Masters of the Universe (1987) Movie Review

Drinking game: take a shot every time someone in this podcast references another '80s franchise. In the 1980s, Masters of the Universe was everywhere. Mattel's toy line filled store shelves, Filmation's cartoon turned He-Man into a household name, and kids across America (including Arnie) raised plastic Power Swords and declared, "I have the power!" Hollywood hoped to cash in on that popularity with a big-screen adventure starring Dolph Lundgren as He-Man, Frank Langella as the evil Skeletor, and pre-Friends Courtney Cox (Misfits of Science). What audiences got was something a little different. Produced on a modest budget and filmed largely on Earth rather than Eternia, Masters of the Universe struggled at the box office and helped bring down Cannon Films. Yet despite its reputation as a failed adaptation, the movie has developed a loyal following over the years. Was it an ambitious fantasy ahead of its time, or just another casualty of the '80s toy-to-movie craze? Join Arnie, Stuart, and Marjorie as they travel to Eternia and beyond to find out if Masters of the Universe truly has the power.