Craving Nostalgic 80s Fantasy Updated for Today? This Action-Packed Flick Is Just What You Need
If you're craving a high-quality fantasy movie with action, humor, and charismatic characters, this is your pick.
The long-awaited film adaptation of the cult 1980s franchise Masters of the Universe, based on Mattel toys and the animated series of the same name, has been released.
Travis Knight, head of Laika, the animation studio behind Kubo and the Two Strings and ParaNorman, has taken over the director's chair.
Although the 80s craze may seem to have faded, Amazon is reviving the tale of a space barbarian in leather shorts with a lavish head of hair who gains godlike powers thanks to an enormous sword.
What Is 'Masters of the Universe' About?
Ten-year-old Prince Adam lives on Eternia, a planet filled with dragons and magic. Although his father and General Duncan teach him to be strong, he is weak for his age and fails to live up to expectations.
When the evil Skeletor attacks the kingdom, Adam flees to Earth with the Sword of Power. Fifteen years pass, and Adam grows into a sad man who raves about Eternia and his search for the sword, much to the annoyance of his friends and colleagues.
They dismiss his tales as the ravings of a madman. But once Adam finally finds the sword, Skeletor's servants and his longtime friend Teela are on his trail.
'Masters of the Universe' Is a Reimagining of the Franchise That Adds Humor and Self-Irony
Mattel created Masters of the Universe in a desperate attempt to develop a successful line of dolls. The original character designs were characterized by primitive naiveté: literally mountains of muscle, silly names, and simplistic morality.
Such a movie could only be taken seriously in the 1980s – fortunately, the creators of the new version had enough self-irony. The screenwriters toned down the original's masculine pathos and infused the story with humor.
Here, Prince Adam becomes not a symbol of the ideal man but a confused and frightened guy who has been taught to be strong his whole life without ever being told what that means.
Nicholas Galitzine offsets his conventional good looks perfectly with pink cat shirts and a talent for comedy, making the character simultaneously funny and touching.
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Masters of the Universe'?
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Masters of the Universe has 67% from critics and 88% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
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On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.2/10.
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On Letterboxd, Masters of the Universe scored 3.2/5.0.
Where to Watch 'Masters of the Universe'?
Masters of the Universe is currently playing in theaters.
