Amazon MGM Studios held the world premiere of the new live-action “Masters of the Universe” in Los Angeles last night and has lifted the embargo on social media reactions nearly three weeks ahead of the film’s release.
That suggests they’re confident in what they have, and the reactions seem to bear that out with a wave of positive notices coming forth with praise for the performances, craftsmanship and understanding of the source material.
The most negative ones seem to take issue with the film’s attempts at humour and feel the film doesn’t really find its footing until its third act, but that third act seems to be drawing universal praise – even from the naysayers.
Here’s a sampling of reactions:
“I LOVED #MastersoftheUniverse! Both a love-letter to all things He-Man and a beautiful, bombastic fantasy/sci-fi crowd pleaser that wears its heart on its sleeve. It’s insane this movie exists but I’m so happy it does. I had the biggest smile on my face the whole way through.” – Chris Killian, ComicBook.com
“MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE is shockingly good. The action, the comedy, the drama: it all works. But above all else this movie looks amazing. There was one chase scene in particular where I kept doing a double take because of crisp and clear it looked compared to most modern movies” – Jacob Kleinman, Polygon
“#MastersOfTheUniverse’s shaggy charms worked on me. A colossally epic time. Has a GOTG-style, self-aware tone & a radical message at its core. Nicholas Galitzine & Camila Mendes nailed it. Pemberton’s rock score (w/ assist by Brian May) hits so good. Stay thru the credits! Director Travis Knight has a genuine reverence for all the incarnations of the He-Man character the MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE action figures, animated & cinematic iterations. Easter Eggs are incorporated with craft & care. I got a little misty at 1 point.” – Courtney Howard, Variety
“MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE is a hell of a lot of fun. Nicholas Galitzine brings a sweetness to Adam Glenn that makes his take on He-Man memorable and also a fascinating take on masculinity. Fun, fun, fun and features The Man by The Killers so I was IN!.” – Rachel Leishman, Collider
“If you missed the hopeful, bright, and upbeat joy that the 1980s once possessed, you have the power to find it again by watching #MastersoftheUniverse. A film bursting with so much life and fun you truly won’t want it to end… but boy oh boy when it does end” – Maggie Lovitt, Collider
“MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE is like a sister film to the first Thor. Struggles to find its footing in the first half, but once it locks on its themes of fragile masculinity and ego, it makes way for an incredibly fun time that’s also visually stimulating. Nicholas Galitzine is great! Once it finally finds its footing, it’s undeniably fun and unapologetically proud of its fantastical camp. Skeletor already in contention for one of the most memorable villains of the year.” – Andrew J. Salazar, Discussing Film
“The best thing about Masters of the Universe is that it fully embraces its roots as an over-the-top 80s cartoon come to life. The film never takes itself too seriously, leans completely into the cheese factor, and proudly wears its heart on its sleeve. Instead of trying to turn the franchise into something overly modernized, it pushes back against that idea and is so much better because of it.” – Scott Menzel, Awards Buzz
“#MastersofTheUniverse is any 80s kids dream come true. It’s campy in the absolute BEST way possible. The call backs to the series are incredible and beautifully nostalgic. I love that this cast goes all in and shows what made the original such a classic. Leto’s Skeletor NAILS IT” – Junior Felix, That Hashtag Show
“It’s clear that everyone involved has such an unabashed passion for the source material and its impact on their creativity. While at times feeling like a relic from the 2010s IP grab, it finds its strength in proudly embracing the quirky, campy, afterschool special-isms that endeared its filmmakers to it as children. There’s an awkward cadence and sense of insecurity that permeate much of the first two acts, making it hard for me to fully fall in love. That said…Jared Leto’s Skeletor is genuinely excellent. A hilariously pathetic diva who works a scene like Man Ray meets Dr. Evil…” – Griffin Schiller, The Playlist
“#MastersoftheUniverse has a very fun, weird, yet enjoyable last 20 minutes or so. As for the rest of the movie? It’s a mess. Serious played for laughs, laughs played for emotion, it works, it doesn’t, it really tries but ends up being too awkward. Great end credits scenes though.” – Germain Lussier, io9
Earlier projections of a $25 million opening weekend now seem to be moving upward, with newer numbers suggesting a $35 million domestic opening. “Masters of the Universe” is set to open in cinemas on June 5th.
