I was born in 1981. As a child of the 1980s, I fondly remember watching the He-Man cartoons. I had a He-Man action figure, along with his arch-nemesis Skeletor, among others. I enjoyed the world and the character.

While I don’t remember seeing the live-action film from 1987—which is now nearly 40 years old—I’ve seen it since. Dolph Lundgren portrayed the titular hero, while Frank Langella portrayed his nemesis. It was an ambitious swing that is memorable to some, but not exactly high art.

But in a world where everything old is new again, it tracks that He-Man is back on the big screen. This time with the special effects and the scope that can do the story more justice in a live-action version. But is it worth your time to check out even if it doesn’t bring a wave of nostalgia from your childhood? I think it is.

The film focuses on Adam (Nicholas Galitzine), who was sent to Earth from his home in Eternia long ago. As a child, he was present when Skeletor (Jared Leto) and his army attacked. Adam’s parents were captured, so the Sorceress (Morena Baccarin) sent Adam and the Sword of Power into hiding to safeguard them and give the realm a chance.

But Adam lost the sword in transit, and he’s been seeking it ever since. He finds it in a comic shop, expecting an instant result. But instead, nothing happens—at least so it appears. But soon, his old friend Teela (Camila Mendes) appears, drawn by the sword, to bring it and Adam back to Eternia. But what he finds is a vastly different place.

In the 15 years he’s been gone, with Skeletor wreaking havoc, Eternia has suffered. It’s battered and broken. But Adam is no longer the small, scared child he was. He has to summon his courage and step up to be the champion Eternia needs to survive.

It’s always a kick when you see things from your childhood brought to life on the big screen. This certainly isn’t the first time in the past 20 years that we’ve seen a classic toy inspire a new big-screen film. It’s sometimes had mixed results. While some of the Transformers films were quite good, the G.I. Joe films were forgettable. The Barbie film was an Academy Award contender, but others have fallen by the wayside.

The original Masters of the Universe from 1987 is an interesting relic of the era. It has its fans and champions of its nostalgia, but it’s not a great film. The effects are poor by modern standards, and the story and performances are sometimes laughable. In that sense, this new Masters of the Universe is a huge leap forward.

This is a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It makes some winks and nods to the past, even including Lundgren in a fun cameo. It brings a sense of humor to its world and characters that makes this a more accessible journey. But it also pays homage to the past and builds the lore of the cartoon series in this new live-action take.

It’s also a lot of fun. The graphics and special effects have moved to a place to bring Skeletor, Evil-Lyn (Alison Brie) and others to life in a more robust way. The look of the world and the epic scope of the battles works well to draw you in and take you on a fun blockbuster ride. This is the ideal kind of large scope film for the summer season.

I enjoyed the cast, which includes Idris Elba and James Purfoy in addition to the others mentioned. Everyone seems to be having fun. But it works well because of Galitzine, who is great in the lead role. He brings some humor and awkwardness to the character that’s endearing, but he also soars in the action sequences.

With the dated concept and the sometimes-goofy trailers I didn’t know what to expect from Masters of the Universe. But it ended up being a great ride that’s a lot of fun and best to see with a crowd in theaters. It is what the summer season is all about, and one of the biggest surprises of the year for me so far.

Masters of the Universe opens nationwide on Friday, June 5.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.