Tonally confused and narratively abrupt, the new adaptation maintains a winning charm despite its faults. (more)

Let’s face it: We’re all Barbie girls, living in a post-“Barbie” world. In the wake of the massive success of Greta Gerwig’s droll deconstruction of the doll, Mattel quickly greenlit movies on just about every property in its catalog. Thomas the Tank Engine, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots; you name it, it’s getting the big-screen treatment. But “Masters of the Universe” is the first of this wave, and benefits a bit from having a story and lore a bit more attuned to a four-quadrant blockbuster, with its sword-and-sorcery fantasy and “Star Wars”-inspired sci-fi touches. Even so, how do you adapt a toy line with larger-than-life characters like Ram-Man, Skeletor, and Evil-Lyn to the big screen without it being laughable? (more)