Masters of the Universe

Given that neither Marvel nor DC has been doing particularly well with its films lately, Mattel appears to have misplaced its hopes in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. The success of Barbie (2023) likely prompted the company’s executives to greenlight this project, hoping it would become the “men’s version of Barbie.” But somewhere along the way, they got the fundamentals wrong.

It doesn’t do to go around dressed in a loincloth, wielding a shiny sword and declaring oneself “He-Man” these days – at least not in a big-bucks Hollywood film that is hoping not to cause any affront, to he, she, they, them, or it. So how do you tap into a character that was born as a Mattel toy and largely remembered only by an audience who first encountered him as an animated TV series in the 1980s, and is now into their middle age? Director Travis Knight and screenwriters Chris Butler and Adam and Aaron Nee (who have several award nominations between them) settle on a tone that is constantly mocking the whole concept while trying to kick off a successful franchise with it It is surprising how well they are able to do this when they do it well. It is as surprising how the film still manages to feel and look like a frenetic video game being played by a bunch of compulsive teenagers.