He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is a poor attempt at fan service, I'll say it right off the bat with the authority of someone who was a genuine fan of the original story. I watched the cartoon every morning, never missed an episode, and was completely hooked—to the point where I owned the action figures of He-Man, Battle Cat, Skeletor, Man-at-Arms, and others. So you can understand the hype I had going into it, fueled entirely by nostalgia.
What's the story about?
The plot is set in the mystical kingdom of Eternia, where Prince Adam must take on the mantle of a warrior to defend his home, wielding a sword containing immense power. Skeletor, Eternia's sworn enemy who covets the power of the sword, decides to invade after finding a new source of power capable of disrupting the balance of Castle Grayskull. Eternia is laid waste, and Adam is sent to Earth along with the sword, tasked with eventually returning to free his kingdom from Skeletor. However, he turns into a clumsy, insecure young man who, for 15 years, fails to retrieve the sword and return to defend his people.
Too many characters and a lack of development
Let's get straight to the point, because this movie has taken a lot of heat. One of the main issues I see is the character bloat. Sure, there are plenty of familiar faces that us old-school fans recognize and appreciate, but there are so many of them that there's simply no time for real character development. To me, cluttering the screen with winks, nods, and special appearances stripped weight from the plot, turning the runtime into a long list of soulless cameos.
Runtime and pacing issues
This contrasts sharply with its runtime. It's incredible that over two hours weren't enough to flesh out a solid plot—something other stories manage in just an hour and a half. I think it would have been much more effective to trim the runtime, focusing the narrative strictly on He-Man's development as a warrior, especially since he was dropped on Earth not even knowing how to throw a punch. On top of that, they could have shown how Skeletor gained his power to finally take on the kingdom of Eternia, leaving any subplots or world-building for potential sequels.
These missteps made the pacing and action during the first hour and a half downright excruciating. The movie gets so slow, predictable, and frankly boring that I found myself nodding off while waiting for something meaningful to happen. The action finally explodes in the third act, and honestly, it delivers some good fight sequences that partially salvage the ending, though it still feels a bit too little, too late.
The best parts and the unexpected surprises
It’s not all bad; of course, for a longtime fan, seeing what we once loved brought to life with modern visuals generates a thrill. But even more exciting and surprising were the standout performances—most specifically Jared Leto as Skeletor. I think he struck a great balance between the character's sheer evil and the touches of humor that define him. Dolph Lundgren's cameo (best remembered as Ivan Drago in Rocky IV) was also an intensely nostalgic nod. Few people remember that he played He-Man in the failed 1987 live-action version.
Overall, as a longtime fan, I walked away disappointed. Even though I laughed and got a bit emotional a couple of times while watching it, I expected a company like Amazon MGM to deliver a much better product. I think they missed the mark by trying to replicate what movies like Barbie did—an introspective character journey meant to connect with the audience and their nostalgia.
Media from TMBD gallery
Rating: 50/100