When I first heard about a new live action He- man film, I was undoubtedly skeptical at first. Though the 1987 film was nearly forty years ago, it is still fresh in many of our minds about how it skewed away from what we know from the animated series. Thankfully, someone paid attention, saw the original series and went, “Yeah, we’re doing this.” And I am so glad they did.
Masters of the Universe delivers fans the film they have waited for since the Reagan era. It has all the humor and action you would expect from the franchise. Travis Knight and his team did a fantastic job of bringing the world of Eternia to life with its bright and vibrant landscapes, a proper depiction of Castle Greyskull and Skeletor’s abode, Snake Mountain. While we’re on Skeletor, I love that he looks exactly like he supposed to with his blue skin and terrifying skull face. Say what you want about Jared Leto, he does a good job of bringing out Skeletor’s mannerisms while alluding to Frank Langella’s interpretation of the evil sorcerer with a sprinkle of original actor Alan Oppenheimer. Filtering to the rest of the cast, some fans were on the fence about Idris Elba being cast as Duncan aka Man-at-Arms. He stays true to the character – being a teacher and mentor to Prince Adam – while making the character his own. The same goes for Camila Mendes who adds her own flare to Teela while retaining the core concept of the character.
Nicholas Galitzine went through a rigorous workout regimen to achieve his “He-Man” physique. Though not as big as fan expect, he still looks incredibly strong.
Now for the main man. Many of us fans were looking for a super buff He-Man. Something close to the action figure. When the first images of him were released, fans were calling him “Skinny-Man” or “He-Man’s Little Brother.” The one thing that must be understood is that nobody has that physique in real life. They can get close. Bodybuilders can get close, but they don’t have Hulk-size bodies. We have to keep in mind that Dolph Lundgren already had that physique when he portrayed He-Man in the 1987 adaptation. Nicholas Galitzine did not. He had to workout to build himself up as close to the character as possible, and the results speak. He looks good. Though some folks were calling for it, I am glad that the decision to use CGI to bulk him up was not implemented. To me, he would’ve looked muddy during fights scenes and it would’ve looked unnatural. Characters like the Hulk are an exception because those characters need to be CGI to be that big. I will always credit an actor for working hard to achieve the goal of looking like their character. Another thing to keep in mind is that Chris Evans did not have the body he has now when he played Johnny Storm. With all that being said, Nicholas looks good. He got himself as close to He-Man as possible and he’s alright. His portrayal of Adam is spot-on with the cartoon. He’s aloof, he’s bumbling, he’s awkward. Even though Adam does this purely to keep his identity secret, they made it part of his character in this film and I’m good with that.
Jared Leto seemingly drew inspiration from the original series for his portrayal of Skeletor, matching the warlock’s mannerisms made iconic by Alan Oppenheimer
Master of the Universe does the one thing that the 1987 film did not and what fans wanted: for it to take place on Eternia! That is where the story happens. We get the Earth setting for about twenty minutes or so in the film, but the rest of the movie – all Eternia. That’s where the story needed to be told and battles take place. Speaking of which, the fight sequences were choreographed well, with incredible sword play by Galitzine and staff work by Leto. The film also pulls cues from the Filmation series with He-Man grabbing and tossing badguys around and vehicles aside like toys.
Overall, Masters of the Universe gives a new tale to the Mattel franchise while remaining true to the original story. It breathes new life into the characters and locals that fans know and love. It is an entertaining, action-packed ride that is sure to delight fans old and new as well as serve as an entertaining fantasy film for all. I have truly enjoyed this film and cannot wait to see what the future holds and what adventures await He-Man and his friends.
Masters of the Universe gets 4 out of 5.
