MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE -- It Works Until It Doesn't

Review by Chadd Clubine

It’s easy to understand what Masters of the Universe is from the toys that seemed to be everywhere growing up, even without ever watching the cartoons. The latest film assumes audiences already know what they’re walking into, presenting itself as a faithful adaptation of the source material. However, its two-hour-and-twenty-minute runtime prioritizes atmosphere and spectacle over meaningful world-building. Whenever the film begins to excel—whether through its visuals or thematic ideas—it often undercuts itself with uneven pacing and inconsistent execution.

The film’s opening twenty minutes feel strikingly similar to the beginning of Man of Steel. The key difference is that, while that film takes the time to establish who its characters are and how they fit into its world, Masters of the Universe never fully does. We gain a broad understanding of these characters and their roles, but despite its already lengthy runtime, the film rarely digs deeper into how they became the people we see on screen. As a result, there’s little meaningful character development to build on should the film prove successful enough for Amazon MGM Studios to launch a larger franchise. To its credit, the film captures the tone fans would expect and delivers enough cinematic wonder to attract a new generation. Yet for viewers unfamiliar with the property, the experience can feel surprisingly isolating.

It’s difficult not to compare this to something like Iron Man, which launched an entire franchise, even though that seems to be the ambition here. Where Iron Man felt grounded and self-contained, this film attempts a similar approach, but repeatedly drifts back into 80s nostalgia. That wouldn’t be an issue on its own, but it needs to commit fully to that identity for it to work. The strongest moments come when it embraces that aesthetic—particularly when 80s rock tracks kick in—but those moments are quickly undercut by a more generic, symphonic score. The result is a tonal inconsistency that never quite settles, leaving the film feeling pulled in competing directions rather than unified.

Where the film truly succeeds is in its central theme of aspiring to something greater than an ordinary life. There’s a genuine relatability to Adam, played by Nicholas Galitzine, who deftly balances the line between an awkward, everyday outsider and a hero destined for a larger purpose. The film strikes gold with his performance, grounding the story whenever it threatens to drift. Regardless of how the film ultimately fares, this could be the role that elevates Galitzine to a new level of mainstream recognition. The rest of the cast is clearly committed as well, doing the best they can with material that occasionally saddles them with some truly clunky dialogue. Yet the biggest surprise may be Jared Leto, whose performance stands out in ways few might expect.

When the film first opens, it’s easy to be impressed by its visual language and swept into its world. The cinematography, especially during the action sequences, is often striking and effective, but that sense of immersion doesn’t last long. By the midpoint, the heavy reliance on green screen becomes increasingly apparent. Instead of feeling transported into fully realized environments, the performances often look like they’re unfolding in front of an artificial backdrop the actors are clearly aware of. With a reported production budget of around $200 million—and marketing costs potentially pushing the total far higher—the film would likely need to clear $400 million globally to be considered a success. Against that scale, it’s hard to justify a visual presentation that so frequently feels stage-bound and digitally constructed, undermining the spectacle it’s aiming to deliver.
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Overall, Masters of the Universe will likely satisfy longtime fans of the source material, but it ultimately falls short of its potential. The cast does what it can to bring their characters to life, even when constrained by uneven world-building and some particularly clunky dialogue. At two hours and twenty minutes, the action remains lively and engaging, but the heavy reliance on green screen frequently breaks the immersion, serving as a constant reminder that you’re watching a constructed spectacle rather than being fully transported into a new world.

Masters of the Universe releases in theaters June 5th!

RATING: 2.5/5