Rating: 
Summary: Fourteen years, and it's still got the power!
Review: This movie has always been so cool to me since I was a kid because I obviously grew up with "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" cartoon show, and to have it on DVD is totally awesome! Granted the movie was totally differant from the toyline and cartoon serious, and to me it always borrowed from "Star Wars" in a way too! But then again, director Gary Goddard wanted to give it a realistic kinda gothic look while at the same time make it a great film for all the fans (myself included)! Personally, when I think of this film, it's more closer to what you could really get out of a childhood dream than anything. Dulph Lungren and Frank Langella will always be remembered as He-Man and Skeletor. No one can ever replace their performances! A film for all ages even for the "old" He-Man fans like myself! I just wish they could bring out DVD's for the cartoon episodes someday!
Rating: 
Summary: Ugh...
Review: Calling this film bad is like saying the Empire State Building is tall. Bad acting, poor writing, horribly staged action scenes. The only saving grace from keeping this off of "Battlefield Earth" status is some "good" acting from Langella which is only considered good when compared with the rest of the cast. It also features a nice score from Bill Conti, but oh what a waste. They could have made a film that brought together sci-fi and sword and sorcery and instead they came up with yet another bad knock-off of "Star Wars".
Rating: 
Summary: He-Man Comes To Life
Review: It's a classic confrontation between good and evil, and a struggle to save the Universe from the dark side, when a villain rises up and threatens all who oppose him with slavery or destruction in the 1987 offering "Masters of the Universe," directed by Gary Goddard. The evil Skeletor (Frank Langella) has captured the good Sorceress of Castle Greyskull (Christina Pickles) and is awaiting the moment when the Moon is at it's zenith, at which time he will be able to absorb all the powers of the cosmos and become Master of the Universe and omnipotent Ruler of their land, Eternia. But everything is not yet right; though he has the Sorceress in his clutches, his formidable opponent and champion of the people, the indomitable He-Man (Dolph Lundgren) is still at large, and Skeletor knows he must bring him to his knees if he is to succeed. Besides which, the "Cosmic Key" that will make it all possible for him is not yet in his possession. So his task is two-fold: He must enslave He-Man and find the Cosmic Key in order to effect his plans. And the secret of the Key lies with the peaceable locksmith and inventor, Gwildor (Billy Barty), a trusting soul, who betrayed by the beautiful Evil-Lyn (Meg Foster) has gone into hiding. Now it's up to He-Man to foil Skeletor and save Eternia and the Universe from his unscrupulous grasp and restore power to the Sorceress and Castle Greyskull. Though the make-up, costumes and special F/X are a bit cheesy, and overall the acting is bad, Goddard has put together a movie that is fun and exciting, and by lightening up on the menace has made it accessible to the whole family, including the younger set-- and, of course, since it's based on the children's animated TV series, it's just what you would expect, or should I say, hoped for, going in. Goddard moves it all along at a crisp pace, never allowing it to get bogged down unnecessarily, and the ideals and principles to which the story adheres-- loyalty, honesty, trust, love of family-- all make this a worthwhile endeavor and a film to embrace. Call it a poor man's "Star Wars" (from which it draws heavily, with the plethora of laser blasts and the ersatz "storm troopers" of Skeletor's army); the scale, perhaps, is not nearly as grand, but the sense of adventure and the overall feeling of Lucas's monumental film are certainly present. Hidden behind the bony skull mask, Langella brings Skeletor to life with flair, successfully conveying the evil at the core of his soul. This is a creature cloaked in darkness, ruthless and intimidating, effectively sinister, but less daunting than say, Darth Vader. He's scary, but it's not a character that's going to drive the little ones out of the room shrieking in terror. Langella makes him a fun kind of evil presence, which keeps it upbeat and creates the necessary sense of evil without taking the viewer to the brink of despair or bad dreams. It allows that unsettling feeling within an atmosphere of hope, and the realization that in