Netflix's He-Man reboot review bombed for perceived female focus

Fans of the classic Masters of the Universe series are review bombing Kevin Smith’s latest reboot of the He-Man show. The new series released on Netflix recently, and is already scoring numerous negative user reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

Smith’s reboot, Masters of the Universe: Revelation, is a continuation of the original show. Revelations picks up where the last series ended, and features several of the original show’s characters including He-Man, Teela, Orko Cringer and Man-At-Arms.

Revelation focuses on several unresolved storylines from the original show, solving answers that have gone unanswered for several decades. The first part of the two-part series released yesterday (July 23), with a second part set to follow in the future. 

Revelation reviewed well with critics, scoring an average of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the user reviews don’t seem to match up with the opinions of critics. 

“Bait and switch”

Viewers on Rotten Tomato have not been so kind about the show. Many have criticised numerous aspects of Kevin Smith’s take on the series. A lot of the criticism levelled at the show in user reviews is mostly quite vague, calling it lazy and boring.

One of the other major complaints is that Revelation focuses on the female character Teela more than it does He-Man. According to fans in the reviews, Smith promised a He-Man focused show, so the focus on Teela has rubbed some people the wrong way. 

“They totally c#cked He-Man and Prince Adam and just about every male character. Teela is so unlikable I don't want to watch [it] ever again,” commented one viewer. Another said: “It's the Teela show with little to no [He-Man]. Skeletor sounds like the joker. The animation is spectacular, but the story is not.”

A tale of two-halves

There are some fans who praised the show, pointing out its excellent animation and the unique take on the classic series. Many feel Smith’s take on the series leaves the show in a strong place for part-two and the future.

“I thought it was an awesome take on the classic series with giving growth to almost every character while introducing some new ones. Everything that advanced felt earned and can't wait for the second part,” commented one fan.

Another said: “Completely enjoyed this new take on an old subject, It was able to blend the old show with the new format nicely, the cast, the score by Bear McCreary and the animation are all top work.”

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