to me who talked about knowing nothing about He-Man. Even though I don’t know much more than that, I love the cartoon Skeletor.

But then that’s when the magic happened. The lights go down, and the movie starts in a packed house. From start to finish, every single person in that theatre was locked in. Boisterous laughter, gasps, and the reality of the world outside faded away. You are taken to Eternia, a mix of spot-on CGI and practical sets. Everything is bigger than life, from the characters to the world they’re in and the evil that descends upon them. Everyone is housing their popcorn around the theatre as Adam tries to reclaim his place in the home he had escaped from. It is a journey of self-discovery, heroism, and the PERFECT Summer Blockbuster.

Nicholas Galitzine is the perfect himbo. Full stop. This man shows up built like a brick shit house with a head full of marbles. It’s so refreshing to have a hero who isn’t the smartest man in the room or even the smartest creature. Instead, he is a person with a dream and a hope of making the world better. It’s a simple concept, but that’s why it soars like canon fire. There isn’t an overcomplicated plot or a need to tie into 900 other films, even if it’s a franchise. The trick is that the film makes you fall in love with everyone you meet, starting with Galitzine.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was never a fandom that I followed, so everything was so new and exciting to me. But director Travis Knight and writers Chris Butler, Adam Nee, and Dave Callaham never steered away from how goofy the ’80s toy craze-aging show was. Every character is treated with respect, but they also keep the humor of names like “Ram Man.” My personal favorite from Eternia’s best is “Fisto” because it led to some jokes that had the entire theatre losing their minds.

The villain of the film, Skeletor, absolutely ruled because of the character’s scripting. Aside from his unfortunate casting, the character himself was spot-on in his silliness of origin. None of the goofiness ever feels hollow, though, because these characters are exactly what they say they are. Skeletor IS a villain without any chance of redemption, which is what I think a good Summer Blockbuster needs. The villain needs to just be evil, even if he makes you laugh because of his incompetence or some of the things he says, being some of the most homoerotic lines you’ve ever heard (Happy Pride Skeletor, my bisexual king).

With a Summer Blockbuster, you need a score and theme song that slays as much as your hero does, and Masters of the Universe doesn’t let you down. Daniel Pemberton’s score is fantastic, with strength and whimsy through the entire film. The film also uses “Princes of the Universe” by Queen at one point, which is part badass and part hilarious. But just like Flash Gordon had Queen do a song for them, Masters of the Universe does the next best thing with a Masters of the Universe song by The Darkness. There are all the harmonies, guitars, and rock you could ever need to fight to save your home.

Everything about Masters of the Universe rules. I would put up a poster of this movie in my bedroom if I were a kid. That’s what makes it a perfect Summer Blockbuster. I watched a kid hug his father after the movie and thank him; you could see it in the Dad’s eyes how happy he was. I stood by the elevators and talked to the action-figure-shirt guy about his thoughts on the film as a die-hard fan. Every single person walked out of that theatre and into the beautiful evening air to talk about the movie, gush about what they loved, and more. It’s everything we need to kick off summer at the movies.