- Release year: 2026
- Director: Travis Knight.
- Producers: Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Robbie Brenner, and DeVon Franklin.
- Screenplay by: Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, and Dave Callaham.
- Cinematography by: Katie Swain and Fabian Wagner.
- Music by: Daniel Pemberton.
Synopsis: an alien must find his special sword to gain power and defeat the villain who has taken over his planet.
Shotgun Commentary: self-awareness at its best.
Review
Masters of the Universe is the kind of film you might enjoy more if you have any background on the product. That is not to say it is not a pretty good action comedy on its own. As a critic whose only relationship with Masters of the Universe is a vague recollection of the 1987 film starring Dolph Lundgren, I speak mostly to casual fans and newbies in the following review.
This feature is a coming-of-age story following Adam (Nicholas Galitzine), aka He-Man, from his childhood until he becomes the hero he was always meant to be. Of course, in order to become a hero, all he needs is to get jacked to 80s Schwarzenegger levels. Because that’s what heroes do.
Those beautiful 80s
Now, before you judge this too harshly, you need to remember this was Mattel’s response to the rising popularity of Star Wars in the 80s. Seeing as this is a modern remake of the movie prompted by the series prompted by Mattel’s action figures, the film is actually pretty good. We often forget that the 80s had more to offer than neons and big hairdos. It was also the rise of unnaturally big, unnaturally shinny muscles. And what better way to profit from the 80s nostalgia than by bringing up one of the most popular images of this trend: He-Man.
Luckily, in 2026, the blatant objectification that is ever-present in Masters of the Universe has now become a source of comedy instead of a casually accepted impossible body goal. You now have Marvel movies for that purpose. That is not to say that Adam has ceased to be the hunk with horribly cringe hair we all know He-Man to be, only that his hunkiness is acknowledged in the most comedic ways, more often than not by Skeletor (Jared Leto).
Highs and plastics
Speaking of which, let’s pause on Skeletor for a bit. As far as villains go, it is hard to come up with another example in the history of cinema of a nemesis who, with absolutely no backstory or emotional depth, serves sass and vibes as hard as this Skeletor. Is this the best role Jared Leto has played in years? You bet your ass it is. So I guess one merely had to cover his face to get some really good acting out of him?
Still, the highlight of the movie has got to be the props. They make you reconsider the budget and intention of what you are actually watching more than once until you come to terms with the fact that Poundland props are the name of the game in this story and you just have to be cool with it. Even the 80s version’s props were significantly more realistic. It seems like that might be an attempt at a nod to the original Mattel product, but it just feels off for the first half hour until you reconcile the obvious high budget of the movie with the obvious low budget of the props.
Final grievances
Plus, for those of you who cannot tell the budget of a movie from its looks—a perfectly valid and natural skill to not possess—there is a very convenient Amazon Prime commercial mid-movie. Is it necessary? No. Is it relevant to the plot? Hell no. Is there a Skip button? Funnily enough, also no, but do not feel weird if your gaze unconsciously moves to the lower right part of the screen for a second.
All in all, Masters of the Universe is a fun comedy that will make a lot of He-Man fans happy and provide you with some brainless action content with great fights and awesome sets. You know, in case Mortal Kombat II (2026) or Street Fighter (2026) aren’t sufficient action remakes to fill the next six months.
Advice to take from this movie:
- You don’t always have to give bad guys the opportunity to redeem themselves.
- Animals need armour to go into a war, same as people.
- Giving the power of the universe to a 6-year-old to guard is not a very smart move.
What’s your take? Have you watched Masters of the Universe? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message on my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