NOTE: We didn’t see this movies as a group, it is not part of our official events. But I did see it with a few friends, and it’s excellent! And now…  the review.

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE (HE-MAN 2026)
For someone with passing knowledge of the cartoon, but enough for me to recognize the main characters, this movie is EVERYTHING you want from a modern He-Man movie. Except… we’ll get to the exception.
This is a fun movie, just sit back and enjoy the pretty good action scenes, though possibly too violent for small kids, but we know this movie isn’t for the little ones – it’s for the adults and the Member Berries. There are some bits of adult humor snuck in here and there, some of it pretty racy. Your kids will wonder why you’re snickering in your seat, while hoping they don’t ask you to explain what a double entendre is.
Along with the naughty giggles, you also get some pretty obvious plays to the gays, certain camera angles, characters, and yes, some of that racy humor. When the camera crawls over Prince Adam’s body as he transforms into He-Man (oops, gave away his secret identity!), exploring the muscles that start to bulge, yeah, that’s not subtle.
The overall feel of this movie lifts without shame the very best of FLASH GORDON from the 80’s, and the end credits ooze THOR: RAGNAROK, again, to the best results. The music at times, yeah, FLASH, WAAH-HAHHHHHH. No wonder, as Brian May from Queen, sets the mood himself.
Now, the bad part… they screwed up Adam.
The character is a bit wimpy, nerdy and woke, maybe too much. But you can easily ignore that. It’s the physicality of the character “Adam” that is all wrong. He’s too big. They try to cover it up, big shirts, and attempts to imply that Adam is a bit pudgy. The scene in the gym, where he attempts to pick up some weights, claiming it’s his first time – laughable – in his kitten sweatshirt. He’s busting out all over, buttons barely shooting off in all directions. Remember Captain America, the wimp at the beginning? And then Steve Rogers blew up and out into the hero? That’s what is lacking. Adam is too big. And in comparison, He-Man is too small. By himself, He-Man is fine, but even with the special FX camera crawling up his body as he spray-tans into super-dom, when the FX are done and the muscles have settled – it’s Adam, without a shirt. In a loincloth. They should have shot the Adam parts of the movie first, taken a break while the actor worked out, then shot the He-Man parts.
That’s my only complaint. Stay for the credits, for the surprise appearances. Yes, plural. A fun movie.