Masters of the Universe: The Most Fabulous Film You'll See This June — Review
He-Man finally gets the adaptation he deserves — and it is a lot more than anyone expected
By the power of Grayskull, this movie has the power! Masters of the Universe is a property that has been bounced around Hollywood for nearly two decades — Warner Bros., Sony, Netflix, Amazon MGM — before finally landing in theaters. After all of that turbulence, it would have been easy to expect something safe. Instead, director Travis Knight delivered a film that is genuinely surprising in all the best ways.
The film follows Prince Adam, a young man on Earth who has spent his life searching for the Sword of Power — the key to everything he is meant to become. When he finally finds it, he is pulled STRAIGHT into a battle for his home world, Eternia. The setup works well as an entry point for both newcomers and longtime fans, easing you into the lore without ever feeling like homework
What immediately stands out is the visual experience. Masters of the Universe is a gorgeous film, especially in Dolby. The colors are bold and rich, and Eternia feels like a world worth fighting for. The action sequences are excellent — well-choreographed and dynamic, delivering the kind of visual clarity that reminds you what a big screen is actually for.
The Men Behind The Muscles… and The Skull!
Nicholas Galitzine leads the film as Adam and carries it with a charm that is easy to root for. He plays the character with a kind of sincerity that keeps the film grounded even when things get outrageous — and they do get outrageous. Idris Elba as Duncan, also known as Man-At-Arms, is the emotional backbone of the entire film. Every scene he is in carries weight. His arc explores what it means to be strong, what it costs, and what it looks like to reckon with yourself honestly. It is the kind of performance that elevates a film like this beyond what it needs to be.
And then there is the villain. Skeletor looks incredible. Everything about how this character is brought to life is exactly what fans have been waiting for. The design, the presence, and Jared Leto’s performance take this role to a completely new level. So many scenes in this film left me baffled that Leto is even behind the skull mask in the first place. There are moments with Skeletor in this film that had the audience completely losing it, and for good reason. He is a lot of fun.
A Few Cracks in the Armor
The script is where the film is most uneven. The humor is a mixed bag — when it lands, it really lands, and there are genuinely funny moments sprinkled throughout. But there are also stretches where a joke does not quite connect, particularly when the film tries to be clever in the middle of its more serious beats. It does not derail the experience, but it is noticeable.
What is not uneven is the film’s heart. Underneath all of the spectacle, Masters of the Universe is genuinely interested in the idea of masculinity — what society asks of men, what fathers pass down to sons, and what it actually looks like to be strong versus simply performing strength. The film trusts you to feel it rather than spelling it out. By the time the film reaches its emotional peak, the groundwork has been laid carefully enough so that it hits the way it is supposed to.
The runtime works against it slightly. There are moments in the second act where the pacing softens, and a tighter edit could have made this film feel even more alive. But it never loses you entirely, and the final act more than delivers on what was promised.
Final Verdict
He-Man does not walk away unscathed but it is an extremely fun time at the movies that genuinely respects its source material and, more importantly, trusts its audience to understand the impact this IP has on internet culture. It is colorful, action-packed, surprisingly sincere, and a reminder that a big studio film can still have personality when it is in the right hands.
See it in Dolby if you can. He-Man is back!