Masters Of The Universe – The BRWC Review. By Deniz Arslan.
In an era where a new toy adaptation, brand movie, or celebrity biopic is made every day, Masters of the Universe, adapted from Mattel’s iconic toy line, emerges as another follower of this wave. But I have to admit that what comes out of it is not as boring as the era we currently live in. The film follows the path taken by Thor: Ragnarok and chooses to tell an epic story through a comedic language—at times even through downright goofy comedy. It adds elements from real life to its story, which allows us to empathize with our main character. And then it lands the finishing blow: it makes Idris Elba a supporting character. A must-have ingredient of Thor: Ragnarok-type superhero movies. Ironically, Idris Elba was in Thor: Ragnarok too, and his function in both films is almost exactly the same.
Masters of the Universe, or He-Man, is, like it is for many of you, one of the most beautiful memories of my childhood. God knows how many times I found a shovel in the garden, lifted it into the air with one hand, and shouted, “By the power of Grayskull… I have the power!” Or how many neighbors watched me from afar and wondered, “Is this kid crazy?” Long story short, yes, this property has a very special place for many of us, and Masters of the Universe uses that weakness well and manages to bring all of our childhood memories back to life. On top of that, the film’s soundtrack, its powerful guitar solos—especially the contributions from Queen’s Brian May—and its overall ’80s rock music feeling easily pull you into its web and leave you helpless as a critic who is supposed to criticize this film.
Let’s admit it: these live-action adaptations, reboots, or whatever you want to call them—projects that are essentially repetitions of older things—are usually the kind of productions I criticize. But Masters of the Universe, because it does this with a very safe formula that has worked many times before, ends up becoming a wonderful piece of entertainment that you enjoy immensely in the cinema.
The story begins with Adam’s childhood. The magical kingdom of Eternia is destroyed by the attack of a cruel tyrant named Skeletor. Young Prince Adam is sent to Earth at the last moment together with a magical sword. But he loses the sword. Fifteen years pass. Adam is now an adult working in human resources in Oklahoma, constantly telling people stories about how he came from another world. One day, after finding the sword he lost, he finally manages to return to his homeland. When he returns, he sees that the evil Skeletor has left his kingdom in ruins, and he begins a struggle against him.
Throughout the film, Adam faces not only external enemies but also his own insecurity and feelings of guilt. The film delivers the message that power is not actually in the sword, but within the person himself. Just like in Thor: Ragnarok, where Thor realizes that his true strength is not in his hammer, but in himself. So it is not only the comedic elements that are similar; the way the hero’s journey is handled, his process of finding himself, and even the final defeat of the villain all show major similarities as well.
Although Nicholas Galitzine is not always convincing, he largely manages to carry the weight of the role placed on his shoulders. He successfully portrays the contradiction of a man who works in human resources on Earth and later becomes a glorious warrior. In particular, the film gets a significant portion of its comedy from his attempts to adapt to the differences between these two worlds, as well as from his clumsiness and inexperience while gradually becoming a capable fighter. Camila Mendes and Idris Elba also do exactly what is required of them and accompany Galitzine very successfully.
And then there is Jared Leto’s Skeletor, a casting choice that many people were unhappy about when they first heard it. I can say that it was one of the film’s strongest aspects. At times, you genuinely forget that the actor is Jared Leto and find yourself under the spell of how well he portrays a cruel villain. Like everyone else, I assumed Leto would add too much of himself to the character, and I did not think I would enjoy that. But it is not like that at all. As I said, you even forget that Skeletor is Jared Leto. In fact, this may also give us a clue about Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom performance in Avengers: Doomsday, which will be released later this year. According to the things I have heard, that casting choice—which many people complained about—may be powerful enough to make audiences forget who is underneath the mask.
The visual effects deserve mention as well. And once again, much of the praise here goes to Jared Leto’s Skeletor. A fully CGI skull-shaped face does not sound like a good idea when you first hear it, but they have absolutely done a fantastic job. As for the rest of the visual effects, they mostly resemble the kind of effects Marvel often uses: not particularly realistic, but somehow acceptable. To be honest, I still do not know what the perfect answer is when it comes to bringing fantastical worlds like these to the screen. Of course, there are moments when the visuals irritate you. But you become so invested in the story that it stops mattering.
Verdict: Blending childhood nostalgia, ’80s rock energy, and a Thor: Ragnarok-style sense of humor, Masters of the Universe rarely breaks new ground, but thanks to a committed cast, an excellent Skeletor, and pure entertainment value, it wins you over anyway.
Score: 8/10
