MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE
Starring: Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Jared Leto, Idris Elba, and Kristen Wiig
Director: Travis Knight
QUENTIN
Masters of the Universe is goofy as shit. If you have any familiarity with the cartoon, you already know this. I mean, the hero’s name is He-Man (Nicholas Galitzine); one of his warriors is Fisto (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson). Thankfully, director Travis Knight and his team of screenwriters embrace that silliness, resulting in an incredibly fun movie that feels like watching a kid play with real-life action figures. That alone would have been enough for my nostalgia, but with complementary pieces like the 80s-inspired score, amazingly accurate costume design, and—believe it or not—a hilarious, scene-stealing Jared Leto as Skeletor, I could not have asked for much more.
NICK
I’ve never had any nostalgic attachment to the He-Man character, but from what I know of the IP, Masters of the Universe seems to be the best way to adapt this story to modern times. It’s cheesy, goofy, and cringy, but it doesn't shy away from those aspects as the comedy leans into its self-awareness. It certainly could’ve been funnier, though, especially with how long the film feels. Nicholas Galitzine embodies He-Man wonderfully, but it’s Jared Leto's sassy and flamboyant Skeletor who steals every scene. This is something that should please existing fans, but I don’t think it has the juice to make any new ones.
ADRIANO
Against all odds, Masters of the Universe is… fine. Unlike most of the $100 million slop we’ve been subjected to recently, director Travis Knight has an inkling of knowledge about what he’s making and genuinely cares. Don’t get me wrong… it’s visually repulsive at times, the humour is hit and miss, and its attempts at a masculinity message are laughable. But for a movie where He-Man (Nicholas Galitzine) gets saved by an Amazon Prime truck, there is a lot of fun to be had with the colourful silliness, not to mention a banging score that matches the excitement.
