On June 5, Master of the Universe hits theatres around the world, and now the first reviews are starting to come in (thanks, GeekTyrant), and thankfully, they're positive, with some of them even being really glowing.
The premise of the film is that Prince Adam was sent to Earth for protection from Skeletor's hordes. As an adult, however, he returns, sword in hand and accompanied by his colourful friends, to face opponents who are just as vivid. As you might guess given the source material, this isn't a super-serious story, and it's exactly the kind of thoroughly commercial narrative that usually struggles to be embraced by the culture sections in media outlets.
That doesn't stop Peter Gray from AU Review from writing that Nicholas Galitzine's (who plays Prince Adam/He-Man) "comedic timing steals the show" while also noting that the film is "packed with 80s vibes." He also praises Jared Leto's performance as Skeletor
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Collider writer Perri Nemiroff also seems very pleased, even though He-Man apparently isn't a big favourite of hers. She writes that she "was totally swept away" and continues: "It's downright ridiculous, but ridiculous works when the cast and crew fully understand the kind of movie they're making and are enthusiastic about going all out to bring it to life."
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Among those who have seen and rated the film, we also find the aforementioned Collider colleague Maggie Lovitt, who says it's a "film bursting with so much life and fun you truly won't want it to end", before going on to hint that the ending is something truly special.
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Kenzie Vanunu from Offscreen Central also seems convinced and pulls out the heavy artillery when he declares that "Masters of the Universe being one of the best movies I've seen all year was not on my bingo card, but here we are."
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Another person who is very convinced is ComicBook.com reviewer Chris Killian, who thinks it's a warm and cosy movie that's actually quite improbable: "It's insane this movie exists but I'm so happy it does. I had the biggest smile on my face the whole way through."
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Freelance journalist Scott Menzel is equally convinced, writing that "Masters of the Universe might just end up being the biggest surprise of the summer," and he found the film entertaining from start to finish: "Masters of the Universe is everything this '80s kid wanted and more. It's gloriously campy, wildly entertaining, and nonstop fun from beginning to end."
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There are many more who have seen the film, and the consensus actually seems to be that Travis Knight has succeeded in creating a genuinely entertaining movie based on Mattel's old action figures, which has additionally managed to recapture that positive vibe from the '80s. Many also highlight the film's soundtrack, which seems to be something truly special.
Will you be checking out Masters of the Universe in theatres yourself?