the end all will be well in Eternia. It's a strong performance by Langella, and without question the best in the movie. Another good performance is turned in by Meg Foster, as Evil-Lyn, Skeletor's right-hand woman. Like Langella, Foster manages to convey evil without too much menace, and few actors have such absorbing, riveting eyes, which she uses to great effect here. With her flowing cape, meaningful stride and a glance from those mesmerizing eyes, Foster makes Evil-Lyn a force to be reckoned with; she's a formidable opponent for He-Man, and one of the most memorable characters of the film. As He-Man, Lundgren certainly looks the part, which is no doubt what put him in the role to begin with. But can he act? Let's just say this is a fantasy, and as such, what Lundgren brings to the part is good enough. When he raises his sword and exclaims, "I have the power!" it's a rush; He-Man lives-- embodied by Dolph Lundgren, and for this movie, it works. Fans of the TV series "Friends" will be interested in seeing the young Courteney Cox (twenty-three when this movie was filmed) here in her motion picture debut. As Julie Winston, a high school girl who unwittingly gets drawn into the fray, she comports herself well enough, though her performance is a far cry from anything that would earn an Oscar nomination. She does make Julie believable, however, which is the important thing. Again, this is a fantasy, and as such it doesn't take a lot to keep you in the story. Suffice to say that Cox has come a long way since making this one. James Tolkan, on the other hand, does not fare as well as some of the others here. A talented character actor, he nevertheless gives an embarrassingly bad performance as Detective Lubic. A stereotype if ever there was one, Tolkan still can't seem to get a handle on who Lubic is or where he fits in. This is a role just about any actor could've walked through without missing a beat, but Tolkan manages to muck it up so badly he becomes a distraction at times. It may have been a case of trying to make too much out of something that simply wasn't intended to be anything other than what it was; and it's understandable that as an actor Tolkan would want to make the most of what he was given. In this case, however, it was unnecessary, and just didn't work. The supporting cast includes Jon Cypher (Man-at-Arms), Robert Duncan McNeill (Kevin) and Barry Livingston (Charlie). Enjoyable family fare, "Masters of the Universe" may not be the best movie of all time, but it is what it is and offers a fun and satisfying evening's entertainment. It's the magic of the movies.
Rating:
Summary: Childhood flashback!!!
Review: Whoa, I never thought I'd see this again! He-Man! Granted, the movie is cheese, the acting horrible, and everything else is pretty bad...but this movie...the memories...I love it! Must own if you liked it before...but if you've never seen it, rent it first...because many of you will not like it.
Rating: 
Summary: Dolph has the power
Review: A welcome addition to DVD,although it's a shame it took soo long to come out.At first glance this looks like a desperate bid by Mattel to save the aging He-man franchise,confirmed by the fact the toy line stopped production a year or so after the film was released.However,the film really isn't that bad!
Dolph shines as he-man even though his entire script could fit unto the back of a postage stamp!Langella makes a good stab at portraying Skeletor but ends up chewing the scenery in some scenes,although,he chews with relish!
This is a good film!Forget what you hear about it being a star wars/Conan rip off,this is a good film in it's own right.The effects and action sequences are a little dated looking especially if you compare the sword fights in this with the likes of the fights in the excellent Blade.However,the film is indeed worth watching,decent acting,decent effects and an excellent score by Bill Conti make this a must for anyone,even if you aren't a sci-fi/fantasy fan.
Rating:
Summary: A good movie, more Eternia
Review: I loved the movie, I loved the cartoon series. I love He-Man :) But I wish they had spent more time on Eternia, and less here. I know what Earth looks like lol Anyway, if you are a He-Man fan, fantasy or looking for a fun movie to watch with the family, this is it. I am waiting for the DVD to come out, so I won't wear my video through completely. And to the producers, Skelelator said he would be back, well??? Next time, bring the King and Queen on board too ;)
Rating:
Summary: Decent, but it could have been better.
