Masters of the Universe (Christian Movie Review)
Masters of the Universe is more interested in lecturing audiences on toxic masculinity and telling vulgar jokes than in re-capturing the wonder and adventure that made the source material beloved in the first place.
About the Film
There’s a moment in Masters of the Universe in which Adam Glenn (aka He-Man) holds the Sword of Power and declares, “By the Power of Greyskull, I have the power!” But nothing happens. Unfortunately, that scene encapsulates this film as a whole. The classic characters are present, but it lacks power. It seems to be more interested in lecturing audiences on toxic masculinity and telling vulgar jokes than in re-capturing the wonder and adventure that made the source material beloved in the first place.
There’s an old legend that there are two wolves inside each man. Well, there are two films inside Masters of the Universe. One is a fun adaptation of a 1980s Saturday-morning cartoon about a hyper-masculine hero. The other is an embarrassed 2026 version that feels compelled to apologize for being an adaptation of a fun 1980s Saturday-morning cartoon about a hyper-masculine hero. As the former, Masters of the Universe is enjoyable. Unfortunately, the second wolf proves to be the alpha.
The classic toy company Mattel continues its curious venture into Hollywood. But rather than attempting to spread the joy its toys have inspired, it seems to be more interested in helping now-grown fans navigate the more complicated aspects of its products. Clearly, the company is trying to catch lightning in a bottle again, as this film takes clear inspiration from Barbie (2023).
He-Man (who is never called by that name until the closing moments) receives the “Ken” treatment as a bumbling and incompetent fool. The film’s message about masculinity is about as subtle as when He-Man picks up a bad guy’s limp body and uses it as a club. Barbie’s message struck a nerve, so maybe this one will too. But it’s hard to enjoy a movie that constantly reminds audiences of how problematic it is.
Despite being based on a goofy cartoon about wacky toys, this film isn’t really geared toward young kids; it’s targeting fans of the 1980s cartoon who are now middle-aged adults. The filmmakers waste no opportunity to throw in crude sexual allusions or euphemisms, and virtually every attempt at humor is sexual. There are frequent gags about characters “fisting,” “giving head,” or calling a cowardly tiger the P-word. The Sword of Power is a phallic object (as audiences are explicitly reminded), and a few jokes about masturbation and gay sex mark the border of the film’s comedic range.
As expected, Masters of the Universe relies heavily on CGI spectacle. (Afterward, my 11-year-old son asked, “Was that movie supposed to look like a video game?”) While I typically don’t like that approach, it works here as a goofy Saturday-morning cartoon brought to life. In fact, when re-creating the wacky cartoon, Masters of the Universe is an enjoyable adventure! The opening sequence (before He-Man is transported to the “real world”) is promising, hinting that the film might strike the perfect balance between goofy fun and self-awareness (much like the underappreciated 2023 Dungeons and Dragons movie). When asked why Skeletor is conquering Eternia, a woman says, “Because he’s bad.” When He-Man suggests that there must be more to it than that, the woman remarks, “He has a skull for a face . . .” It’s silly, which is part of its charm. Skeletor (played by Jared Leto) is an amusing standout.
But when He-Man is sent to the real world, the film goes off the rails. Not only does the transition lead to an infusion of the cynicism and snarky humor that is too common these days, but it also shifts the focus. Rather than championing the story and the characters, the film becomes a window through which to explore the audience’s relationship with the story and characters
Overall, the biggest issue with Masters of the Universe isn’t simply that it’s not a great movie. It’s that it embodies many of Hollywood’s frustrating tendencies that have disillusioned audiences in recent years. The reason He-Man can receive a blockbuster adaptation in 2026 is because the toys and cartoon instilled wonder in kids. Is it too much to ask for a movie based on childhood toys to celebrate those products rather than spending the entire runtime lecturing nostalgic audiences on why their favorite childhood toys are problematic? If Barbie and Masters of the Universe are anything to go by, it seems so.
For Consideration
On the Surface—(Profanity, Sexual content, violence, etc.).
Language: Plenty of minor profanities, including “s—”, “h—”, and “p—y.”
Violence: Humans and creatures are killed in battle, but the action is mostly cartoonish and bloodless.
Sexuality: There are frequent sexual innuendos. A character with a giant fist (called “Fisto”) continually talks about all the people he wants to “fist.” He later asks a friend with an oversized helmet (Ram-Man) to “give him head.” The Sword of Power is repeatedly used as a euphemism or phallic object, with one character explicitly referring to “that big sword dangling between your muscular thighs.” A scene in which He-Man looks for his lost sword in a collectibles shop contains numerous jokes of men interpreting He-Man’s question (“Do you have my sword?”) as an expression of sexual interest. There’s a masturbation joke in that same scene, and as He-Man attempts to dislodge the sword from a life-sized mannequin, he ends up in several positions that mimic sexual activity. Adam’s nametag in the real world lists his pronouns as he/him.
Other: The central worldbuilding concept of the story involves gods and goddesses and supernatural powers.
Engage The Film
Big Muscles = Bad
The idea of a “He-Man” movie being made in 2026 is surprising, given the cultural shift—for better and worse—away from traditional depictions of masculinity. Therefore, it’s perhaps not surprising that “He-Man” was dropped from the film’s title (and isn’t used until the end of the film, prompting much ridicule from the other characters). Much like in Barbie, the central message of Masters of the Universe is a heavy-handed deconstruction of masculinity.
It’s a valid and potentially interesting theme to explore (some masculinity is toxic). But the film lacks the subtlety or nuance to address the topic in a meaningful way. Every male character is an incompetent fool (none more so than He-Man himself) who needs to be lectured by women.
There’s a telling quote by legendary warrior Duncan (aka Man-At-Arms), who has become a deadbeat drunk. He tells his daughter something along the lines of, “You’re the man I always wished I could be.” It’s framed as a joke, but it also reflects the film’s message to men: To be a “good man,” you must reject the trappings of traditional masculinity and embrace characteristics that are customarily associated with femininity.
Early in the film, Duncan tells Adam that “to be a man” means to be strong and protect those he loves. It’s a great moment (similar to the positive message of Avatar: The Way of Water), but the film mostly downplays this idea. Instead, the pivotal moment of character growth for both men is when they learn to express their feelings and cry together.
Throughout the film, the Sword of Power becomes a clear stand-in for a penis, which represents macho-masculinity. Ultimately, the sword is (temporarily) broken, as Adam learns to embrace the power within himself. In the final showdown with Skeletor, he sheathes his sword and attempts to use his real-world experience as a therapist to de-escalate the situation. While he is ultimately forced to fight, the scene is a fitting picture of how reluctant the film is to showcase He-Man’s strength.
