By Daniel R. Durrett
@FilmDitz
This Gen-X 80s cartoon fun turned live action pays off with this film. Director Travis Knight delivered a well-developed Masters of the Universe, bringing out the best of what mattered in the original 80s cartoon. Surprisingly, it was cast with a full-fledged and star-studded cast that filled all the cartoon characters with their unique oddities. This cast brought a new chapter to Masters of the Universe imagination. He-Man/Adam is portrayed by Nicholas Galitzine, whom most people would know from “The Idea of You” opposite Anne Hathaway. With the help of a great wig and superhero foam, Galitzine has a look that delivers for a great He-Man.
There are many namesakes in this cast, but Jared Leto as Skeletor was a true standout and brought the character’s campy nature. The great anchoring bad guy, which added to the cast of characters that existed within this very bizarre and formulaic genre. The cartoon of the 1980s was way past the standard flair. But it still exists to bring a story with meaning for children after school to life. The film steps into the old cartoon and really adds to that world. There were slight discrepancies, but the job was done throughout the process, which is why it is doing so well on streaming.
Both Morena Baccarin, who has taken the reins of CBS Television’s “Sheriff Country” and steered it into a true dramatic show, along with the W. Earl Brown father character, and “Friday Night Lights” Matt Lauria, are shows worth checking out.
…However, back to her portrayal of The Sorceress in support of He-Man and fights to bring the attorney back from the brink that Skeletor has taken it to.
Alison Brie, “Community” star, shines as the evil sorceress and right-hand to Skeletor, Evil-Lyn. Brie’s Evil-Lyn is a hell of a good time while directing the horde, cheerleading for Skeletor, and bringing on the power of her sorcery. However, it’s quite odd to see her as a blonde.
Gaiitzine’s character added a lot to bring the youthful Adam to life through a genuine discovery of his character as he was born to lead the Kingdom of Eternia. All of this storyline had to be created in an introductory process by the writing team to expand on the only small drips in a pond that the original cartoon created.
Director Travis Knight, best known for Kubo and the Two Strings and 2012 para. Norman follows up the disappointing missing link with a return to a Generation X childhood of masters of the universe. Kubo and the Two Strings is honestly near a masterpiece and should be added to something like the criteria; in addition, post-haste did a wonderful job bringing the story and the visual elements together to make such a sensible and wonderful visionary world, and was a great choice in bringing Masters of the Universe to the screen.
Nice pairing once again with the writer of ParaNorman, Chris Butler, along with the writing team of Aaron and Adam Nee, who provided a nice adjustment from taking the original cartoon characters and adding a bit more introduction and depth, largely within the Idris Elba and Duncan characters, and Tela played wonderfully, brought to the screen by Camila Mendes.
As the downtrodden, with an explanation as to where unique names exist
Many cast members in the supporting roles brought the understanding of what made the TV show such a standout.
Idris Elba did much to add depth to Duncan’s character, providing much more than the man with the helmet in the cartoon brought to life.
Mini versions of the original characters were just a footnote on screen and added very little to the overall plot Menaneck portrayed by James Wilkinson, and Tri-Clops, played by Kojo Attah.
They’ll much of the success of this film can be attributed to the visual imagery brought to life from the cartoon. A master of the Universe cannot be believable without wonderful bad guys, of which Jared Leto doesn’t immensely process bringing skeleton to the screen, supported wonderfully by Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn.
In many ways, this film isn’t curing cancer. Still, it is a fun romp down memory lane with a reimagined view and an expansion on characters who, in the day and age of cartoons, would never have been given the opportunity for a true backstory.
Credit Knight for adjusting and expanding the original cartoon vision, which had such an impact on so many Gen X kids growing up and a deep hold on the campy nature of Skeletor and Evil-Lyn, who are practically a vaudevillian duo.
Sit back and take a step back into your childhood; don’t get too critical, and the job that was done was immense and on an extremely high level for a cartoon reimagining.
It will be a wonderful screening for parents and children alike given its PG-13 rating. Pop some popcorn and enjoy as it is now streaming on Amazon Prime. And view the wonder that brings the cartoon to life, but don’t dig in too deep. It’s not that kind of movie.
