In 1982, Mattel created the Masters of the Universe toyline, which became an overnight success. The following year, Filmation developed the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon, further increasing the toyline’s popularity. Around this time, Mattel approached Conan the Barbarian producer Edward R. Pressman about adapting the toys for film. Intrigued, Pressman shopped the property around before landing at The Cannon Group, which agreed to the film’s $22 million budget. For the director’s chair, the studio hired first-timer Gary Goddard, who co-founded Landmark Entertainment and produced attractions for Universal Studios. Unfortunately, the film ran into numerous production problems, from Mattel demanding changes to Cannon’s financial problems. Additionally, toy sales dipped considerably after the cartoon ended, so Mattel hoped the film would reignite interest. Despite running over schedule and nearly getting shut down, Masters of the Universe hit theaters in August 1987.
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Synopsis
On the planet Eternia, the evil Skeletor (Frank Langella) has conquered Castle Grayskull and rules with an iron fist. Meanwhile, a small resistance led by He-Man (Dolph Lundgren), Man-At-Arms (Jon Cypher), and Teela (Chelsea Field) plots to overthrow him. They recruit locksmith Gwildor (Billy Barty), who has created The Cosmic Key, a device capable of creating interdimensional portals. Unfortunately, when they try raiding Castle Grayskull, our heroes accidentally wind up on Earth and lose the key. Local teens Julie Winston (Courtney Cox) and Kevin Corrigan (Robert Duncan McNeill) find the key and start fiddling with it. They accidentally send a signal that Skeletor picks up, so he sends his second-in-command, Evil-Lyn (Meg Foster), to retrieve it. He-Man and his group find the two teens and help fight off Skeletor’s forces as they try returning to Eternia. Will our heroes succeed, or will Skeletor become the master of the universe?
Review
Given all the numerous production problems this movie suffered, it’s remarkable that Masters of the Universe even came out. Sure, it may not be a cinematic masterpiece, but for what it is, it’s an entertaining romp. You can tell that some very talented people worked on the film, and their efforts should be commended. For instance, the visual effects were done by two-time Oscar winner Richard Edlund, and they look fantastic. While some of the compositing hasn’t aged well, there’s something charming about old-school optical and lighting effects. There’s also Return of the Living Dead production designer William Stout, who did an exceptional job bringing Eternia to life. The Castle Grayskull set alone is enormous and appropriately grandiose, which fits the film’s epic tone. While it would’ve been better to spend more time on Eternia, I understand this movie didn’t have the biggest budget.
Dolph Lundgren is perfectly cast as the blonde, musclebound He-Man, feeling like the cartoon character brought to life. In his first leading role, Lundgren imbues the part with plenty of charisma and shows his lighter side. Similarly, Frank Langella is phenomenal as Skeletor, taking an otherwise silly character and playing him like he’s reciting Shakespeare. Langella has said that Skeletor was one of his favorite roles, and it’s easy to see why. Jon Cypher and Chelsea Field are decent as He-Man’s companions, and Billy Barty is fun as the quirky inventor Gwildor. A young Courtney Cox shines as an orphaned teen wanting more in life and has solid chemistry with McNeill. Meg Foster is solid as the stone-cold Evil-Lyn, and the late James Tolkan steals the show as a no-nonsense cop. Even with the nightmarish production, the cast make the most of the material.
For a first-time director, Gary Goddard shows plenty of ambition and stages plenty of great action sequences. You can tell he took the material very seriously and tried to make the best film he could. He makes great use of color to make the scenes stand out, lending the movie a comic-book aesthetic. The score by Rocky composer Bill Conti is solid, even if it takes cues from John Williams’ Superman theme. While I didn’t hate Julie and Kevin’s subplot, the pacing slowed considerably whenever the focus was on them. There are also moments when the production issues are noticeable, particularly in the final fight between He-Man and Skeletor. Even with its problems, this is still an enjoyable sword-and-sorcery movie that won’t take up too much time. Overall, Masters of the Universe isn’t perfect, but it delivers the kind of fantasy fun only the 80s could deliver.
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Where to watch Masters of the Universe (1987)
