There is something unusual about that, when you step into the darkened cinema hall to watch film about superheroes, you don't see a bunch of kids or teenagers around. At the official Belgrade premiere of the stage play Masters of the Universe, the most striking detail was precisely the audience - the average age of the visitors was probably 40+ years. While today's kids naturally turn to some of their modern heroes, screens and digital worlds, the hall was flooded by people who came for a serious dose of undiluted nostalgia.
......
That is why it is impossible to observe this film through the prism of a classic film review. It is completely secondary to "dissecting" the acting, CGI effects, the depth of the script or looking for hidden artistic layers. This, too, is not just another possible Hollywood blockbuster in a row. This is, first of all, a sociocultural phenomenon that serves as a collective ticket to return to the past and an emotional window to childhood.
In the imagination of children of the eighties, He-Man and his gang were larger than life. Those mythical heroes, sorcerers and warriors who wage an eternal fight against evil in the far reaches of space, opened the door to a world where anything was possible. Collecting muscular plastic figures and waiting for cartoons in front of the screen were rituals that defined an entire generation.
The company "Mattel" is obviously trying to repeat the non-series success it achieved a few years ago with the movie hit Barbi. And just as that rosy film production dominated the box office and transferred the spirit of an era to the contemporary cultural moment, a new film about Masters it aims for the same effect, but with a completely different audience. In the same way that the pink spectacle about the most famous doll in the world was an emotional and cultural roller coaster for girls who have grown up in the meantime, the return to the mythical planet Eternia is reserved for us, the former boys.
The film's visual identity and dynamics were given by director Travis Knight, a confirmed fan Masters. Although he is the son of the founder of the "Nike" company, Phil Knight, he proved that in Hollywood he does not come at the expense of his father's fame and influence. Projects Bumblebee i Kubo and the two strings he showed a sense of rhythm and action, while in the new film he successfully combined practical effects and authentic costumes with modern technology, breathing into him the recognizable charm of cartoonists from the eighties.
The main acting burden fell on the shoulders of Nicholas Galitzin, who portrays Prince Adam and his alter ego He-Man. He managed to give a character who is essentially a walking mountain of muscles a dose of humanity, lovable awkwardness and vulnerability, transforming him into a good-natured hero of the new age. On the other hand, Jared Leto, as the main villain Skeletor, brings eccentricity to the role, creating a character that is at once evil, theatrical and deliberately wacky. Supported by the brilliant Alison Brie, as the evil sorceress Evil-Lyn, and the authoritative Idris Elba (Man-At-Arms), the cast successfully swims through a world that does not hide its origins from the toy shelves.
It is interesting that in the first few days of screening, both the audience and the critics are quite equal, which is confirmed by the rating higher than 7 on IMDb, as well as more than 70 percent of positive reviews on the "Rotten Tomatoes" platform. However, while some praise this film, others criticize the excessive influence of sarcastic, "modern Marvel humor". Leaning on a title formula like Ragnarok or Deadpool, the film uses jokes and winks at the audience, through humor and constant jokes about its own mythology and the names of the characters. Hand on heart, names like Festoon or Frame Male today they really sound idiotic, and at the same time they would have a hard time passing through the sharp scissors of contemporary political correctness.
But if everything is approached from the phenomenological side, those flaws become unimportant. This creation is fun, colorful and pulsating with pure nostalgia. It doesn't try to be a dark, realistic spectacle like Batman, but it happily wears its retro costume. For all those who once held plastic swords in their hands and shouted the well-known line "I have the power!", this is a perfect reminder of a time when only imagination was enough to create entire worlds.
And the scene after the closing credits proves that this return to childhood does not end only with collecting nostalgia points. It opens the door to expand the story because Princess Adora - the famous She-Ra - appears in the frame, with her back to the camera. Her entry into the gaming world Masters completes the whole phenomenon. If the current film was a retro playground for grown-up boys, the sequel brings the mythic unification of twin brother and sister, bringing together two sides of the same coin. Travis Knight has cleverly left the door open for the next chapter, reminding us why these stories have survived the test of time.
In the end, when the lights in the hall are turned on and the first wave of nostalgia passes, there remains a silent question hanging in the air - whose universe is this today? Is there room in it for some new kids who are just discovering their power Gray skulls, or did Eternija remain an exclusive club for those of us who remember a completely different childhood?
Real journalism costs money, and we will not be bought by tycoons and corporations. Support us with a one-time or monthly donation. The time for it is now!
