Masters of the Universe

★★☆☆

Masters of the Universe (2026)

Runtime: 140 minutes

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence/action, some suggestive material, and language.

The planet Eternos which was once at peace is now in chaos, as Skeletor (Jared Leto) ravages the place in hopes of attaining the Sword of Power. Prince Adam Glenn, as a kid, is handed the sword and sent to Earth, but he loses it on the way there. As an adult (Nicholas Galitzine), he desperately searches for it, getting in contact with someone who claims to have found the sword. Subsequently, an old friend of his, Teela (Camila Mendes), locates him and brings him back to Eternos. Adam wields the sword which gives him newfound powers, loses a parent during the journey, gets locked up with his other mates, and they form a rebellion, ultimately triumphing over Skeletor and his army.

A standard chosen one versus villain with a generic motive, Masters of the Universe intends to inject self-deprecating humour while winking at the audience, but the result is something merely funny yet needlessly derivative. It opens so generically that it almost lost me, but the ride does get fun sporadically. Rounded by a supporting cast including Idris Elba (Teela's adoptive father Duncan) and Alison Brie (Skeletor's witch Evil-Lyn), they add much more to their underwritten roles. While it does get interesting at points and has an inspiring moment about believing in oneself, there are glaringly huge logical gaps as it gets increasingly overstuffed, eventually becoming overlong in its heavily dragged conclusion(s?) that you'll just want it to end. I'm alright if a movie is familiar but no-nonsense and efficient - a clear example being They Will Kill You. This almost hits the mark, but sadly falls short.

Adam, being sent to Earth, spends 15 years there. He works in human resources, but is also obsessed with finding the sword which he lost that night. When he gets dragged into the swashbuckling adventure, he leverages some of the lessons and quotes to unite his team together. But it's also funny that the resolution feels slightly disconnected, as his team fight Skeletor's army while he and his friends fly to Castle Grayskull where everything is just dependent on Adam, in which Skeletor brings him back to his previous life, highlighting his worthlessness. Somehow, he wakes up in his Earth room seeing The Sorceress, who tells him to believe in himself and that he has the power in him. Then, when the negotiation with Skeletor fails, it turns into a beat-em-up finale, meaning the things he experienced and learned on Earth just don't matter anymore. As the chosen one, he effectively is blessed with all the power imaginable in the universe. Still, it's an attempted subversion that makes the experience less uninteresting, despite the overextended finale.

Some elements are more effective. The costume designs of the various humans and even creatures are always fun to look at, and the chaos of it all when they're fighting is undeniably entertaining. There are semblances of arcs for Adam, Teela and Duncan, but they're basic and sometimes incomplete. You gotta give credit to them for at least trying, though. And the visual effects, while sometimes excessive, are mostly dazzling. What slightly bugged me out is that Adam is frequently forgetful, casually lying the Sword of Power around during fights. With Skeletor in the scene, you'd expect his desperate thirst for power to translate to obtaining the sword immediately, but he and Evil-Lyn take, as what my mom described, "5-minute toilet breaks" before conveniently reappearing to do something about it. Adam, just grab the sword!

Again, it's a safe but harmless venture, providing just enough entertainment for children and longtime fans of the franchise that merely this would be enough for them to check it out. Evil-Lyn sneakily disappears during the final confrontation, returning to the aftermath to pick up Skeletor's head, a set-up for future installments. Masters of the Universe is uplifting, humorous, sometimes heartwarming even. I just wished it had more personality.