Masters of the Universe review: the best-looking blockbuster of the summer

Masters of the Universe, directed by Travis Knight – the filmmaker behind Bumblebee and Kubo and the Two Strings – hits cinemas on June 5, and early reviews are enthusiastic. Polygon calls it a nearly perfect sci-fi fantasy adventure that puts Lucasfilm and the broader blockbuster industry to shame in at least one major way.

The film opens on Eternia, a sci-fi fantasy planet deep in space where a band of heroes guards Castle Grayskull and the Sword of Power inside it. When the villainous Skeletor, played by Jared Leto, attacks the kingdom, young Prince Adam flees to Earth with the sword to keep it out of the wrong hands – only to lose it and end up stranded in suburban America. Visually, the film is exceptional: colorful Eternian landscapes, vivid recreations of '80s armored warriors, and crisp action sequences enhanced by Industrial Light & Magic all combine into something genuinely stunning to watch.

The context makes this moment feel bigger than it might otherwise. Mattel originally created the Masters of the Universe toyline in 1977 specifically to compete with Star Wars after passing on the licensing rights. Now, nearly five decades later, He-Man is back just as The Mandalorian and Grogu made history by becoming the first Star Wars film to drop out of the number-one box office spot in its second week – and IMAX responded by pulling Baby Yoda from some theaters early to make room for this film instead.

Analysts warn that Masters of the Universe could still lose the box office race to Scary Movie, so a Hollywood revolution isn't guaranteed. But the review makes a clear case: if you want to see maximalist big-budget sci-fi fantasy spectacle on a massive screen, this might be one of your last chances before the industry pivots somewhere darker.