Masters of the Universe (1987) - 1/5

This movie is very very campy. Some may remember it fondly, but apart from nostalgia there’s really nothing good about it. The costuming is chintzy and for the most part doesn’t even look like the costumes in the 1983 TV show. The special effects are not only dated but aren’t even remotely as good as Krull from four years earlier. The plot is as thin as ‘they come to our world and have to get back’, and the characters are interchangeably bland. The most impressive costuming and effects are on Gwildor, the comic relief character, because his mouth moves in synch with his speech. If you’re going to watch an old, campy movie, just watch Krull instead.

Closest comparison: It’s like Super Mario Bros. (1993) with the special effects of the original Power Rangers TV show.

Setting: Fantasy meets Modern
Plot: Sci-fi
Tone: Campy action

Krull (1983) - 4/5

This movie is definitely campy, but once you accept that it's gem after gem after gem, from plot to writing to cinematography to acting to special effects. Of course, there are flaws in all of these areas, too, but the great moments far outshine them. It's a wonderful fantasy sci-if romp, and criticizing it for its campiness feels like faulting a geode for being rough around the edges.