![\""Masters](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1780418423_338_0x0.jpg\")
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“Masters of the Universe” key art featuring Camila Mendes, Nicholas Galitzine and Idris Elba.<\/p>\n
Amazon MGM Studios<\/p>\n
Masters of the Universe, the new big-screen adaptation of He-Man\u2019s story starring Nicholas Galitzine, Idris Elba and Camila Mendes, is getting a warm but not completely enthusiastic reception from Rotten Tomatoes critics.<\/p>\n
Directed by Travis Knight (Bumblebee, Kubo and the Two Strings), Masters of the Universe plays in Thursday night previews before opening in theaters nationwide on Friday. He-Man, of course, is an iconic muscular action figure in Mattel\u2019s Masters of the Universe toy line<\/a>, which began in 1982. The popularity of the action figures spawned a multipronged franchise, including an animated series in 1983 (which led to several spinoffs and reboots), an animated movie in 1985 and a live-action feature film in 1987, as well as books, comics and video games.<\/p>\n Forbes\u2018Backrooms 2\u2019: Kane Parsons Has Great News About Film Future And Return To YouTubeBy Tim Lammers<\/a><\/p>\n Galitzine stars in the new Masters of the Universe film as Prince Adam\/He-Man, who, as a young boy, flees his home planet of Eternia. He has no choice, really, as the evil wizard Skeletor (Jared Leto) attacks his father, King Randor (James Purefoy), and mother, Queen Marlena\u2019s (Charlotte Riley), kingdom with the intention of seizing the Sword of Power for nefarious purposes.<\/p>\n In a last-ditch effort to protect her son and the all-powerful weapon, Queen Marlena sends Prince Adam through a mystical portal to Earth, but the boy is separated from the sword before he lands. After obsessing over locating the lost Sword of Power for 15 years, Adam locates it and transported back to Eternia, where his mother and father are imprisoned and the kingdom is in ruins under the power of Skeletor. Joining with his childhood friend, Teela (Mendes), and her father, the once-great Man-At-Arms Duncan (Elba), Prince Adam will need to use the sword to summon the Power of Grayskull confront the tyrant in a battle to take back Eternia.<\/p>\n The review embargo for Masters of the Universe was lifted Tuesday morning, and as of the publication of this article, the film has earned a 74% \u201cfresh\u201d critics\u2019 score on Rotten Tomatoes\u2019 Tomatometer based on 53 reviews. The RT Critics\u2019 Consensus, Audience Summary and Popcornmeter score based on verified user ratings is still pending.<\/p>\n ForbesMichael Jackson Biopic \u2018Michael\u2019 Streaming Date Announced As Film Nears $850 Million In TheatersBy Tim Lammers<\/a><\/p>\n Note: This article will be updated as more reviews are posted and the critics\u2019 score changes.<\/p>\n What Are Individual Critics Saying About \u2018Masters Of The Universe\u2019?<\/p>\n Liz Shannon Miller of Consequence is among the top critics on RT <\/a>who gives Masters of the Universe a \u201cfresh\u201d score, writing, \u201cGiven the choice between a silly take on this material and a grounded one, the silly version feels far preferable. If nothing else, the film is doing its best to have fun. The way playing with one’s toys should feel.\u201d<\/p>\n Donald Clarke of the Irish Times also praises the movie, writing in his \u201cfresh\u201d take on RT, “Combining the small-screen cartoon\u2019s brash aesthetics \u2013 the neon whoosh is sickeningly retro \u2013 with sharp, self-conscious wit, this Masters of the Universe dances gaily, to quote This Is Spinal Tap<\/a>, on the ‘fine line between clever and stupid<\/a>.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n ForbesCavill And Gyllenhaal\u2019s \u2018In The Grey\u2019 Arrives On Streaming This Week After Dreary Box Office TakeBy Tim Lammers<\/a><\/p>\n Clint Worthington of Roger Ebert.com also gives Masters of the Universe a \u201cfresh\u201d score on RT, but with some reservations, writing, \u201cWhen it works, it proves a rollicking underdog space adventure. When it doesn\u2019t, it feels like it\u2019s ashamed of what it truly wants to be.\u201d<\/p>\n Nick Schager of The Daily Beast is also high on Masters of the Universe in his \u201cfresh\u201d review summary on RT, writing, \u201cNostalgia is a hell of a drug, and fans are apt to overdose on it with this rollicking live-action affair.\u201d<\/p>\n Forbes\u2018Backrooms\u2019 Streaming: Why Film\u2019s Big Box Office Will Likely Change A24\u2019s PVOD StrategyBy Tim Lammers<\/a><\/p>\n William Bibbiani of The Wrap is among the top critics on RT who gives the film a \u201crotten\u201d score, noting in his review summary, \u201cTravis Knight\u2019s Masters of the Universe is so blah, and so embarrassed of itself, that it could very well be the final nail in the coffin for 1980s nostalgia.\u201d<\/p>\n Edward Douglas of the New York Daily News knocks the director specifically in his \u201crotten\u201d RT review summary of Masters of the Universe, writing, \u201cTravis Knight needs to stop playing with toy franchises and go back to being a serious filmmaker and animator.\u201d<\/p>\n