Words by MATT MAYTUM
Barbie for boys? That’s one way of looking at this reboot of Mattel’s ’80s dominating toy line. In the original stories and cartoons – which previously received the live-action treatment in a Dolph Lundgren-fronted film from 1987 – Prince Adam hailed from the fantasyland of Eternia, where he was heir to Castle Grayskull. By wielding the Power Sword and chanting his famous catchphrase (‘By the power of Grayskull… I have the power!’), Adam would transform into the super-strong He-Man and do battle with his enemy Skeletor, a hench, skull-faced sorcerer as archetypally evil as He-Man was heroic.
Directed by Travis Knight – who knows his way around an ’80s-inflected, toy-inspired blockbuster thanks to his work on Bumblebee, comfortably the best live-action Transformers movie – this latest incarnation Masters of the Universe has a deep affection for its source. But while MOTU ’26 delivers fan service aplenty, it’s also smart enough to know that you can’t just make a straight-faced romp out of this material, stuffing in Thor: Ragnarok levels of gags, self-mockery and near-the-knuckle rudeness into a solid quest narrative that’s on a par with a decent Marvel character intro.
In this mercifully ungritty take, Adam (Nicholas Galitzine, possessing the bulging biceps and self-aware humour the role requires) is spirited away to Earth as a kid, to keep him safe when Skeletor (Jared Leto) attacks. Years later, he’s working an HR office job – the source of plenty of yuks, not least the pronoun-bearing nameplate on his desk – but hasn’t forgotten about Eternia, and is desperate to find his missing sword and return. The path to reclaiming his homeland is littered with action set-pieces, as old pal and potential love interest Teela (Camila Mendes) brings him back to a very different Eternia.
It’s heaps of fun, and anyone who grew up with the franchise and will get a bonus nostalgia boost out of the sheer number of familiar faces here (and that’s before you even get to the three post credit stings). MOTU doesn’t shy away from some of the sillier supporting characters from the series’ history – Beast Man, Trap Jaw, Mekaneck and Fisto all get a look in – and Skeletor hams it up in all his cartoonish glory. You’d struggle to guess that he’s played by Leto, as his face is replaced with a CGI skull, and his boomingly camp voice is unrecognisable. But like much of the rest of the film he remains true to the spirit of the animated series while being transplanted onto a big-budget blockbuster backdrop. Supporting turns from the likes of Idris Elba (as Adam’s mentor Duncan, AKA Man-At-Arms) and Alison Brie (as Skeletor’s right-hand-woman Evil-Lyn) add some good-value gravitas, with everyone on the same page about what film they’re making.
If the narrative arc is basic, and a bit familiar to anyone well versed in contemporary superhero movies, it’s still easy to get swept along thanks to the brightly coloured world, game performances, and the absolutely rocking score by Project Hail Mary’s Daniel Pemberton, who brings in Queen legend Brian May on guitar duties. The Flash Gordon inspiration is clear and it’s an apt accompaniment to the film’s action-figure playset energy. If it’s not quite as philosophical and subversive as Barbie, it still manages to add some depth to a cartoon hero predominantly known for his magically bestowed super-strength, and – whisper it – it’ll actually be more satisfying for viewers in the age range that still play with toys than Barbie was. If MOTU is not quite masterful, it has the power where it counts.
Words by MATT MAYTUM
Images courtesy of SONY PICTURES RELEASING
Masters of the Universe is in cinemas now
