The action film was praised as ‘wonderful’ by viewers.
A new action film that viewers have described as “wonderful” and “nostalgic” has arrived on Prime Video. Masters of the Universe premiered in UK cinemas on June 5 and continues to screen in selected venues, despite becoming available for streaming on July 22.
The production was deemed a box-office letdown after generating just over $110million globally (approximately £82million), according to Digital Spy. The entertainment publication noted that had the film performed “strongly” at the box office, its streaming release may well have been postponed.
Despite its underwhelming cinema performance, the production has achieved a solid 86% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, providing fresh viewers with additional motivation to watch it.
What is Masters Of The Universe about?
Masters of the Universe centres on Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine), who reconnects with the Sword of Power 15 years after becoming marooned on Earth.
Upon returning to his home world of Eternia, now under the tyrannical rule of Skeletor (Jared Leto), Adam teams up with Teela (Camila Mendes) and Duncan (Idris Elba) to accept his fate as He-Man and fight to rescue his realm and those dear to him.
The He-Man and Masters of the Universe concept originated in the early 1980s as a Mattel toy designed to compete with the popularity of Star Wars action figures.
The franchise rapidly grew with Filmation’s successful animated series in 1983, transforming He-Man into one of the era’s most recognisable pop culture heroes. The Digital Spy reviewer observed: “The film’s tone is comparable to the likes of Thor and Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves.
“While the humour doesn’t always land – there’s probably too many juvenile gags about swords and fists – it works more often than not, whether it’s an excellent slow-motion group shot gag or Adam’s hilarious attempts to be subtle when stealing his sword back.”
Rotten Tomato reviews
Awarding the film a perfect five out of five, one audience member enthused: “Masters of the Universe is a wonderful action film that consistently entertains.”
A further viewer added: “Very fun movie! Seems like an old MCU movie in its action, stakes, and humour.” While a third remarked: “Good movie with a nod to the cartoon series brought back some good childhood memories.”
Professional critics on the same platform were somewhat less generous in their assessments. Randy Myers of the San Jose Mercury News commented: “It’s got the right cast and the right director; now it just needs to surrender to its cheesy outrageousness.”
Tribune News Service’s Katie Walsh added: “One only wishes they might have pushed the camp factor further, as it feels a bit restrained at times. However, it’s Galitzine’s performance that will win you over – he’s truly got the power.”
Masters Of The Universe currently sits at the top spot in the UK on Prime Video, available to stream for subscribers at no additional charge.
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