Masters of the Universe – Budget of $170 – 200 million – 2 hours and 21 minutes

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Adam sits back and reflects on the events that drove him to Earth. He lived an enchanted life on Eternia with his mother, Queen Marlena, and father, King Randor. Every day, the king’s trusted general, Duncan, trains the children to become future warriors. Duncan’s daughter, Teela, is one of the best in the class. Adam, on the other hand, is the runt of the litter. They need Adam to gain his confidence because Teela’s mother, Sorceress, says Adam will become the savior of Eternia when he wields the Sword of Power. Until then, Sorceress will protect it in the Castle Grayskull.

During training, Teela and Adam sneak away. Teela sees a light coming from Grayskull. She wonders why her mother is staring at the sky. Soon, bombs hit. Duncan tells the royal family and his daughter to escape to safety while he fights the intruders. Sadly, his valiant efforts aren’t enough, and Skeletor surrounds Randor, Marlena, and Adam. Randor tells his family to run to Grayskull for protection while he fights off Skeletor’s soldiers. The sorceress tells Adam to grab the sword, and he feels the power coursing through his veins. When Skeletor demands the sword, Marlena instructs Sorceress to send Adam and the sword to her home planet. She warns Adam to never separate from the sword because it will be his only way to get home. As Skeletor attacks Marlena, the Sorceress folds space and pushes Adam and the sword through. In the journey, the portal separates Adam and the sword. He landed in Oklahoma City 15 years ago and is still looking for the Sword of Power.

Adam works in Human Resources. Adam’s boss admits that his online searches for swords spark fear in his co-workers during an impromptu performance review. As she threatens to fire him, he gets a call about a sword. He grabs his phone and promptly exits. Adam travels to the comic book store and finds his sword in the hands of a statue. He grabs it, says the incantation, and thrusts it into the air, but nothing happens. He steals the sword, goes home, and sleeps. The police find and arrest Adam later.

The police and Adam get stuck in a traffic jam on the way to the precinct. They get out of the car to investigate the issue, leaving Adam in the back seat. Then Adam sees drivers exit their cars and run in a panic. He spots a beast terrorizing the highway. The beast grabs for Adam, but something helps him escape. It’s Teela. The sword sent a signal when Adam raised it in the air. She helps Adam escape, and they fly to Eternia.

They arrive, and Adam can’t believe his eyes. Skeletor ravished this country. The king’s guards live underground and out of the watchful eye of Skeletor. Teela reintroduces everyone to Adam. They don’t believe he’s their long-lost king. As they deliberate, Skeletor and his goons assault the small outfit because they have the sword. With the sword, Skeletor can become a god. Adam must find his power to wield the sword and defeat Skeletor, reclaiming his homeland for his people.

Based on the Masters of the Universe franchise, this film’s storytelling is a comedic, action-packed thrill ride with a few lulls (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). Fans of the original film will get a surprise cameo with a classic catchphrase. The film’s graphics are leaps and bounds ahead of the trailers. Skeletor looks real enough to be believable without being scary. The product placements occur only when Adam is on Earth. So viewers won’t feel like they are watching a 2-hour commercial. It has moments for fans of the animated series that will stir up childhood memories. And the cinematography during the final battle is masterful. While the backing track makes the film epic, the sound quality during Skeletor’s fight scenes is garbled. And he delivered the funniest lines. The comedic timing was solid from beginning to end. And the conclusion gives the audience a wonderful lesson. This movie provides mid- and post-credit scenes that give you a peek at part two. This film is a standout in the superhero category and could build on the lure with the right marketing and writing. And don’t worry about not knowing Adam’s history. The first 30 minutes give the audience a detailed recap. You should see this film with the best speaker and largest screen, but the lulls may bore you.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars

I am the villain – Skeletor

Do we have to – Cringer

I am not cleaning that up – Roboto

Adam, is that you – Teela

Who taught you that word – Duncan

Everything I am is because of where I came from – Adam

You had a talking cat – Sorceress

I must say you’ve looked better – Evil-Lyn