REEL | 'Masters of the Universe' Summons the Power of Nostalgia

"The universe shall quake in my shadow!"

Amazon MGM Studios / Mattel Studios

Masters of the Universe, Mattel's blockbuster live-action adaptation of the once-popular 1980s toy line and accompanying animated series of the same name, stars the affable Nicholas Galitzine as the powerful He-Man, Prince of Eternia, with a fierce Camila Mendes as Teela, his "Warrior Goddess" sidekick. Laika co-founder Travis Knight's kinetic direction propels the sword-and-sorcery action forward. However, its overabundance of violent fantasy combat stretches the wholly unnecessary two-hour-and-twenty-minute runtime.

There's more than enough jam-packed, dizzying action clearly inspired by mashing action figures together, set in a magical realm full of cyborgs, talking tigers, mystical swords, and a skull-faced villain in Jared Leto's maniacally cartoonish but appropriately named Skeletor. Surrounding Galitzine, familiar names like Idris Elba, who notably co-starred in the similarly themed Thor franchise, Alison Brie, Morena Baccarin, and comedian Sasheer Zamata provide more grounding to the rollercoaster ride of a film.

Much of Masters of the Universe very much resembles a live-action Saturday morning cartoon filled with both exhilarating visuals and self-mocking comedy about its own existence. It's goofy fun, overstuffed with colourful imagery and imaginative nonsense, aimed mostly at grown children who are now nostalgic adults. While mostly entertaining throughout, the film adaptation struggles to simultaneously escape and acknowledge its silly but reverential, toy-based source material.

Masters of the Universe will be available to stream on Prime Video starting July 22nd.


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