He-Man and the Lords of the Universe
Director: Travis Knight
Mould: Nicolas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Jared Leto, Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Morena Baccarin and Idris Elba
Rating: ★★★⯪
Social media is a curious beast. Over the years, it has revived many beaten IPs and franchises of the past, turning them into ‘cult classics’ through the magic of memes and chat forums. Masters of the Universe is one such franchise. Skeletor memes and dancing He-Man GIFs began a resurgence of interest in the universe, and reboots dutifully followed. And, as some other franchises have done recently, Masters of the Universe plays up the fun, playful, campy side of its predecessors, providing entertainment without being too serious.
Base
Prince Adam of Eternia must flee his utopian kingdom after the evil warrior Skeletor overthrows his father, the King, and takes over Eternia. Handing over the magical power sword, he escaped through a portal to Earth. But as he loses the sword, Adam grows up searching for it, and tries to convince anyone who believes in him of his magical homeland. Eventually, he found his way back and now must battle Skeletor for his kingdom. The greatest weapon in his arsenal – the sword that transforms him into the most powerful warrior in the universe – Heiman.
A fun trip all around
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe never takes itself too seriously. It knows it’s a movie about a toy line from the ’70s, popularized by a campy cartoon from the ’80s. It brings the same irreverence towards a big, mainstream action film in a style reminiscent of the 80s and 90s. But it does it quite cleverly, just like Mortal Kombat did so recently. The film knows its stakes and establishes them neatly. But he also knows that the original characters had names like Fisto and Ram Man, and he never fails to make fun of it.
Especially the character of Skeletor has been played very well. In the original show, he was an evil clown – scary but silly. Somehow, Travis Knight has managed this in the live-action adaptation without diminishing the character’s aura and stature. The character design and his glowing eyes help. And his quips and jokes are managed in such a way that he never misses the point of his absurdity.
The visuals are amazing, creating the world of Eternia beautifully. In this age of VFX oversaturation, Masters of the Universe has managed to create a believable world of wonder. It follows the usual conventions, but you’re not looking for Avatar-level world-building here. You just want to be immersed ‘enough’, and this film manages that.
is a highlight of the film Nicholas Galitzine. Many were surprised by the casting when it was announced two years ago. Meanwhile, Nicholas dresses himself up to look like He-Man. But more than his physical transformation, he brings innocence, humor and likability to the role, which makes you fall for him. Not since Chris Hemsworth have we had a ‘Beefcake’ who was more than that – warm, likable and a solid performer.
minor mistakes
Yes, there are some things that don’t work in this movie. Its tendency to relieve tension with a line or joke in stressful moments gets to you after some time. Marvel has done this for over a decade, and He-Man threatens to head down the same path before making a course-correction. there is also Jared Leto Question. The actor brings nothing to Skeletor except his name. The voice is the weakest aspect of the villain’s characterization, and one wonders if a Jim Carrey-esque route would have been a better choice for the role.
But He-Man and the Masters of the Universe offers what very few movies do today: a fun time at the cinema. It lets you relax, laugh and cheer for your heroes, while also adding a touch of timeless nostalgia.