Masters of the Universe Delivers Pure ’80s He-Man Power and Big‑Screen Movie Fun

Masters of the Universe delivers pure ’80s He-Man power and big‑screen movie fun as it blends dazzling Eternian spectacle with a heartfelt, nostalgia‑charged origin story that took me straight back to the days of playing with those classic action figures on my grandma’s dining room floor.

Masters of the Universe was the most fun I’ve had in a movie theatre in a long time. As a lifelong fan of the 1980s Filmation cartoon and the sprawling Mattel action figure line, the film hitting cinemas June 4 feels like a masterclass in translating a Saturday‑morning classic into a full‑blown summer blockbuster. Starring Nicholas Galitzine as He‑Man and directed by Travis Knight, the movie follows Adam—whisked to Earth as a child after Skeletor’s (Jared Leto) assault on Eternos—returning home 15 years later to save the kingdom and his parents. It’s a visual spectacle that pulls viewers straight into Eternia while simultaneously dropping me back onto my grandma’s dining room floor, surrounded by prized action figures and creating new adventures for He-Man and crew.

🌎 The Earthbound detour

The brief stretch set on Earth finds Adam, now an adult, trying to survive the world of human‑resource management while searching for his lost Power Sword. His sketches of half‑remembered Eternian figures cleverly explain how many characters got their wonderfully literal names in the original cartoon. Most of the Masters are never formally introduced—we hear Adam call them the names he came up with as a kid, which becomes a warm hit of nostalgia for anyone who grew up with the series.

This section also features a perfect cameo from 80s live‑action He‑Man Dolph Lundgren—a tongue‑in‑cheek passing of the sword to Galitzine.

The movie is over two hours in length and while never boring, does slow down in places. The complaints I've seen online about humor are overblown and largely the result of viewers who had hoped for a remake of the 1987 motion picture. This is not that by any stretch of the imagination. This movie is the 80s animated series at its core.

⚔️ Who shows up?

The roster is stacked. On the heroic side: Teela, Man‑at‑Arms, the Sorceress, King Randor, Queen Marlena, Cringer/Battle Cat, Fisto, Mekanek, Moss Man, Orko, and Ram Man.

Skeletor’s forces include Evil‑Lyn, Trap Jaw, Tri‑Klops, Spikor, Beast Man, Karg, his floating robots, and even a blink‑and‑you’ll‑miss‑it Mer‑Man.

⭐ Top Five Moments

1. The final scene

Set six months after the climactic battle, Eternia is healing—and the ending plays like it was lifted straight from the Filmation show. Ham-it-up laughter, a looming threat, and Adam and Cringer needing to “go find He‑Man,” even though everyone now knows the truth. It’s a perfect comedic nod, capped by the triumphant rise of the classic theme and the glorious reveal of Battle Cat in full red armor.

2. The credit scenes

There are three, and they’re all worth staying for:

• Orko’s lesson — a charming callback to the moral‑of‑the‑day segments from He‑Man and She‑Ra.

• The Adora reveal — Duncan and Queen Marlena discuss her missing daughter, and then we see her: Princess Adora raising the Sword of Protection near a cartoon‑accurate Fright Zone. A bold, electric setup for She‑Ra. We see She-Ra from behind, but like every other character in this movie, the Princess of Power is cartoon accurate. A voice, likely a Horde trooper, addresses her as "Force Captain" Adora. The title was used in the Secret of the Sword animated movie that set up the She-Ra cartoon. Might we get some version of that in a He-Man sequel? Yes, please?

  

• Evil‑Lyn’s tease — she claims Skeletor’s skull, unfazed as his iconic cackle echoes in the darkness. Will he be returning?

3. The transformation

The transformation effects are impressive, though I found myself wishing for a bit more of the classic Filmation style. And yes—I missed seeing Cringer turn into Battle Cat. I was sure that was going to happen in the Grayskull scene, but never materialized.

4. Who (or what) was missing?

With so many characters across decades of toys and shows, it was unfeasible to include everyone out of the gate. Some of my personal favorites were absent—mostly because they were among my earliest figures.

• Kobra Khan, who sprayed water and appeared in one of my first He‑Man books my mom bought me in first grade.

• Stinkor, whose smell (an action figure can have an odor?) absolutely fascinated me as a kid.

• Leech, one of the great She‑Ra villains, but still one of my earliest MOTU figures.
  

We visited Castle Grayskull and Snake Mountain, but I’d love to see the Slime Pit in a sequel. And my favorite vehicle, the Wind Raider, didn’t seem to make an appearance either.

5. Our verdict

Go see this movie in theatres. It deserves to succeed, because I want more—and you’re almost guaranteed a great time, especially if you’ve loved any incarnation of Masters over the years.

It’s not a perfect film, but for the sheer experience alone, I give it 5 Power Swords out of 5.