The Huckleberries Vol. 22 - Masters of the Universe & The Furious

     Obviously we want to have an area for reviewing new films here at The Film Encomium, but we want to send a message with our methodology. That message is a simple one: Don’t forget about the fun. 

Yes, film can be transformative, prophetic, and groundbreaking. It can also be none of those things and still be a damn good time, and we want to validate both of those experiences. If you want to see thriving adaptations of various source material for a modern audience, we recommend the still rising career of Greta Gerwig; but if you want to become well-rounded, you should also binge the full filmography of the great Jackie Chan. 

It is from the balance of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn that we draw inspiration for the title of this section. Tom is clever; Tom is great. If there were one of those boys we were going to try to get into Harvard, it would be young Mr. Sawyer…but he will always need his Huckleberry. 

We all need our Huckleberries. Art needs its Huckleberries. Sometimes beauty is in the little things and reasoned reflection. Other times beauty is loud, bright, and bold. In the interest of providing our readers with a comprehensive experience, we are not willing to skip The Huckleberries. 

So, with that in mind, here are two exceptional flicks that dropped in theaters recently. The first will show you the Power of Greyskull. The second will explore in further detail the strength of regular skulls. Enjoy!

Masters of the Universe -

Alright, first things first, let’s talk about Jared Leto. The Film Encomium is of the strong opinion that Jared Leto is a piece of shit. If you do not know why we would hold that belief, maybe Google “Why would someone think Jared Leto is a piece of shit?” because the results are probably largely going to reflect our own reasoning. We do not know what piece of dirt he clearly has on some Hollywood bigwig, but we wish that it would just come to light already, because it can’t possibly be worth his continued presence in our lives. WITH THAT BEING SAID, those of you who are concerned that he will drag Masters of the Universe down in the same fashion that he dragged down Tron: Ares can rest easy. 

The reason for that is simple: Jared Leto is one of the few working actors who can naturally embody Skeletor. That is by no means a compliment—Skeletor is essentially nothing more than a whiny, fragile, toxic boss who literally everyone laughs at both to his face and behind his back. If you want someone who can personify that cringe to the point that both his costars and you as an audience member can clearly feel it? Jared Leto is a highly qualified choice. Besides, you never have to see his face, his voice is only recognizable if you listen closely for it, and he will canonically get his ass beat every time he takes on this role. It would have been better to not cut him a check of any kind, but if he simply MUST continue to be included, this is the absolute peak approach. 

Now on to this charming little feature itself. One of the most important points to understand about this new take on He-Man is that you should expect much more Barbie for Boys than a traditional superhero movie. Of course, this makes sense, as the characters shown in Masters of the Universe got their start as action figures who then transitioned into film and television, not the other way around. Much like 2023’s Barbie, this is a satirical fantasy based in a storyline that backs up to and mirrors our own reality, and it is tonally much more similar to that production than some of the big-budget action franchises it may initially appear analogous to. 

The humor and tendency to not take itself too seriously have always been a large part of Eternia’s allure, and director Travis Knight seems to be more than willing to lean into that aspect of the concept. Knight is more seasoned in the animated realm—with the outstanding Kubo and the Two Strings being amongst his most recognizable achievements—but he has also had previous success in toy-based live-action adaptations, having also directed the Transformers fan favorite Bumblebee in 2018. It isn’t difficult to see the lessons he learned in those productions shining through in Masters of the Universe, it is big and bold and bursting with adventure. 

Speaking of bursting, one of the most objectively hilarious tropes this film creates is deciding to not artificially reduce Nicholas Galitzine’s formidable stature (á la Chris Evans in Captain America: The First Avenger) but instead trying to just hide him beneath a slightly-oversized Abercrombie & Fitch fall line. Still, it doesn’t lessen the impression he makes in his full He-Man garb, nor does it redact the likability that he brings to the role. The plot obviously revolves around his character, but they bring in countless beloved characters from the franchise’s history, and do justice to each and every one of them. 

The Mattel Cinematic Universe has another entry into their catalogue that is full of laughter, adventure, and potential. They clearly take a lot of lessons from Marvel and DC on this one—particularly the contributions of Shawn Levy, James Gunn, and Taika Waititi to those respective universes—but also very much manage to effectively transform those aesthetics into their own intricate new landscape. Longtime fanatics will adore the attention to detail and carefully crafted callbacks, but even more importantly, there is something here that will captivate audiences who have never considered a trip to Eternia before.

See it with friends. Stay until the credits are over. Don’t say goodbye. Say Good Journey. 

The Furious -

What we have here is the masterstroke of an under-appreciated mind in the world of action choreography. Kanji Tanigaki has been a steady contributor to Hong Kong cinema for three decades now, and although this is only his third directing credit, it represents a major leap forward in both ambition and results. American audiences will be most familiar with his work as the stunt coordinator of Blade II and Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins—a film on which he was also the action director. He takes all the subtle tricks and unused ideas from his impressive international career and funnels them into this singular outpouring of bloodsport. 

Tanigaki may be a bit sparse on the backstory, but the focus of a great kung fu movie doesn’t necessarily rely on an intricate storyline. This is an action film, through and through, and it is all the better for the fact that it hits the ground running. In this film, we are instead drawn in by the battle and physical struggle, and The Furious hits hard at an almost continuous pace from beginning to end. 

Helping to ground this brouhaha into a tangible human story are the performances of the actors at the eye of the storm. Xie Miao and Joe Taslim are the duo on the same side of fate who find themselves out to save the day, and the vast majority of the activity revolves around them. A wonderful combination of Joey Iwanaga, Brian Le, Yayan Ruhian, and Sahajak Boonthanakit create an eccentric ensemble of antagonists who square off with our heroes. Enyou Yang also deserves to be lauded for her performance as Rainy, who has some of the better dramatic moments of the entire production. 

This is Hong Kong filmmaking at its finest. Wild, over the top, and unapologetic; The Furious manages to take everything that is great about kung fu classics and move it forward into the capabilities and capacities of modern technology. It is a delightful and entrancing visual encounter, and the best martial arts work of any kind that has been created for English-speaking audiences by international legends in the craft in quite some time. 

~The Film Encomium~