Masters of the Universe review: Nostalgic reboot is a jack of all trades, master of none

If there’s one thing Millennials love, it’s trips down memory lane, which is what Travis Knight provides with his Masters of the Universe movie. It’s a nostalgic trip that does several things well, but nothing great.

Perhaps Masters of the Universe should be an Amazon MGM Studios project; look no further than the sly Prime product placement. For one, it is led by two former stars of Prime Video/Amazon MGM joints. He-Man actor Nicholas Galitzine starred in Red, White & Royal Blue and The Idea of You, while Teela is played by Daisy Jones & The Six star Camilla Mendes.

Masters of the Universe also, at times, feels like something made with two-day shipping, while at other times, it feels like the best-case scenario of what Thor: Love and Thunder could have been, thanks to its vibrancy and camp.

Since Masters of the Universe was last taken to the big screen in 1987, the cinematic landscape has changed drastically. For as much good as it has brought, the MCU has poisoned the outlook on franchise filmmaking.

What’s Masters of the Universe about?

Over a decade ago, Adam (Nicholas is sent away from his home planet, Eternia, which is invaded by the power-hungry Skelator (Jared Leto). He is after Adam’s father’s (James Purefoy) power and the mystical sword that provides it. Adam’s mother, Queen Marlena Glenn (Charlotte Riley), sends him to her home planet, Earth (an important detail that isn’t explained in this movie).

In the present day, Adam is a clock-watching pencil-pusher who works in HR, a far cry from being the prince of Eternia. He has been searching for the sword to bring him home and save his parents.

When the opportunity arises, he takes it, and this reunites him with his childhood friend, Teela, and her father/his trainer, Duncan (Idris Elba). He tries to reclaim what’s his and take on Skeletor.

What it gets right

Masters of the Universe does a few things well, like its “fish out of water” story. Adam in the real world is hilarious, the highlight of the movie. He has spent his life being ridiculed for telling his backstory, which, admittedly, is hard to believe. This extends to the dates he has in his 20s.

Unlike some blockbusters, Masters of the Universe allots an appropriate amount of time of its 141-minute runtime to flashbacks to set up Adam’s story and of him in the real world before his quest kicks into full gear.

If this were a series, a good two or so episodes could be devoted to his journey in the real world. But alas, it takes up most of the first hour.

Galitzine is okay in his role, but it’s Elba who brings out the best in him. The actors take advantage of the characters’ history, as Elba is able to bring out the child-like qualities of Galitzine’s Adam more naturally than any of his other screen partners.

Queen’s presence on the soundtrack

The music is also a great throwback. Daniel Pemberton served as the composer, but Queen’s “Princes of the Universe” makes an appearance. Ironically, the song was previously used in Highlander: The Series, an IP name-dropped in Masters of the Universe. Queen guitarist Brian May also wrote a song that seamlessly slides in.

Surprisingly, the second half is where Masters of the Universe begins stumbling. There is some well-choreographed action, but the rudimentary story can only be carried so far. For as well-paced as the opening hour of the 141-minute movie is, the last 80 minutes can be tedious.

Not only does it feel like the movie is just trying to get from point A to point B, but it’s doing the bare minimum to get there. It really doesn’t help that there’s no emotional weight whatsoever. There are also some plot holes and conveniences that the movie never cares to explain or even acknowledge.

The MCU problem

Some of the pacing problems come from Masters of the Universe’s inability to have any emotional depth. No one was expecting Casablanca-level drama, but any remotely emotional scene is always undercut by the MCU’s signature humor.

For most over the age of 13, this humor is grinding. Rarely is it funny, especially when utilized at every possible turn. It’s always the lowest-hanging fruit.

It’s not as if the MCU created low-brow humor; it’s that it popularized sacrificing emotional weight for cheap laughs. Masters of the Universe,  a franchise that hasn’t been on the big screen in almost 40 years, took the wrong lesson from the MCU’s success.

That’s not the only problem. At times, Masters of the Universe knocks it out of the park with its visuals. The colors are vivid, and the landscapes can be breathtaking. At other times, it looks like an extremely top-of-the-line video game.

For a blockbuster with this kind of budget, that’s almost unacceptable in 2026. It’s especially questionable when some of the mythical characters and sets created with practical effects look really good. That makes it feel like corners were cut in some respects.

Look no further than Skeletor, who is a mixed bag. To its credit, the design of the character resembles the original, down to the colors of his armor.

However, the skull, which is completely CGI, gives Leto no room to give the character any personality. He always looks menacing, but there’s no nuance to the performance. Leto is also given some of the worst one-liners, which severely hinder his monologues.

Should you watch Masters of the Universe?

Masters of the Universe is a step up from the last movie in the franchise, which it appropriately pays homage to very early in the 2026 film. It certainly takes itself more seriously in some respects, lending itself well to potentially launching a franchise. At others, it feels like most blockbusters these days — derivative.

The movie is simply inconsistent. Even its best qualities, such as its visuals and the scenes of Adam on Earth, never reach their full potential. Meanwhile, its worst qualities, such as its humor, are bad enough to ignore.

For kids of the ’80s, Masters of the Universe is probably everything you’d want in a movie about this source material. It’s not nearly as hokey as the 1987 movie, and it’ll probably age better as a result. Unfortunately, the 2026 Masters of the Universe movie begs the question — does anyone else?

Grade: C+

Masters of the Universe will be released on June 6.

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