By the power of Grayskull! I sat in a movie theater to watch “Masters of the Universe,” the fantasy action movie of muscular hero He-Man (played by a moderately energetic Nicholas Galitzine from "Red, White & Royal Blue," 2023).
This film continues the trend of adapting Mattel toy products for the big screen after the historically huge success of the comedy “Barbie” in 2023.
All I have left to say about “Masters of the Universe” is it looks stunning but doesn’t deliver otherwise.
Combining the juvenile humor with the earnestness of spunky masculinity is fine. That’s what the original animated TV series was all about when it ran from 1983-1985.
But the way this humor and earnestness is written, and the way it is acted, is terrible. Nothing is unique or exciting in this except maybe some action sequences.
After I returned home from “Masters of the Universe”, I was in a crestfallen mood. So what better way to get over my movie disappointment than to return to the theater and try again.
That’s what I did last weekend, and my second attempt at movie satisfaction was for the new release “Power Ballad.”
And you know something? That film didn’t deliver either!
“Power Ballad” is a light-hearted comedy about songwriting, music production, and the clash of intellectual property. Paul Rudd ("Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire," 2024) plays a faded rocker named Rick who tried to become a famous musician but now works as a wedding singer in a small town in Ireland.
When he crosses paths with a famous boy band singer named Danny, played by Nick Jonas ("Jumanji: The Next Level," 2019), they hang out one night and have a jam session together getting drunk and randomly creating melodies on guitars and pianos.
Months later, after the two music bros part ways, Rick discovers a song he experimented with during the casual jam session has become a worldwide pop hit with Danny’s voice on the track.
Rick is then ignited to claim his dignity, track down famous Danny in Hollywood, and get the recognition he deserves as the true creator of the hit ballad.
This rated R peek into the music business is an endearing portrait of ambition, family, and the blurry nature of ideas. So why did I feel so horribly bored watching this?
“Power Ballad” is one hour and 38 minutes long. During this run-time, I kept asking myself, “What is this even supposed to be about?” and, “Where is this supposed to be going?”
Irish director and co-screenwriter John Carney has given us some great films about the emotional links between music and meaningful relationships. These films feature beautifully intimate stories like “Once” (2006), “Sing Street” (2016), and “Flora and Son” (2023).
They are tender-hearted musicals with a relaxed, honest, everyday attitude showing ordinary people can be special musicians.
“Power Ballad” doesn’t have any of these good qualities. Instead of openly sweet dialogue and charming performances, everything feels forced and uninspired. When leaving the theater I thought, “Did these filmmakers even have enough ideas to make a memorable film?” The answer is no.
Other films like “Hearts Beat Loud” (2018) and “Wild Rose” (2018) offer much better viewing experiences presenting a love letter to singers and songwriters.
So you should really watch one of these older titles for a fulfilling movie musical.
