MOVIE REVIEW: MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE

 

The Sword of Power leads Prince Adam back to Eternia, a world shattered under the fiendish rule of Skeletor. Joining forces with Teela and Man-At-Arms, Adam must embrace his true destiny as He-Man -- the most powerful man in the universe.

Director: Travis Knight

Cast: Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Jared Leto, Alison Brie, Idris Elba, James Purefoy, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Charlotte Riley, Kristen Wiig, Morena Baccarin 

Release Date: June 5, 2026

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi

Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence/action, some suggestive material, and language.

Runtime: 2h 22m

Review:

Travis Knight’s adaptation of Masters of the Universe leans heavily into the absurdity of concept to deliver a colorfully weird but likable film that, echoes of 1980’s Flash Gordon, boast some fun action sequences and a pair of strong turns from Nicholas Galitzine and Jared Leto but its ultimately held back by a weak script and its overlong runtime.  The film opens, much like Knight’s 2018 Bumblebee, with an extended action sequence that delivers everything anybody who grew up with the show in the 80’s could want as we see the various heroes and villains battle it out before settling into the main thrust of the story of Galitzine’s Adam trying to find his sword and his way back home.  Galitzine has a likeable, goofy charm that’s reminiscent of Christopher Reeve’s Clark Kent from the 80’s Superman which makes it easier to watch as he works through some of the script’s weaker moments in the early part of the film.  Once Knight moves the action back to Eternia there’s a healthy sense that everybody is having a blast as we get a series of energetic action sequences and self-referential jokes that are generally fun.  Unfortunately, there are more than a few dead zones which makes you wish there had been some judicious edits to make everything flow together more consistently.  The script offers up plenty of comedic elements, some working better than others, along with an undercurrent about masculinity and dealing with emotions which is an interesting angle for this muscle-bound cartoon that’s not fully explored.  You get the sense that there’s a more interesting version of Galitzine’s Adam and Idris Elba’s Duncan relationship, but the script doesn’t give it time to really germinate.  Elba is fun in this role, but you get the sense he’d love to do something more substantial even his relationship with his daughter Teela, played by a focused Camila Mendes.  Mendes delivers solid work, but her character feels a bit stiff for all the other goofy going around her as she’s mostly stuck playing the straight girl to everybody else.  On the other end of the spectrum are Jared Leto’s Skeletor and Alison Brie’s Evil Lynn with both gleefully hamming it up every time they pop up onscreen.  Leto’s work manages to capture the odd insecure megalomania of the cartoon character which makes him the most fun character in the whole movie.  His dialogue and deliver are just pitch perfect, especially as he leans into the characters’ unapologetic evilness that doesn’t try to overthink his motivations too much, which lets Leto go wild.  Brie isn’t given as much time to shine but she manages to leave enough of an impression that you wish the character was explored a bit more.  Something the film could have easily done with its hefty nearly two hours and a half runtime to flesh out some of the character a bit more, as is Master of the Universe has its faults fans of the series are sure to find plenty of nostalgic enjoyment to be had.  

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: BOTTOMS

 

Unpopular best friends PJ and Josie start a high school fight club to meet girls and lose their virginity. They soon find themselves in over their heads when the most popular students start beating each other up in the name of self-defense.

Director: Emma Seligman

Cast: Rachel Sennott, Ayo Edebiri, Ruby Cruz, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber, Nicholas Galitzine, Miles Fowler, Dagmara Domińczyk, Marshawn Lynch

Release Date: August 25, 2023

Genre: Comedy

Rated R for crude sexual content, pervasive language and some violence.

Runtime: 1h 32m

Emma Seligman’s Bottoms is a quick-witted high school teen comedy that takes the general tropes of the genre to an extreme level that pushes it closer to satire than anything else.  Seligman and Rachel Sennott, who stars as PJ, cowrote the film’s script which fires off a series of jokes at a rapid pace.  There’s a noticeable level of self-assured confidence in the way Seligman shoots the film which pairs perfectly with some top-notch comedic performances from Sennott and Ayo Edebiri.  The pair have great chemistry together as they bounce off each other with impressive ease which makes their relationship ring true even as things get more outrageous.  Sennott and Edebiri carry the majority of the film with their energy spilling over to the supporting cast.  Ruby Cruz, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber, Nicholas Galitzine and Miles Fowler are all given plenty of time to shine throughout the film rather brisk runtime.  They added a level of depth to the film by populating the school landscape with hilarious caricatures of familiar high school types.   Those looking for a truer to life high school comedy might be disappointed since this film plays on a more exaggerated level of reality when compared to something like Booksmart or Lady Bird.   Bottoms isn’t that kind of teen comedy, instead it happily stakes out its own gonzo section of the genre to great effect.  

A-

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Heart of Stone & Red, White & Royal Blue

My dear reader(s), my movie diet this past weekend was cheesier than an extra-large Wisconsin six-cheese pie from Domino's, but unfortunately not all of it was quite so delicious.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers, aside from one non-plot-specific quote that earned itself a little spotlight.

First on my weekend agenda, Heart of Stone, starring Gal Gadot as a member of a shadowy agency charged with keeping a powerful weapon out of hackers' hands.

Boasting the wonderful Gadot and a likeable, familiar collection of supporting players, Heart of Stone had the potential to be the kind of dumb fun that passes a great summer afternoon. Unfortunately, the plot is lazy and predictable, the action is by the numbers, and much of the dialogue is so bad I was embarrassed for all involved. Top it with an overwrought score and excessive runtime, and, well, it's just a terrible waste of a solid cast and a good (if oft-used) premise.

Heart of Stone clocks in at 122 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sequences of violence and action and some language."

Heart of Stone attempts to build a franchise atop an impossibly weak foundation. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Heart of Stone gets two.

Heart of Stone is now streaming on Netflix.

Next on my weekend agenda, the romcom Red, White & Royal Blue, a tale of forbidden romance between an English prince and the US President's son.

Me? Watching a romcom? Ye gods.

Red, White & Royal Blue is a sweet, funny tale that is no worse for being exactly what you expect at nearly every turn. Any romance rises and falls on its principals, and this one shines mainly due to the exceptional appeal and chemistry of its central couple, portrayed by Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez. 

They are a delight! The movie is often laugh-out-loud funny, with the bulk of the credit there going to Sarah Shahi as the President's harried Deputy Chief of Staff, and special mention to Uma Thurman, who had me on the floor with the President's "Mom" speech. There's no denying Red, White & Royal Blue is a bit Hallmarkey in its execution. The acting is a little rough at times, and some of the music placement feels awkward, but those are petty quibbles with a movie that left me with a smile that hasn't faded a day later. 

Finally, and maybe most importantly, "He grabbed my hair in a way that made me understand the difference between rugby and football" has to be in the running for movie quote of the year. I don't make the rules.

Red, White & Royal Blue runs 118 minutes and is rated R for "some sexual content, partial nudity, and language."

Red, White & Royal Blue is a predictable romantic comedy elevated by a charming cast and some hilarious dialogue. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Red, White & Royal Blue gets eight. (I'll be watching it again today.)

Fangirl points: Clifton Collins, Jr.!!

Red, White & Royal Blue is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Until next time...