SUSPENDED DISBELIEF: ‘I have the power!’– New He-Man film will delight kids of the ’80s
The live-action remake of Masters of the Universe balances self-aware humour with full-tilt fun.
For many older millennials, 1980s cartoon He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was their introduction to the sci-fi-fantasy genre, a colourful adventure show bursting with larger-than-life characters and boasting an epic title sequence.
The series has been dismissed as a derivative mash-up of Conan the Barbarian, Star Wars and Superman, but for many kids growing up in that decade, He-Man (and its sister show, She-Ra: Princess of Power) opened up an incredible world of imagination to which they could escape when reality proved too dull.
Those kids are now middle-aged, but they retain an affection for the series that no amount of derision can dim. Their hopes for a faithful adaptation were dashed by the previous attempt to create a live-action version, 1987’s Masters of the Universe. Starring B-list, charisma-free action star Dolph Lundgren, the result was a massive flop.
Thankfully, the new film’s director, Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings, Bumblebee), is a big fan of the material and leans into the weird and wacky essentials of what makes He-Man distinctive instead of shying away from them.
Like the cartoon, the movie begins with a narration from Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine from Red, White & Royal Blue), who describes how his father’s kingdom on the planet Eternia was attacked by the evil warlock Skeletor (Jared Leto), seeking the magical Sword of Power that would allow him to rule the universe. The 10-year-old prince was sent to Earth by the Sorceress (Deadpool’s Morena Baccarin) and tasked with keeping the sword safe, but he lost the weapon en route.
Fifteen years later, Adam is an outcast and corporate drone stuck in human resources and he tries to convince anyone who will listen that Eternia is real. When he finally finds the sword, he’s attacked by one of Skeletor’s minions but rescued by childhood friend Teela (Camila Mendes from Riverdale), who takes him back to Eternia. The planet has been decimated by Skeletor and Adam must save his people.
Tongue-in-cheese
Knight nails the right tone and look by following the example of Thor: Ragnarok (2017), which abandoned the solemn, dramatic style of the first two Thor films for witty, self-aware dialogue and a brightly coloured setting.
It’s a difficult balancing act to simultaneously poke fun at some of He-Man’s absurdities and make the viewer care about what’s happening, but Knight gets it mostly right. A lot of this success is down to Galitzine, who certainly wallops the bad guys with gusto, but also ably pulls off the comedy and manages to convince the viewer that a blond hunk is actually a goofy, earnest underdog.
There are plenty of jokes at his expense as he tries to use his HR training to get warriors and villains to cooperate, and anyone who’s ever been in a corporate job will chuckle wryly at the Earth-bound sequence, which also serves to make Adam more relatable and as a way into this fantasy world for non-fans.
Galitzine is ably supported by Idris Elba as Adam’s mentor and Teela’s father, Man-At-Arms – a role that requires a combination of gravitas and wry humour that Elba could pull off in his sleep. But it’s Leto who nearly runs off with the movie. Skeletor is a high-camp villain that requires over-the-top theatricality, and Leto throws himself wholeheartedly into the role, clearly having a ball while chewing the scenery as the petulant, cruel and melodramatic baddie you love to hate.
Rip-roarer
Though Masters of the Universe is heavy on the testosterone, there are multiple female characters who get a chance to shine. Mendes makes a strong impression as Teela, who’s much tougher than Adam, and Alison Brie steals scenes as Skeletor’s right-hand woman, Evil-Lyn.
There’s also Baccarin’s ethereal Sorceress, Charlotte Riley’s noble Queen Marlena, Gal Gadot’s stunt double Christiaan Bettridge as rebel leader Dian, and Kristen Wiig providing more humour as the voice of world-weary battle bot Roboto, who forms an endearing double act with Man-At-Arms.
Not all the jokes land and some of the CGI, especially Adam’s wimpy tiger, Cringer, looks shoddy, but when Galitzine finally holds the Sword of Power aloft and yells, “By the power of Grayskull!”, few fans will be able to resist smiling from ear to ear.
Casual viewers will likely think it’s all too silly for words, but throw in an ’80s-style glam-rock soundtrack by Daniel Pemberton (Project Hail Mary) that includes Queen’s Brian May whaling on his electric guitar, and this is a lovingly crafted nostalgia trip that’s sure to thrill and satisfy those ’80s kids. DM
Masters of the Universe is in cinemas now.
This story first appeared in our weekly DM168 newspaper, available countrywide for R35.
