Masters of the Universe

Attention, Gen Xers! If you recall coming home from school, plopping in front of the boob tube to enjoy the mind numbing line-up of after-school programs including He-Man, then you need to rush to the nearest theater to travel back to the nostalgic realm of Eternia. You will not want to miss one of this summer’s blockbusters in the theaters. Let’s dive in.

Warning (in the voice of 80s Skelator): Remember, this review contains spoilers. For those not interested, turn back now…until we meet again.

Synopsis

After a raging battle leads to the destruction of Castle Greyskull, the Sorceress sent Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) to a different realm with the sword of power. Adam ends up in Oklahoma, where a company focusing on empathy training employees him. Through multiple dating mishaps, Adam tells his story of his origin to the disbelief of others. Regardless, Adam wants to return home and continues his search for the sword of power. Finally, someone reaches out to him regarding the whereabouts of the sword, Adam’s ticket to return home. However, his reunion with the sword triggers a beacon and life changes for Earth Adam immediately. With Teela’s (Camila Mendes) assistance, Adam escapes becoming a prince pulp and returns to Eternia where his fight for freedom of his people begins.

Power Positives

Hats off to the casting team because Idris Elba’s performance as Man at Arms rocked! Uplifting, stern, typical coach of masculinity. Jared Leto plays the perfect Skeletor with his delivery of delectable, diabolical dialogue (full alliteration-intended). The plot works, starting out with Adam’s background of how he “fell” to Earth and centering on his struggles to be human while searching for his missing keepsake. This story arch comes back again later in the film, for those who pay attention. The edge-of-your seat action kept my attention, leading to the natural cause of a takeover. Skeletor’s reign over Eternia led the fictional land down a dark path of chaos, which the set designers brought to life on the screen.

I really appreciated the character development of both Man-at-Arms and Adam. Each character came to fruition throughout the film. Man-at-Arms overcomes his loss to Trapjaw with the guidance of the supporting characters; while Adam learns to find his way as a leader, learning physical strength does not solve all conflicts. This message appears subtly throughout the film, with a memorable appearance of a guest cameo, and a familiar ending when the film concludes. Be on the lookout for these appeasing appearances.

Crashing Areas

Masters of the Universe carries a heft run time of two hours and twenty minutes. With all the action embedded in the film, the slowest moment hit when romance rears its head. Personally, the film would feel tighter without the romance. Throughout the 80s animation, there may have been a subtle romantic vibe between two of the characters, but I feel adding it here for the full-feature film took away from the pacing of the film. A shorter film, minus the romance, would have worked better.

The ending draws a little concern too. It ends, as most villain vs. hero films do, leaving the audience to question what happened to Skeletor. Throughout its run on the boob tube, 80s kids have become accustom to Skeletor (and all villain) making an escape when conflict turns into a direction favoring the heroes. Will Skeletor make a comeback? Or have we seen the last of him? Fear not. I believe the producers are setting up for a sequel (pending the success of this film), as they added a supportive cut scene during the credits. Y’all may want to sit a little longer in the dark theater to catch it.

Exploring more in Greyskull

Any true fan of the animated series will appreciate a lot of the details added to the live action film. First, the music. The producers filled the soundtrack with every track to bring you right back to a kid, sitting eating your after-school snack, and watching the muscled macho man fight for Greyskull. Much of the special effects also felt very “eighties,” like watching the cartoon. Second, Prince Adam’s outfit will look very familiar when fans see it. They may not catch at first, but as the film progresses, his outfit will drag you back to your childhood. On last detail I caught was at the end of the film when the heroes stand in a circle, laughing over their victory. Any child of the 80s will immediately recognize their stance and (if you’re like me) appreciate this very close attention to the animated series.

Overall Score

My overall score for the film is 4/5 stars. I loved the action, the attention to the details, the plot, however I firmly believe adding the romance slowed the film and dragged down a disappointing lane for longer than needed.

Have you watched the film? Share your thoughts in the comments below.