Masters of the Universe 2026: A Fan's Enthusiastic Review

© Sony Pictures Releasing International

10 out of 10 Chosen Ones of Grayskull

Let me say it outright:

The new Masters of the Universe film by Travis Knight is a masterpiece! A work of art!

This film is a perfect example of the Sword & Sorcery genre, delighting fans of the 1980s with its humor, nostalgia, and deep understanding of the source material.

This does not mean that my spoiler talk review from yesterday is now irrelevant. The critiques regarding story weaknesses or aspects of CGI that could use improvement are still valid.

But they no longer weigh heavily on me.

They cannot overshadow the sheer joy and gratitude I feel after watching the film for the second time.

What changed?

First and foremost, I watched the film in its original English version yesterday:

Masters of the Universe in Original English

I highly recommend that you do the same if you are proficient in English.

Not only do the original voices fit better (obviously!), but many of the wordplays simply do not translate well. Some jokes or references are even completely missing! I wouldn’t go so far as to say I watched a different film last night, but the difference is striking.

What was translated “freely and loosely” left me astounded.

More importantly, during my second viewing, I was able to relax more and silence my inner critic.

I discovered even more references and Easter eggs. The visual nods to Star Wars are abundant in this film! Furthermore, I suddenly perceived the film's meta-narrative in a completely different light.

On Lost Childhood: Paradise Lost

What Travis Knight has conveyed, more or less overtly, brought tears to my eyes during my second viewing.

Yes, tears! Liquid that the modern man, despite all the strength he should have on hand for emergencies, is allowed to shed.

A “Man of Feeling,” who still has a lot of tricks up his sleeve. I love how the film understands that truth always lies somewhere in the middle, in balance, just as Man-at-Arms Adam tries to teach:

“When war breaks out, it’s not the poets that step up. It’s the man with the muscle. He’s not doing it for glory. He’s doing it so his children can see another morning. That is a man, as far as I can tell. He stands up when he is needed.”

Or as Bruce Lee would have said: It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in war.

But what do I mean by the meta-story?

Eternia is paradise. It represents so much: the innocence of childlike imagination, fantastic adventures in a world of limitless possibilities, and simply the pure magic of existence that creates everything from nothing.

No wonder Adam longs to return there.

Just like all of us yearn for our childhood.

That carefree place where we knew nothing of illness, death, and the “adult working world.”

I truly appreciate this subtle critique that Travis Knight (whether consciously or unconsciously) offers about the world.

That we all dwell in paradise until society forces us into a life we never wanted. A life filled with ringing alarm clocks, team meetings, and sales targets to meet.

Some of us eventually seek a kind of sword to cut through these puppet strings. A power through which we can escape the hamster wheel and transform into our true selves.

For those who don’t quite understand what I’m talking about, I recommend Alan Watts’ famous thoughts on why human life is a bad joke for most: The Whole Thing Is A Hoax – Alan Watts On The Human Society

Looking back, I find it brilliant how Travis Knight addresses us through the image of the secretly surfing office worker. At least, that resonates with me.

Because at this point, it becomes very personal for me.

For far too long, I lived that joke.

I ignored who I really am and what my role in this world could be.

Until one day, after suffering long enough, I finally had the courage to follow the call of the sword, quit my office job, and pursue my own path.

Did I sometimes stumble into outrageous dangers and adventures?

Yes.

But did I finally start to truly live?

Absolutely.

“Ships are safe in harbor, but that’s not what they were built for…”

And there’s another reason…

Why This Masters Film is a Revelation for Me

Sometimes, when asked why I’m such a hopeless old-school Dungeon & Dragons fantasy nerd, I say:

Tolkien. The Lord of the Rings.

And that’s true.

But it’s only half the truth.

There is an influence that goes much further back, to my childhood, and forms the foundation upon which fantasy works like LotR can stand:

Masters of the FUCKING Universe!

Nothing has influenced me more than this toy line (later audiobooks, cartoons, etc.).

I would spend hours lying in my room, lost in thought while gazing at Castle Grayskull, that mystical fortress from another world, where I arranged all my figures.

These plastic figures opened my mind to the wonderful. They showed me that beyond what we call “the normal world,” there could be things that would blow my imagination away.

That there exists a dimension where even a weak, clumsy prince can become a celebrated hero. More importantly, that an insignificant little guy can rise to be the chosen one precisely because of his apparent weaknesses like empathy and “wonder.”

Looking at the novels I’ve written “on the side” since becoming self-employed, the influence of Masters of the Universe is unmistakable.

Especially in Hexenhammer: Feenstahl & Teufelsblut, it is almost painfully obvious when I think about it now.

Who is Talon Skar, the barbarian and monster hunter?

Uh, well…

And who is “Hexenhammer,” his intelligent magical sword that allows him to transcend himself?

Hmmm, almost like the Sword of Power and the voice of the Sorceress…

So, after fully understanding and accepting Travis Knight’s vision of MotU, my heart has completely opened up to this wonderful, humorous, and yet deeply profound action film.

So much so that I can hardly take seriously those who tear the film apart.

The Critics

At least the more extreme critics can be divided into two groups for me:

First, the hardcore fans who entered the cinema with a rigid image of the new MotU film in their heads and are now venting their disappointment into the ether. (I admit, I was somewhat among them after my first viewing…) Given the many “offshoots” of the material from toys to cartoons, (mini-)comics, audiobooks, or the 1987 barbarian film, this is understandable. My sympathy goes out to them. Just watch it again.

And then there are the self-proclaimed critics from prominent magazines, websites, and journalistic outlets who – with all due respect – seem to have NO IDEA about the material (likely never played with Masters figures or experienced the lifestyle) and are now writing inflated and arrogant reviews because such negativity generates attention and clicks. Sorry, but your opinion is as relevant as a stream of urine in the ocean.

Masters of the Universe is, despite all the naysayers, both:

A fantastic, humorous Sword & Sorcery action film for “ordinary people.”

And a nostalgic, heartwarming trip back to childhood for MotU fans.

My son, who absorbed the film with an innocent heart, more atmospherically than content-wise, just looked at me with bright eyes and asked, “So, are you giving it 9 points like I did?”

Smiling, I replied: “No, I managed to completely shed the learned foolishness of adulthood while watching this film and give it a 10!”