Masters of the Universe (2026) review

Funny, but the dialogue is poor. I do not know much about the lore, the original source material, or any of the characters since I never had toys like this growing up. Maybe it was no longer popular when I was a child. But even without that attachment, I can see how much it borrowed from the treatment of Thor (2011) and Thor: Ragnarok (2017). The whole thing feels like Taika Waititi and James Gunn had a custody battle over the tone. The punchlines reminded me of Thor: Ragnarok, where everything is constantly trying to undercut itself with jokes. The sets and CGI also have that Guardians of the Galaxy tactileness, where the world feels colorful, and physical. I can feel that Taika style talent for making big stakes feel light and small. At the same time, there is also that James Gunn strength of making the group feel like an ensemble, even when the writing itself is not always strong. Still, it is an enjoyable cheap thrill. The first and third act worked for me, even if the middle and the dialogue could have been sharper.