Nostalgia is a heavy emotion sometimes and can bring melancholy or happiness. Luckily the nostalgia hit I received last weekend brought me joy.
Yes, I went to see Masters of the Universe at the cinema. Mrs B and Youngest Opponent politely declined the offer to join me, so off to cinema first thing on a Sunday morning it was for me for a solo viewing. As I settled down for the Royal Navy and car adverts I noted the few other audience members. Two Dads, around my age with a couple of 8-10 year old kids and one Mum also with a son. This meant that throughout the movie I did feel like I was being the most vocal when responding to the humour and dramatic moments throughout the film. I failed at some points to hold in a chuckle or too or an emotional gasp.
It is difficult to review my thoughts on this movie without giving away spoilers. What I can say is, as a kid I did watch the original Dolph Lundgren movie and I remember being hugely disappointed by the absense of certain recognisable characters, this film did not do the same. It was cheesy and funny, yes, it is hard not to be when you are telling a story of a man that cosplays as Conan and punches things repeatedly to save the day, despite owning a sword. I can imagine critics not being over impressed with the simple storyline. I did however, thoroughly enjoy it.
Those of you that enjoyed the latest Dungeons and Dragons movie will recognise a similar high level of effort to intersperse a movie with tiny nods to the source material, in jokes, visual cues and dialogue nods. I will say one particular joke written in just for the adults flew way too high over the heads of my fellow audience members but the joke was so obvious, I forgive the writers for including it.
Although not taking itself too seriously ( how can you when there is a Man who Rams things with his head?) the film makers managed to also create some emotional heroic moments, it is not a spoiler really to state that Prince Adam says that iconic transformative catchphrase, but when he did I got goosebumps. This was probably partly due to the inclusion of a soundtrack that includes the highly skilled chord striking of the musical legend Brian May. Not since Highlander has the soundtrack done such heavy lifting for a simple action movie.
The plot revolves around very young Prince Adam being sent off by magical portal by the Sorceress to Earth (the homeworld of his mother) to protect him and the Sword of Power from Skeletors clutches. Adam loses the sword and so grows into adulthood on Earth, trying desperately to keep his memories of home by drawing the legendary characters and telling his story to others. Luckily we don't spend too long on Earth and the story quickly moves back to Eternia where it romps along as he meets up with his childhood friend Teela. From there the pace barely slows as the story follows a very predictable and yet not so predictable fight against the Evil Skeletor and his cast of eclectic villains.
The movie ends with a modern message and yet does not deny the original concept of heroic muscle bound might that somehow still appeals in the same way that we all still get tempted by basic stories like Wrestlemania. Even though now we also enjoy intellectual fare, there is nothing wrong with letting the inner child finally get to see the movie based on a toy that brought such joy over thirty years ago.
Oh and don't just get up when the credits start, yes there is something else...
