'Masters of the Universe' review: He-Man origin story is a total bore

Courtesy of Amazon/MGM

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At a time when low-budget horror continues to keep the box office humming and a new generation of moviegoers is signaling a clear appetite for bold, original ideas, Amazon’s big-budget revamp of your dad’s favorite television property, “Masters of the Universe,” arrives with a thud. This is a lifeless, aggressively dull throwback to an eighties relic, built on the mythology of a toy line that, if we’re being honest, few people seem to have been actively missing. If studios are going to keep raiding the IP vault, the least they could do is inject their projects with the playful irreverence of “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” or the sharp, subversive intelligence of fellow Mattel property “Barbie.” Instead, “Masters of the Universe” feels tone-deaf to the current cinematic landscape, doubling down on the exact kind of dated franchise thinking audiences are increasingly rejecting, as Disney has been learning the hard way with “Star Wars.”

Rather than reinventing itself, the film feels cut from the same tired cloth as a string of C-tier IP revivals like “Tarzan,” “GI: Joe,” or “Terminator.” It’s hollow, overly familiar, and emblematic of an era when Hollywood leaned heavily on brand recognition to guarantee returns. That model no longer holds the same power, and this movie proves exactly why. The property itself has had a long, troubled journey to the screen, with multiple directors and studios taking a crack at it before ultimately walking away. At some point, that should have been the clearest signal that this simply isn’t material worth resurrecting at this scale. Instead, we’re handed a $200 million gamble that feels less like a creative risk and more like a stubborn refusal to let go of a fading brand. The inevitable comparison to “Barbie” only makes things worse, raising the obvious question of why anyone thought this toy line could generate that level of cultural relevance or financial success.

Part of the problem is that there’s nothing inherently clever or compelling in the foundation. The story of He-Man has always felt cobbled together, a loose assembly of fantasy tropes without a strong narrative spine. Even if you’re not steeped in the lore, a well-made film should be able to draw you in regardless, but “Masters of the Universe” never finds that universal entry point. Director Travis Knight, who previously showed a surprising amount of heart and clarity with “Bumblebee,” seems caught between leaning into the absurdity and taking it seriously. The result is a film that never commits to either approach. There are moments where the script tries to wink at its own ridiculousness, like when a character bluntly explains Skeletor’s motivations with “He’s evil and he’s got a skull for a head.” It’s meant to be self-aware, but it comes off as lazy rather than clever, as if the film is excusing its own lack of depth instead of actually engaging with it.

That tonal confusion ultimately becomes fatal. Nicholas Galitzine, who looks the part after physically transforming for the role, never quite captures the larger-than-life presence the character demands. His performance feels oddly restrained, never fully embracing the heightened, operatic quality this kind of material requires. The script does him no favors either. Written by four people, it is astonishingly flat, offering neither a compelling origin story nor a meaningful reason to root for its hero. The humor falls flat, the emotional beats barely register, and the dialogue rarely rises above generic exposition.

Strangely enough, the film’s biggest surprise is Jared Leto as Skeletor. Against all odds, he emerges as the most engaging element, largely because he seems to understand the assignment in a way no one else does. Leto leans into the absurdist camp baked into the character’s DNA, delivering a performance that feels committed, theatrical, and, at times, genuinely fun. It’s the kind of energy the rest of the film desperately needs but never quite matches.

The narrative itself follows the familiar beats of Adam’s journey, sent away from Eternia as a child after Skeletor seizes control. On Earth, he lives an unremarkable life, working in human resources while searching for the sword that will allow him to reclaim his destiny. When he finally reconnects with it, he is swiftly pulled back into the conflict by Teela, played by Camila Mendes, to take on Skeletor and his assortment of generic villains. It’s a structure that should feel mythic, but here it plays as perfunctory, hitting expected notes without ever building momentum or emotional investment.

Even when the film gestures toward spectacle, it feels unwieldy. At a bloated 143 minutes, it piles on plot without developing character, rushing through key transformations while lingering on empty action sequences. The relationships never land, particularly between Galitzine and his co-stars, with the lack of chemistry becoming increasingly noticeable as the movie drags on. The visual effects are inconsistent, the action is often weighed down by excessive slow motion, and the film’s attempts at grandeur rarely rise above noise.

By the time it ends, “Masters of the Universe” feels less like a bold reimagining and more like damaged goods wrapped in an already worn package. It’s the kind of movie that leaves you wondering not just why it exists, but why anyone thought this was the version worth making. In an era where audiences are clearly asking for originality and imagination, this is another expensive reminder that brand recognition alone is no longer enough.

Grade: D+

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE is now playing in theaters.