Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Masters of the Universe

Play trailer 1:36 Poster for Masters of the Universe PG 1987 1h 45m Fantasy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
21% Tomatometer 29 Reviews 41% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
When the evil Skeletor (Frank Langella) finds a mysterious power called the Cosmic Key, he becomes nearly invincible. However, courageous warrior He-Man (Dolph Lundgren) locates inventor Gwildor (Billy Barty), who created the Key and has another version of it. During a battle, one of the Keys is transported to Earth, where it is found by teenagers Julie (Courteney Cox) and Kevin (Robert Duncan McNeill). Now both He-Man and Skeletor's forces arrive on Earth searching for the potent weapon.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Masters of the Universe

Masters of the Universe

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Masters of the Universe is a slapdash adaptation of the He-Man mythos that can't overcome its cynical lack of raison d'etre, no matter how admirably Frank Langella throws himself into the role of Skeletor.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Johanna Steinmetz Chicago Tribune 07/11/2014
2.5/4
Everyone knows how the battles will turn out. It`s what's between them that raises Masters Of The Universe ever so slightly above the mediocre. Go to Full Review
Desmond Ryan Philadelphia Inquirer 07/11/2014
1/4
With Masters of the Universe -- the latest numbskull entertainment from the creators of Castle Greyskull -- He-Man makes the transition from animation to live action. Taking a live actor along for the ride might have helped. Go to Full Review
Michael Wilmington Los Angeles Times 07/11/2014
A misfiring, underdone epic that takes its inspiration not from life or literature, but from a toy line and the cartoon series it inspired. Go to Full Review
Mike Massie Gone With The Twins 03/02/2025
3/10
Perhaps the biggest fault to this picture is Lundgren’s casting; he certainly looks the part, but he brings nothing to the table when it comes to acting. Go to Full Review
Eddie Harrison film-authority.com 12/13/2023
1/5
…a derivative, mad splice of Back to the Future prom anxiety and Terminator’s time-jumps, with added 80’s garnish… Go to Full Review
Betsy Pisik Washington Blade 05/24/2022
Sure, Masters of the Universe is a movie based on a TV series that was developed to sell war toys to children, but it's a whole lot more: This is pyro-technical submerged sexuality at its intergalactic best. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Nathan D. @nathand1982 23h This is the version I watched as a kid, so I'm biased. I grew up with the cartoon too, so it holds nostalgic value for me. It isn't really about the performances or the actors for me. I still watch it every once in a while on a streaming service. I will most likely see the new one and compare the two. I'm curious how the new one will be. See more CodyZamboni Z @CodyZamboni 1d Cheeseball to the extreme, Good natured crap, lame fx, lame action, But good time goofy, And Courtney Cox and Chelsea Field are really cute See more Caleb M. @calebmpr May 25 In anticipation for the upcoming Masters of the Universe (2026) in June, I was able to come across the OG 1987 Masters of the Universe and figured why not! I am not really familiar with the lore of He-Man or Masters of the Universe in general. However, for what this movie is, I got entertaining 80s sci-fi/fantasy goofiness out of it. It is basically Conan the Barbarian in space. It’s a great blend of sword and sorcery with the sorcerer characters, Skeletor, and He-Man himself. Then you have the space ships and laser gun battles in all its goofy glory. I wish there could have been a space battle in this movie, but overall it’s still as fun to watch. See more DanTheMan 2 @DanTheMan2150AD May 17 From Saturday morning cartoon to the big screen in one muscle-bound leap, by the power of Cannon's mounting debts, Masters of the Universe was born of financial necessity and raised by compromise, demanding to be taken on its own terms. A beautifully flawed relic, visibly fighting its own limitations at every turn, I can't hate it. For the film that was supposed to be the crown jewel of legitimacy for the legendary studio, there's ambition, sincerity and a sense that everyone involved was trying to make something special, even as the ground collapsed beneath them. All this gives Masters of the Universe a beautiful lease of life; it truly does have the power, and I will not be apologising for loving it so. See more Christopher C. @PapaTangooo May 16 People fling poo at this movie. However, it is important to remember that it is about He-Man . . . it is not trying to keep up with the nominees for Best Picture. See more Robert V @WheelchairZombie47 May 5 I love this movie. It’s great. It’s absolutely a cult classic. The action is awesome. The scene with them eating chicken is hilarious. James Tolkan from back to the future is funny it’s a must see cult classic See more Read all reviews
Masters of the Universe

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING
Mannequin: On the Move 12% 41% Mannequin: On the Move Watchlist The Rocketeer 67% 65% The Rocketeer Watchlist TRAILER for The Rocketeer Legend 33% 73% Legend Watchlist Always 70% 58% Always Watchlist Cocoon: The Return 31% 33% Cocoon: The Return Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis When the evil Skeletor (Frank Langella) finds a mysterious power called the Cosmic Key, he becomes nearly invincible. However, courageous warrior He-Man (Dolph Lundgren) locates inventor Gwildor (Billy Barty), who created the Key and has another version of it. During a battle, one of the Keys is transported to Earth, where it is found by teenagers Julie (Courteney Cox) and Kevin (Robert Duncan McNeill). Now both He-Man and Skeletor's forces arrive on Earth searching for the potent weapon.
Director
Gary Goddard
Producer
Yoram Globus, Menahem Golan
Screenwriter
David Odell
Distributor
Warner Home Vídeo, Cannon Films
Production Co
Cannon Group, Edward R. Pressman Film Corp., Golan-Globus
Rating
PG
Genre
Fantasy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 7, 1987, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$16.3M
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
Surround