Review: Masters of the Universe really could have been a great film. There are several points where the film comes quite close to being and immersive fantasy experiance. Unfortunatly it falls short in so many areas that it can't be considered much more than a decent live-action version of the cartoon. The real problem with Masters of the Universe is that it can't make up it's mind whether it wants to be an interesting fantasy or set in the real world. The film makes a stylish start with Skeletor kidnapping the Sorcoress and He-man going to rescue her. The opening is nicely done and does a good job of creating a fanciful display of good vs. evil. The film's climactic ending is equally well-done. Unfortunatly, most of the middle of the film is spent in the "real world" with He-man and his friend trying to find a key. Perhaps the writers thought that the film would do better if they had our heros team up with some typical 80s teen-agers. Needless to say, they were terribly mistaken. The cast is a mixed bag. Dolph Lundgren may look the part of He-man but that doesn't change the fact that he can't and never will be able to act. Lundgren doesn't go so far as to embarass himself to the point of idiocy (which he has in many films) but he's certainly wooden and boring. The rest of the cast is fairly bland as well. The one bright spot is Frank Langella as Skeletor who arguably saves the whole cast. Unlike the writers and the rest of the actors, Langella seems to understand this movie as a battle between good and evil and is a presence in the film. Still, Masters of the Universe is a disapointment. Langella may be enough to save the cast but he's not enough to save the film. A strong opening and climax are dilluted with an incredibly tedious middle. It's worth watching but viewers looking for a fantasy or Sci-Fi epic should look elsewhere.
Rating: 
Summary: I Like the Cartoon -- Hated the Movie
Review: In all honesty -- I LOVED THE CARTOON SERIES -- one of my favorites as a kid. I remember I bought this on VHS about a year ago, I was 19 years old at the time and I was like whoa! live action he-man -- I was stoked. Imagine my disappointment when I found out this movie sucked, and I'm not talking just a little bit, it was probably the biggest piece of crap I'd ever watched and I wish I had the time out of my life back and my $12 back. BUY IT IF YOU DARE! BUT I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND IT!!
Rating:
Summary: A Sleeper Hit that Rose Above its Toy-line Inspiration
Review: When this film came out, the "Masters of the Universe" toys had been the rage, but their popularity was tapering off; He-Man and his crew had been the subject of one of the most abysmally awful cartoon series ever made by Filmation, and one which had taken an original Frazetta-style world and turned it into kiddy twaddle with a "lesson in every show". I couldn't imagine what a live-action incarnation would be like, though Dolph Lundgren was a good choice for He-Man. When I saw this film out of curiosity, I was completely blown away- it was NOT what I'd expected! The creators had gone way beyond the toy designs and produced a phenomenal NEW world which integrated swords, sorcery, and high-technology in a totally believable and surprisingly edgy environment! Plus, they'd taken a tongue-in-cheek approach and made it so the conflict in the dimension of Eternia accidentally crossed over into our modern, present-day Earth world, in a way I found totally enjoyable.
This film doesn't really play to the kid crowd (its PG rating is justified) and is, in fact, more enjoyable by adults (some moments are actually too scary for young children). It has some dynamite (for the time) special effects and beautifully choreographed battles, a PHENOMENAL musical score by Bill Conti, and some really enjoyable characters and occasionally melodramatic and scenery-chewing acting by many Hollywood veterans (like Frank Langella and Meg Foster) as well as "unknowns" (like Courteney Cox of "Friends" and Robert Duncan McNeill of "Voyager") who later became stars in their own right. The film balances the excellent action and serious tone with a lot of humor, and a plot premise that I found quite appealing overall. This is truly one of my favorite "sleeper" movies, and one which not only had a tremendous number of surprises in store for me but turned out to be as enjoyable as any film of its genre. I was taken by surprise because I expected it to be a terrible movie... and instead, it turned into one of my all-time top ten favorites. "Masters of the Universe" is just a really fun "escapist" SF movie and works really well on many levels. Check it out, and you may find it becomes one of your favorites as well.
Rating:
Summary: "The Alpha...and the Omega. Death, and rebirth....
Review: And as you die...So will I be reborn...." Arguably, this is one of my absolute favorite movies of all time. James Tolkan was superb as Lubic, and All of the Eternians were great. Dolph at least made a conscious effort. But noone was as amazing as Frank Langella as Skeletor. My good lord, was he good in this. I'm actually watching it as I'm writing this, but this brings back so many memories. Like standing on pillows pretending they were those cool hover board things and pushing my brother of his yelling out the cheesy He-Man "HYAUHH!". Anyway. Good movie. Buy it.
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