Masters of the Universe (1987): He-Man's Highly-Flawed, but Strangely-Charming First Big Screen Outing Gets an Upgrade (4K)

The Film:

Nearly 40 years ago, He-Man fans had their wish granted when a live-action film adaptation of the insanely popular toys, comics, and cartoon came to life on the big screen, with the hope being that it would be just as exciting as the adventures that its brave heroes faced in their other iterations. However, the result was pretty far from what anyone expected. Not only did it take quite the critical lashing, with a consensus basically saying that it was a film designed to sell toys, but many fans were also left disappointed by the treatment that the material received, leading to a major box office disappointment.

Strangely enough though, this happens to be another case of a film that would end up finding its audience on home video, where it not only found great success, but also gained a significant cult following where it's now considered something of a nostalgic classic. To honor that legacy (and celebrate the upcoming 40th anniversary), the recently-established Toy Robot Video (part of Arrow Films) has decided to thrust the film into the spotlight by giving it a tremendous 4K upgrade and packing it with almost all new bonus material (including a newly-rediscovered extended preview cut of the film, featuring new footage & alternate takes), so now it's time for us to revisit this popular cult classic to see just why it's had the lasting legacy that it's had over the last four decades.

Beginning on the planet Eternia, the evil Skeletor (Frank Langella) has taken over Castle Grayskull, capturing the Sorceress (Christina Pickles) protecting it and taking over its great power. Meanwhile, a resistance team, which includes He-Man (Dolph Lundgren), Man-At-Arms (Jon Cypher), and his daughter Teela (Chelsea Field), rescue renowned keymaker & inventor Gwildor (Billy Barty), who had developed a cosmic key that can open portals to anywhere, but which was stolen by Skeletor's second-in-command, Evil-Lyn (Meg Foster). The group raids Skeletor's castle in an attempt to rescue the Sorceress, but is forced to flee through a random portal opened via a second key that Gwildor happened to have.

This brings them to Earth, where we meet couple Julie (Courteney Cox) and Kevin (Robert Duncan McNeill), who find the key that was misplaced when the others came through the portal. It's not long before Evil-Lyn sends a band of henchmen to look for it, eventually getting the kids entangled in our heroes' battle against Skeletor's forces. Will He-Man & his friends be able to stop the deranged warlord and put an end to his plan to take over the universe?

Partially growing up in the '80s, I've always found it curious that He-Man was one of those phenomenons that I somehow never got swept up in. My brother had been into it for a time, with a few of the toys about the house, but it just never caught on with me for one reason or another. I have sampled the cartoon, but when it came to the film, even as we approach its 40th anniversary, I had somehow never seen it in its entirety (just bits and pieces on TV). All that's to say that many people few the film through a kind of nostalgic lens, where it's something they liked as a kid, so naturally they still have found memories of it as an adult. However, having no such lens to view it through, my impression is of a first-time watcher giving an honest take of a film that is both often heavily-maligned and admired as a cult classic.

So what impression does it give a first-timer nearly 40 years after its original release? Well, it's a tremendously-silly, laser-filled spectacle that serves as a somewhat delightful slice of '80s cheese... at least up to a point. There are those that try to say that the film is an all-out disaster, but that wouldn't be entirely fair. These filmmakers were trying to take a highly-popular fantasy property and bring it down to Earth (quite literally), so as far as getting it on the big screen as a live-action production, you have to cut them a little slack.

Of course, let's not kid ourselves, the film certainly does have a few issues. It does indeed get a little carried away with its numerous laser battles, and it's fair to say that setting the vast majority of the film on Earth was not the best decision. Obviously the latter was a cost-cutting decision that made it so they didn't have to build more Eternia sets, but it being set on boring old Earth is commonly cited as one of the biggest complaints. Sure it provides for a bit of fish-out-of-water hijinks, but fans clearly wanted the film to have its proper setting, and indeed that likely would've made for not only more intriguing visuals, but likely a more engrossing adventure.

What is commonly (and correctly) deemed the film's single strongest element is the great Frank Langella playing the notorious Skeletor. Langella, who's an Oscar nominee, an Emmy nominee, a 2x Golden Globe nominee, and a 4x Tony Award winner, brings every bit of gravitas he has to the role to deliver what ends up being a rather strong performance. Originally taking the role because his son was a big fan, he apparently found it quite challenging to make the character feel real, but in the end, it ended up being one of his favorite performances.

This is what makes it rather ironic that someone like Dolph Lundgren would be cast as the main hero. He certainly has the look of the character, but obviously the acting chops just aren't there, nor is the grand, heroic personality that someone like He-Man needs to exude. He's basically the exact counterpoint to Frank Langella, but, to be fair, he does manage to add his own element of goofiness to the film, whether it's intentional or not, though it remains a bizarre fact to learn that he was the first & primary choice for the part (which he got after his breakout role in "Rocky IV").

All things considered, "Masters of the Universe" clearly has its ups & downs, but it's definitely not the awful film some claim it to be. Obviously it's not something that's meant to be taken all that seriously, and with its silly nature & pervading charm (on top of a great turn from Langella), there's actually a fair amount of fun to be had. Yes, it has a lot of issues, but clearly that hasn't stopped people from enjoying it over the last few decades, and now that it's getting a grand UHD upgrade, they can continue to enjoy it in the best quality possible, while others can discover this delightful slice of '80s cheese for the very first time. It may not have been everything fans wanted, but even 40 years later, the first big-screen attempt remains a fascinating piece of work.

Video/Audio:

Both cuts of "Masters of the Universe" come to 4K in 1.85:1, 2160p Ultra High Definition transfers of marvelous quality. The new upgrade presents a beautifully sharp & clear picture throughout their respective runtimes, perfectly highlighting the film's various designs. Likewise, the 5.1 & 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio tracks are outstanding, giving you all of the dialogue, sound effects, and Bill Conti's rousing score in excellent quality. Overall, Toy Robot has done a wonderful job in both areas for the film's new release.

Special Features:

Disc 1 - Theatrical Cut:

Audio Commentary with Director Gary Goddard

Behind the Legend (4 Minutes): A brief archival look behind the scenes.

Disc 2 - Preview Cut:

Audio Commentary with Production Designer William Stout (New)

Becoming Kevin (16 Minutes) (New): An interview with actor Robert Duncan McNeill.

They Call Me Blade (14 Minutes) (New): An interview with actor Anthony De Longis.

Designing the Universe (17 Minutes) (New): An interview with production design William Stout.

Conclusion:

Nearly 40 years later, Gary Goddard's big-screen adaptation of "Masters of the Universe" remains a delightful slice of '80s cheese for many that remember it fondly from their youth, with many others also falling for its strange charm over the decades. It certainly has a number of issues that hold it back, including a somewhat lifeless lead in Dolph Lundgren (countered by a great turn from Frank Langella as Skeletor), a questionable primary setting, and somewhat redundant battles, but these also end up serving its rather goofy nature, ultimately making for a heavily-flawed, but also strangely-amusing experience.

Score: 3/5

Available on 4K starting today.

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