Masters of the Universe (2026)
Only one can have the power.
We’ve done the old one, let’s do the new one! I didn’t know what to really make of this one as far as where it would go for tone - but honestly, the trailer is bright, colorful, and full of action so in my head it’s an immediate “can’t be that bad.” I don’t generally pay attention to how movies do in the box office - it’s a fickle number that speaks just as much to everyone being broke as it does to genuine interest in a movie these days - so it’s pretty much entirely just going off the trailer for this one (and the sweet benefit of having a Prime sub that I only need to watch an add or two and not need to shell out extra from the wallet) but I’ve watched movies for less. Grab your buffest outfit and shout at your ceiling - tonight we watch Masters of the Universe.
Of course that’s in reference to He-Man, the old cartoon. Eternia is a wonderful place, called by two or three different names over the course of the movie, filled with all the splendor and wonder you would think. We get to meet our lead as a kid - a wimpy, peace loving kid who doesn’t much enjoy combat training and would rather play with his talking cat. King isn’t super fond of that - what with being a big hero type himself - but that family issue is going to need to take a backseat, because in comes big blue evil skull-faced Skeletor himself, and he’s wrecking shop because he wants the power that lies at the heart of the universe, conveniently housed in the castle the king swore to protect. Next thing you know, our young prince is kicked through a wormhole to another world as his own world falls apart around him. Don’t worry - we don’t spend the entire movie on normal old boring Earth this time around, but what will his home be like when he finally manages to return?
Actors do a good job here. Plenty of moments of ham - but I mean, have you ever watched the cartoon? I think the biggest thing anyone was worried about was how Skeletor would come out, as most weren’t exactly fans of how the actor’s stint as the Joker went and had some lingering worry that the movie was going to play him super straight and serious. Honestly, he did a really good job here. Legitimately, I’d say he does or comes close to stealing pretty much every scene he is in - which is probably accomplishment given at the very least his entire head is a CG skull. Some of the side and background characters don’t get to shine nearly as much, although I would say that nothing here really constitutes what I would call a bad job. Our leads do well, and have good chemistry - again, considering one is a big CG robot, rather impressive - and although it’s all settled in a vehicle you wouldn’t really be searching for stand out performances in, I still rather much appreciate it.
When it comes to characters, There are a few arcs here that follow rather normal family movie fare. Character X does something, fails, has to learn to forgive themselves and move on with it. Character Y goes from weak guy to suddenly powerful, and has to remember not to loose his more human, compassionate side. Evil bad guy is evil, and aptly brings up the point of what else would he be when his face is a literal skull. Can’t argue with that one, even if perhaps it’s not the most ribbon-winning fleshing out of a character and their history. Most characters fall more into that later bit - they might have a stick, but it’s not anything that’s really meant to be much past what’s in the name. What’s here is honestly to be expected if you know He-Man at all, but it really isn’t selling much past that in this department either.
So much evil.
What it does sell is a bunch of effects work. Costumes, settings, weapons and magics and laser oh my! It’s very much designed with that toy/cartoon make it big and flashy and give us a reason to sell more toys situation - but it does it all really well. Again, I watch these on a projector, so I like to think I’m not hiding a ton of choppy details behind a small screen or low resolution - and it pretty sharp and detailed. Now, I won’t go as far as to say that the obviously CG stuff doesn’t look like CG stuff, but in the luscious landscape of a fantasy world with buzzsaw-planes and talking giant green tiger cats it also doesn’t really feel out of place. The fact most the movie is in fantasy world probably helps that a lot, as it does lean into the strengths of whimsy like a Snake Mountain fortress surrounded by lava or what have you - but I do feel there is probably a surprising amount of time put into some level of practical stuff, even if it might get covered up by the computer later.
Part of that is the costumes - which look great. Part of that is also probably some of the weapons and places in which the action takes place. Yeah, sure, it’ll cut a good amount during said fights, but when a character is meant to feel powerful the movie usually won’t disappoint. On the other side of that, some of it can feel a bit like “throw whatever we think is cool at it and see what sticks,” or be more used as a setup for a joke that may or may not land - but I didn’t find myself really picking any of it apart or getting bored as it was going along. Speaking of jokes, there’s a good number of them in there in a variety of styles. Referential stuff is gonna be the loosest in success rate - given it depends you know what it’s referencing - probably followed by the saucy jokes. For a movie based on a cartoon, there is a surprising amount of not-for-kids jokes in there that may or may not fly over the heads of the young’ns these days. They would get a chuckle out of me at various points, but I also wouldn’t say I was rolling on the floor like I might have watching a dedicated comedy flick.
Audio is balanced well, music is good, and the background sound effects make things feel real good. Line deliveries are mostly done well - I would say at worst a line is mediocre, although some might find some of the lines themselves perhaps a bit cringy? I think it’s less an actor and delivery method as much as just the modern way of talking makes an old person like me more likely to groan when we hear it. If you are a thinking type, there’s probably plenty in here you could dig up and try to turn into more than it is presented. For me, the guy who goes brain dead by the time the pre-credits are gone and the movie has started, it’s the same old surface level stuff. What is power? Where is power? Is there really something wrong with being nice? Do you really need a reason to be evil and crave ruling everything? Relationships, gender, all that good stuff I don’t really pay attention to.
We all see what you did there movie.
The movie was quite fun. Is it the best, highest brow of cinema around? Not really. Is it better than the original one? In most ways yes - although there is something to say of the campy budget feeling and earworm songs from the first one. Actors do a good job and seem like they are having fun, the visuals are good and flashy, and it does feel quite a bit like a live action cartoon. It might merit a watching from parent’s before letting their younger brood watch it if you are the type that gets offended by innuendos and the likes, but overall it’s a pretty solid PG13 comedy romp through a fantasy world.