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I was a child of the 1970s and 80s, and while I wouldn’t call myself a hardcore fan of He-Man, I did have at least one action figure, and I did watch the animated show… though only casually. That said, I knew how popular the franchise was, and I’m well aware of how fondly fans my age look back on it. There was already a live action movie attempt released in 1987 starring Dolph Lundgren, but budgetary constraints and a messy production created a lackluster result, though one that still has its fans. The new MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE comes from director Travis Knight (BUMBLEBEE), and definitely looks and feels big in scale. It’s also considerably more faithful to the source material, while still taking some necessary liberties with its storytelling.

Young Adam (Artie Wilkinson-Hunt) of the mystical realm of Eternia is the son of its King Randor (James Purefoy), and trying desperately to live up to his father’s strength and legacy. When the King and his family come under attack from Skeletor (Jared Leto), Adam is sent away to earth along with the “Sword of Power” in hopes of keeping him safe… but he loses the sword, while losing everything he knows at the same time. Now, an adult Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) feels lost working an office job, hoping to find someone who “gets” him, and holding on to memories of his childhood. He finds the Sword of Power in a collectible shop, and steals it, which lands him in police custody. On his way to face the consequences, a creature from Eternia shows up attempting to retrieve the sword, and Adam’s old friend Teela (Camila Mendes) also appears helping save him from this creature, and eventually takes him back to Eternia, which is now under the oppressive rule of Skeletor, who desperately seeks the Sword of Power for himself. As Adam reunites with his old pals and warriors who served his father, he wonders if he truly does have the power to be the hero this realm so desperately needs.

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE seems to understand that a large portion of its audience will likely be people my age, folks who grew up with the franchise as toys or a cartoon, and who really want to see these characters done the right way. But it also knows not to take itself to seriously, and how some of its aspects are kind of goofy and hard to alter without losing the integrity of how it began. The result is a film that acts as a loving an effective tribute to 1980s Science Fiction and fantasy cinema, mixing elements of FLASH GORDON, HIGHLANDER, LEGEND, EXCALIBUR, CONAN THE BARBARIAN, and yes, even a little STAR WARS, into one big inspired and familiar movie that fan in the right mindset should love. Even the music (featuring Queen’s own Brian May on guitar) is total 1980s rock, and compliments the production nicely. This is a movie that leans heavily on the fun and comedic aspects of these characters, and makes for a pleasurable watch the whole family can enjoy.

Nicholas Galitzine is quite good as Adam, a man who had to grow up in a world that wasn’t his own, and who never forgot where he came from, even if he felt that world forgot him. As he reacclimates into his Eternia origins, we get to witness his rebirth in an engaging way. Jared Leto is quite amusing and effective as Skeletor, definitely playing up some of the more goofy characteristics of the role, but clearly having fun with it, and makes the character one of the best parts of the film – yes, I know, everyone hates Leto now and calls him box office poison, but he’s actually quite good here. Idris Elba is particularly strong as Duncan / Man at Arms, the King’s right hand man and Adam’s mentor who loses his way after Adam leaves, and now must remember who he needs to be. And Camila Mendes is sexy and engaging as Teela, Adam’s old friend who has grown up to be a powerful warrior. Alison Brie has fun as Skeletor’s witch Evil-Lyn, and Morena Baccarin is stunning as Adam’s guardian of sorts, The Sorceress. Kristen Wiig also adds some humor doing the voice of Roboto. You’ll also see great supporting performances from Hafþór, Júlíus Björnsson as Goat Man, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Malcolm/Fisto, Sam C. Wilson as Trap Jaw, and others… this movie doesn’t just include all the supporting characters the toys made famous, it makes a point to give them all moments to shine and do memorable things.

Travis Knight really delivers a film that understands what made these folks memorable and charming, but also finds ways to make the material topical and smartly relevant. Some have compared it to how the BARBIE movie found ways to make the material more than the sum of its parts, and MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE does feel like it’s doing more than some might go into it expecting, but it’s refeshing to see a movie like this that isn’t content to just be a straightforward adaptation. It works more than it doesn’t, and it’s a really fun and entertaining ride. My only complaint is that it’s a tad long running two hours and 20 minutes… I honestly feel like at least 20 minutes of that could have been cut down to deliver a more concise end result, but the movie never once slows down or feels boring. There are also multiple credit scenes that reward anyone who sticks around once it ends, including one very smart scene that sets up what could come next. I liked MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE a lot more than I expected to, but it’s also very much a movie made for people like me, or at the very least people who appreciate what it’s based on.

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