The He-Man and the Masters of the Universe toys were a ridiculous attempt to compete with better thought-out toys like Transformers and G.I. Joe. He-Man’s world and rules were nonsensical. But — the audacity of it made the toys amazing, you know, for kids. The cartoon added some semblance of a backstory, but it didn’t make much sense either. It didn’t have to. He-Man was pro wrestling with otherworldly characters. And every kid who liked swords, spells, and top-rope elbow drops loved this world.
The toys and cartoon series probably shouldn’t have the legacy they do. Yet here we are after multiple high-quality series and a new Masters of the Universe (2026) movie. The film doesn’t hide from its bizarre legacy or the ridiculousness of its world. It embraces them. And that makes it fun. Enough fun to fill 140 minutes? Sure. Why the hell not?
This is a $170 million movie — big bucks that pay for set-wrecking explosions, high-energy stunt work, and realistic (and real) costumes for the colorful characters. Jared Leto is fantastic as Skeletor, embodying the demented evilness of the villain, even if his insults aren’t as sharp as the original series. Alison Brie is delicious as his masochistic hench-woman Evil-Lyn. The ripped Nicholas Galitzine looks like He-Man and pulls off the supposedly meager Prince Adam, though we can clearly see his muscles under those baggy clothes.
To put it simply, Masters of the Universe is a shallower, less evolved Guardians of the Galaxy. Take the Taserface joke from the second GotG film and stretch it into 140 minutes and you understand what’s at work here. It’s not complicated. Muscley guys and gals and beasts and ghastly beings beat the hell out of each other while spouting off teenage jokes. That’s the mission. Mission accomplished.
Also, get ready for a ton of self-referential jokes. The characters make fun of their outfits, their names, and the fans who keep the legacy alive. It’s playful. As are the many sex jokes that wink at you with the subtly of a fist to your head. Or a fist to your… If you like where that joke is going, you’re going to love the many fisting jokes that will go right over your kids’ heads. Yes. There are a ton of fisting jokes. If your child gets them, check their search history.
Don’t overthink things. If your kid likes action, this film has it. Crack a few brews and dive into this over-eager, almost-mess of a Saturday morning cartoon-turned-big-budget-blockbuster that steadies itself into a solid pick for family movie night.
Where to watch
Rating: PG-13 (8+)
Director: Travis Knight
Starring: Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Jared Leto, Idris Elba, Alison Brie
Run time: 2h 20m
Post-credits scenes: Of course there are. Multiple. The final post-credits scene sets up a future addition to the cast that’s straight from the 1985 animated film. Yes, there’s a 1985 animated film.
Sequel? The $170 million film made just $114 million at the box office. But the film had almost 1.2 billion minutes viewed in its first week streaming on Prime in the United States alone. There are no casting announcements. Still. Expect a sequel.
If you liked Masters of the Universe, check out these films:
- Masters of the Universe (1987) (8+)
- He-Man and She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword (1985) (5+)
- Masters of the Universe: Revelation (2021 TV series) (9+)
- Masters of the Universe: Revolution (2024 TV series) (9+)
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) (8+)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) (8+)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) (9+)
- Flash Gordon (1980) (8+)
- Thor: Ragnarok (2017) (8+)
- Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) (8+)
See more Pint-Sized Reviews
Find this title on the Family Film Recommendations list
