Masters of the Universe reviews have started hitting Rotten Tomatoes, and the first batch is coming in at 77%.
For a movie trying to bring He-Man back to theaters, that is not exactly a home run out of the gate. It is considered “fresh,” but it is also not the kind of slam-dunk critic score that screams major breakout.
Still, it is higher than the recent genre misses Mortal Kombat II at 64% and The Mandalorian and Grogu at 62%, both of which went on to massively disappoint at the box office. So Amazon MGM and Mattel can at least say He-Man is starting from a better place.
The early reviews paint Masters of the Universe as a campy, self-aware, retro-heavy fantasy adventure that leans hard into nostalgia, humor, action, and the silliness of the old cartoon and toy line. Some critics are into that.
Others say the movie feels embarrassed by its own source material and never fully commits to what He-Man should be.
Reviews Say Masters of the Universe Is Campy, Silly, and Self-Aware
The main takeaway from the Masters of the Universe reviews is pretty clear: this is not a dark, serious fantasy reboot.
Critics describe the movie as goofy, campy, retro, self-aware, and loaded with ’80s nostalgia. Several reviews say the trailers made it look more serious than it actually is, with the finished movie playing more like a colorful throwback adventure than a grim blockbuster.
Digital Spy says the film is “a goofy, self-aware romp,” while South China Morning Post calls it a “gloriously camp sword-and-planet adventure.” JoBlo’s Chris Bumbray calls it “a fantastic He-Man movie” that should make a lot of eighties kids happy.
The praise seems centered on the action, retro vibe, toy callbacks, music, humor, and the fact that director Travis Knight appears to understand the ridiculous nature of the material.
We Live Entertainment says Knight “understood the assignment,” while Discussing Film says the movie balances sincerity with reverence and delivers strong visuals.
At the same time, the 77% score suggests the reviews are not exactly glowing across the board. A lot of the positive notices still come with qualifiers. Critics like the energy, but several make it clear this is far from perfect.
Jared Leto reportedly said he isn’t thrilled with Masters of the Universe.
The Negative Reviews Say Masters of the Universe Feels Embarrassed By Itself
The negative reviews are pretty harsh.
ScreenCrush calls Masters of the Universe “anything but a masterful reboot.” The Bulwark dismisses it as “a feature-length meme.” Slashfilm says the movie seems fun at first but is too disposable to make its material or themes land.
TheWrap is even tougher, saying Travis Knight’s movie is “so blah” and “so embarrassed of itself” that it could be the final nail in the coffin for 1980s nostalgia.
Region Free gives it a brutal 1/5 and says there is something sad about watching an aging franchise “apologize for its existence.”
A repeated complaint is tone. Some critics think the movie wants to celebrate He-Man but also make fun of He-Man at the same time.
RogerEbert.com says when the movie works, it plays like a fun underdog space adventure, but when it does not, it feels “ashamed of what it truly wants to be.”
Next Best Picture also hits the movie for clashing tones, saying it never fully indulges in the cheesy material and becomes a “tedious slog.”
So the biggest issue appears to be this: Masters of the Universe may be too self-aware for its own good. The movie knows He-Man is silly, but some critics wanted it to embrace the silliness without constantly winking at the audience.
The Positive Reviews Say Masters of the Universe Gets He-Man Right
The positive reviews are much more forgiving and, in some cases, sound like exactly what fans want to hear.
Critics who liked Masters of the Universe say the movie works because it embraces the camp, the colors, the action, and the old-school toy-box energy.
Subculture Entertainment says the comedy can be annoying at times, but the movie overcomes it with strong action and a retro vibe that still feels modern.
Fresh Fiction gives the movie 4/5 and calls it an “awesome, colossally epic time” at the theater. The Jam Report says the movie may not reinvent blockbuster filmmaking, but there is enough sincerity in every scene to get swept up in its silly energy.
Several reviews also praise the movie for being family friendly and faithful to the spirit of the franchise. THN calls it a nostalgia-driven rollercoaster ride, while The AU Review says the movie is “silly with purpose, passion and a great deal of heart.”
In other words, the critics who are on board seem to think Masters of the Universe succeeds because it knows exactly what it is: a big, colorful He-Man movie made for fans who grew up with the toys, cartoons, and fantasy madness.
The 77% Rotten Tomatoes score is fine, but not great. For now, Masters of the Universe looks like a crowd-pleaser for nostalgic fans, not a critic-proof blockbuster. The bigger question is whether audiences show up, because recent franchise movies with similar or weaker scores have had a rough time at the box office.
Masters of the Universe opens Thursday with previews, and wide on Friday, June 5.
