Walking into Masters of the Universe, I’ll admit I was cautiously optimistic.

This is a franchise I had loved for as long as I could remember. From old He-Man reruns, to the 1987 film, to the various animated series over the years, including Kevin Smith’s Revelation and Revolution on Netflix, Masters of the Universe had always been a core part of my fandom. It was one of those worlds that stayed with me through different stages of my life, constantly evolving, yet always holding onto that same sense of magic and adventure.

So when a new live action adaptation was announced, I had high hopes, but also a level of hesitation.

After all, we had seen just how unpredictable live action adaptations could be. For every success, there always seemed to be a version that missed the mark, whether it was tone, casting, or simply not understanding what made the original so beloved.

So heading into this preview screening, thanks to Sony Pictures Australia, I told myself I would simply accept the film for what it was. I wanted to go in open-minded, without placing too much pressure on it to live up to decades of personal attachment.

What I didn’t expect, was to walk out of the cinema completely and utterly blown away.

A Love Letter That Feels Bigger Than Nostalgia

Masters of the Universe didn’t just rely on nostalgia. It understood it.

What stood out to me almost immediately was how deeply the film respected the heart of He-Man and the world of Eternia, while still evolving it into something that felt cinematic, modern and genuinely epic. It didn’t feel like it was trying to replicate the past beat-for-beat. Instead, it captured the spirit of what made the franchise so special and reimagined it in a way that felt fresh without losing its identity.

That balance is incredibly difficult to achieve, and yet this film managed to do it effortlessly.

As someone who had grown up with multiple iterations of this franchise, there was a constant sense of familiarity that made everything feel comforting and nostalgic. At the same time, the storytelling felt refined and accessible enough that someone completely new to Masters of the Universe could walk in and still feel fully immersed.

In fact, the way the film was structured almost encouraged new viewers to dive deeper into the franchise afterwards. It didn’t rely on prior knowledge, but it absolutely rewarded it.

Pure, Campy Joy Done Right

There was a very specific tone that Masters of the Universe needed to hit, and this film absolutely nailed it.

It was campy, bold and unapologetically larger-than-life, but it never crossed the line into parody. It never felt like it was making fun of itself or the source material. Instead, it fully embraced that heightened energy and leaned into it with confidence.

The result was something that felt genuinely joyful.

There was a significant amount of fan service woven throughout the film, including subtle nods and even references that longtime fans would immediately recognise, but none of it felt forced. Even the more playful elements, including moments that nodded to iconic memes, were integrated in a way that felt natural within the world rather than distracting from it.

The pacing also played a huge role in maintaining that energy. The film moved with purpose, constantly building momentum without ever feeling rushed. There were no noticeable lulls, no moments where the story lost focus or slowed down unnecessarily.

And throughout it all, there was this underlying sense of fun that never let up.

I genuinely don’t think I stopped smiling the entire time.

A Cast That Truly Brought Eternia to Life

One of the most impressive aspects of the film was its cast.

Every performance felt considered, intentional and deeply rooted in the source material. It genuinely felt as though these characters had stepped straight out of the animated world and into live action, without losing what made them so distinct in the first place.

What stood out to me the most was how balanced everything felt.

In many ensemble films, there tends to be a clear divide between standout performances and characters who feel underdeveloped or overlooked. That wasn’t the case here. Each character was given enough space to feel important, contributing to a world that felt cohesive, dynamic and alive.

It made it incredibly difficult to single out just one performance as a favourite.

However, one that genuinely surprised me was Skeletor.

I’ll be completely honest, I had gone into the film feeling unsure about Jared Leto’s casting. Based on past performances, I wasn’t entirely convinced he would fit into this world in a way that felt authentic.

But this ended up being one of the biggest surprises of the entire film.

There was a complete transformation in the performance where the actor disappeared entirely, leaving only the character. Skeletor felt commanding, theatrical and perfectly in tune with the tone of the film. It never felt like a performance trying too hard, it simply was Skeletor.