The 80s were a special time, and none more special than racing to the loungeroom on a Saturday morning for your favourite cartoon series. Towards the top of the list for so many of us was Masters of the Universe. Originally designed as an action figure to appeal to boys of the early 80's He-Man quickly became a phenom as he battled evil forces that were trying to destroy his home of Eternia.
The franchise has endured through various forms of media over the years and now, thanks to Director Travis Knight, The Masters of the Universe make their triumphant return to the big screen. Bringing back such a beloved franchise was always going to be daunting for anyone taking on the challenge but Knight has decided to stay somewhat truthful to the original source material and deliver us one of the most fun, faithful and entertaining adaptations in recent memory.
When the nefarious Skeletor (Jared Leto) suddenly attacks the peaceful Eternia, quickly over running Castle Greyskull, young prince Adam must flee with the Sword of Power. The mystical Sorceress (Morena Baccarin) sends Adam and the sword to Earth, but along the way Adam loses the sword forcing him to spend the next 15 years looking everywhere for it while the unfamiliar world around him tries to break him.
When he finally finds the sword, it calls out to Eternia, prompting Adam's childhood friend Teela (Camila Mendes) to mount a rescue party and bring him home. Adam quickly realises that the Eternia he left is far from what remains. Skeletor has seized control, the kingdom is no more and the once vibrant landscape has been reduced to a shadow of its former self.
The story feels familiar yes, we have heard it all before, but it is the way Masters of the Universe goes about building its world and characters that sets it apart from so many other adaptions. There was thankfully no attempt to modernise it by making it darker or chasing that gritty realism. It leans heavily into the camp that was so prevalent looking back on the 80s, It's bright, colourful, full of adventure and larger than life characters.
The two main actors could not be more different from one another, and they both perfectly embody their respective characters. Nicholas Galitzine was a brilliant choice for Adam/He-Man, he brings a youthful charm and awkwardness to him highlighting a childlike wonder of someone who grew up with fantastical stories of a faraway land that he vividly remembered but could no longer touch. His awkwardness makes the transformation into the protector of Eternia feel much more deserved and worthy of the cheers from the audience.
Jarad Leto as Skeletor, whoever made that decision knew the magic that was possible. Leto has found the role he was destined to play and he doesn't hold back giving us a Skeletor that steals each scene with such ease you'd begin to think he was the star. He is maniacal, hilarious, chaotic and completely over the top. It is like Leto was a fan growing up, then consulted the meme library and found a Skeletor that is exactly what we needed. The cackles and taunts, the awkward pauses and the pitch perfect delivery of one liners are light years ahead of anything he has done before and there needs to be more of Skeletor, the world will be better for it.
Masters of the Universe works best when it is experienced as the fun ride that it is. It features nostalgia in bucket loads and easter eggs through to after the credits have rolled but as with the Saturday morning cartoon that started it all, there is so much more just underneath. It is a story about family, duty, courage in the face of unsurmountable odds and hope. It's about accepting those around you and doing what's right.
The film is great seen with a crowd but best seen with a group of true fans just to be able to point out everything that is happening on screen. Everything about Masters of the Universe is designed to drag you in and take a small part of you back to the floor in front of the TV. It is unabashedly 80's inspired, full of spectacular moments, highlighted by a thumping soundtrack, so much so that you won't be able to stop the cheers from escaping your lips.
Masters of the Universe is fun, bold, colourful, hilarious and the most entertaining movie I have seen in a long time. It is the most "legal" fun you can have in a cinema in 2026.
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