Mortal Kombat: A Bloody Good Time for Fans
Cole Young, a once-promising fighter now scraping by with $200 underground bouts (usually ending in defeat), bears a peculiar birthmark since childhood: a dragon circle, the mark of the “chosen ones.” These individuals are destined to defend Earth in the deadly Mortal Kombat tournament against Shang Tsung, the ruler of Outworld. (Oh, and Young is also a descendant of the legendary warrior Hanzo Hasashi – a crucial detail). However, the tournament might not even happen. Shang Tsung dispatches Sub-Zero to eliminate all Earthrealm’s champions, preventing them from protecting their planet from invasion. The survivors include Cole, former Marines Jax and Sonya Blade, the cunning mercenary Kano, and Shaolin monks Kung Lao and Liu Kang, residing in a hidden temple with Lord Raiden. They must unlock their “arcanas” (hidden powers granted by the dragon mark) quickly to stand against Outworld’s warriors.
Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero in Mortal Kombat
If the synopsis of “Mortal Kombat” leaves you bewildered, fear not – it’s perfectly normal. The original game series’ storylines are notoriously convoluted: characters die and resurrect constantly, children battle grandchildren, and grandchildren clash with great-grandchildren. It’s a confusing mess, often contradicting itself. However, few play Mortal Kombat for its plot. For most, it’s the perfect party game, a chance to test virtual might against friends and witness spectacular, gory battles between bizarre characters. In this sense, Simon McQuoid’s film perfectly captures the essence of the original.
Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion in Mortal Kombat
This is a film by fans, for fans. It resembles Duncan Jones’ “Warcraft” more than the classic 1995 adaptation. Viewers unfamiliar with the franchise will struggle: explanations are scarce, everyone seems to understand everything, and you’re left wondering why people applaud random lines from unfamiliar characters. “Mortal Kombat’s” wild exposition, with multiple realms, elder gods, and insane tournaments, isn’t rationalized but accepted as fact. Even Cole, a character created specifically for the film as a viewer’s guide to the game’s universe, readily accepts the madness. He doesn’t shout “This is impossible!” or go through the usual stages of denial. Gods, four-armed monsters, guys shooting fire from their hands – just another day.
Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat
“Mortal Kombat” genuinely feels like a fan film – the kind funded on Kickstarter and uploaded to YouTube for free – in both good and bad ways. The bad: as “cinema” in the snobbish sense, it doesn’t quite work. It’s a collection of loosely connected action scenes showcasing each character’s moveset. The good: the creators clearly enjoyed bringing iconic fatalities to the screen and having Scorpion utter the legendary “GET OVER HERE.”
Ludi Lin as Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat
“Mortal Kombat” has many moments indicating the filmmakers understand their audience and aren’t afraid to wink at them (though there are fan service missteps: Goro is built up as a final boss, only to be defeated in minutes). Characters comment on victories with game phrases like “Flawless Victory” or “Kano Wins.” There’s even a joke about a fighter complaining that his opponent keeps using the same move. It’s a shame there isn’t a scene where a character says, “Hold on, let me try something.”
A Flawed Victory?
The film knows what it wants to be: a fun B-movie with cool fights and no complex drama. This cinematic sincerity is hard not to respect, even if “Mortal Kombat” only partially achieves its goals. The action scenes are well-choreographed, and the actors understand their roles. For once, the game’s extreme violence (albeit toned down) makes it to the screen: Kung Lao slices enemies in half with his hat, guts are spilled, and arms are ripped off. But all this would be much cooler with better editing. Each episode feels like it should have been twice as long, but was cut short to stay under two hours, resulting in jarring cuts and scenes where characters teleport. It’s time for Simon McQuoid to start demanding a “McQuoid Cut.” Otherwise, we might think he’s just a weak director.