I’ve only gotten to see a movie early once, and I still had to pay for it. I don’t really have a tight niche because I look at multiple forms of storytelling. So nobody’s offering me free early peeks to stuff I talk about. They go for the focused reviewer, the ones who review the exact thing they’re selling because they know it gets the most attention from the most diehard of fans. So it’s not surprising that “Pixel” Dan Eardley got an early peek at the Masters Of The Universe movie from Amazon MGM. You may remember I used one of his videos talking about his interest in the movie for article fodder. And that was after a 20 minute preview at a different event. Now he’s seen the full movie.
While he reviews multiple toys, He-Man is Dan’s biggest discussion topic. To use other reviewers that have shown up around here in articles and Daily Videos, it’s like TJ Omega getting a sneak preview of something Transformers related or James Eatock of CerealGeekTV…getting to see Masters Of The Universe early but in England. I’ve discussed my share of Masters Of The Universe and He-Man related media, but mostly during Free Comic Inside or my look at the He-Man newspaper strips, which the occasional look at the cartoons and the first live-action movie.
Of course, when I went to Walmart’s early screening for Man Of Steel I didn’t have to worry about a review embargo when I did my v-log. I’ve soured a bit more on it over time and with Zac Snyder’s constant insisting he was the “more accurate” version of what Superman would be like (BS) but overall I still say it’s a decent superhero movie but a terrible Superman adaptation. When you really think about things opinions can change. I’m long over trusting Hollywood or comics to do a proper adaptation of the things I grew up with and I need more than a brand attached to something before I accept it. Tone and multiversal continuity also factor in at this point. I mean…Dan liked Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and I…did not.
Since we’re on the disclaimer train, Dan’s taking a huge risk in 2026. Influencers being grabbed by studios is a relatively recent occurance and it hasn’t been ending well. Star Wars is probably the best example whether it’s promotion for The Mandalorian & Grogu or Star Wars: Outlaws, the end product hasn’t exactly matched the hype, damaging the very reputation of these influencers. The studios don’t care about your rep, they care about your money. There’s worry that access like this, or just the excitement of being part of an event like this, may influence the influencer, especially those less deserving of their reputations than Dan. Dan honestly loves toys and He-Man while some of these other influencers just want the access to draw more fans to their channels. I trust Dan, but that means that if his excitement is…well, the same as Rise Of The TMNT, we’re going to have some disagreements when I finally get to see this. Hollywood versus and manipulate social media and YouTubers are both real things.
All of that out of the way, what did Dan honestly think of the movie? I do expect his honest opinion, with a spoiler free review since under the embargo he can’t discuss the full movie until it drops in June. I trust his word, so let’s hear those words before I give my thoughts on his thoughts.
For the record, he’s seen the movie. I haven’t. What you’re reading is based on what you’ve heard and everything else we’ve discussed in previous articles on this movie.
Going by his video’s divisions: I do like that they’re looking more towards the Filmation original cartoon. Filmation respected the source material (the toys) but also knew when they could get away with their own thing. There are elements that I thought the “200X” series (the GOOD reboot) did better, like the villains coming off as more of a threat despite their IQ, and Roboto’s design in that show did give him a unique look when reworking the same design just seemed odd in the original 1980s Roboto. (Why give a robot muscles?) Both Skeletors had their own strengths, as did the New Adventures Of He-Man version. However, the Filmation series is what most fans think of even today so going that route is the right move. Ask me my favorite and 1980s and 2000s fights depending on my mood that day. I do question the “colorful” part because what colors I have seen in trailers seem at least rather muted.
Dan has kids. I don’t. He appears to be a good dad in videos where Spencer and Ryder appear, including the annual “Advent Calendar Madness” he does at Christmas. The language does concern me, but I’d have to see the violence. Series two and early series three of the pack-in minicomics didn’t stop He-Man from breaking out the sword or his giant axe to cut up monsters and demons, just not people. Then there’s this panel:
You have to look for it or stumble on it while scanning it for a blog article or something, but it’s there. It’s not like the comics didn’t shy away from the violence completely. They just didn’t give us dudes being decapitated. When He-Man slew a monster on-panel it didn’t dwell on it very long. Other comics and shows state that He-Man will not take a sentient life and in one episode gave up his power believing he did by accident, an episode Dan kind of teased so maybe it plays into the movie. So you can have a certain level of violence, even a character dying, and still be okay for at least the older kids. It’s the gore, the level of violence, and the heroes only doing so when they have no other option versus being actual Conan instead of Conan for kids (even actual Conan for kids knew that) where we have a problem. You hear me, Dynamite Comics version of Thundarr The Barbarian??????????!!!!!!!!!!!! After all, nostalgic dads are going to want to bring their kids to see the thing daddy was into as a kid. Don’t give up that audience. It’s a kids’ property so that’s where you have to grab them. Comics has forgotten that, you shouldn’t. Even the other live-action movie knew what their target demographic was.
I’m betting any concern about Jared Leto as Skeletor came from his Joker portrayal in one of the Suicide Squad movies, but I never saw it because I don’t even care about the comics’ version of the Suicide Squad. Brian Dobson did borrow a bit from Alan Oppenheimer’s Skeletor, but I’ve heard plenty of other takes even in the 1980s, like book & records and the Little Golden Video stories, that didn’t, and Campbell Lane did a great Skeletor that seemed more like a Joker than Skeletor before Mark Hamill defined that voice. I haven’t seen enough of Skeletor in trailers and clips to really have a good opinion on it, but I think because it’s live-action he might get more comparisons to Frank Langella. As for Idris Elba, outside of the race swap he doesn’t look terrible, but again we haven’t seen much. Maybe it will be another Michael Clarke Duncan’s Kingpin situation? He-Man has been looking better in the alleged final trailer.
My opinion of Earth being involved has not changed. Growing up on Earth does affect the character. The amount spent on the planet does not help.
So will this be an example of good use of nostalgia? It would be different given Hollywood’s history. Fellow 80s property Transformers has suffered in live-action. Nice of him to warn us about the credits, but I usually stick through the scenes. The audience tends to leave during so I got use to waiting until they were done, and then we started getting small treats like in the Star Wars prequels before pre-Disney Marvel Studios dropped the mid-credit teaser for the next MCU movie and additional lore. So I’d be staying anyway if I got to see it in theaters. Kind of difficult with my current lack of income. I want this to be good. I want Dan to be right, if only for his sake now, but because I WANT to like this movie. I don’t need it live-action, but if it is I want it to be worth the effort. We’ll all find out in June when this comes out.
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