Following the events of the previous MORTAL KOMBAT film, the titular tournament has arrived, with Outworld’s malevolent Emperor Shao Kahn challenging Earthrealm in his efforts to take control of all the realms. Hatching a plan to absorb the energy of the gods using an amulet with the help of his servants Shang Tsung and Quan Chi to ensure his victory, the Emperor finds himself challenged by Earthrealm’s greatest warriors, and a newcomer to their ranks – washed-up martial arts movie star Johnny Cage, as well as Princess Kitana, the rightful heir to the throne of Edenia, one of many realms conquered by Kahn.
I’m a film critic, but long before I was a critic, I was a gamer. Hell, I’m still a gamer, even if I don’t play games as often as I once did. As a child, I pumped more quarters into MORTAL KOMBAT video games in the arcade that any other series (with the possible exception of STREET FIGHTER, but that can be a story for another day). MORTAL KOMBAT always fascinated me as a child with its eccentric cast of characters, surreal settings, and of course, the gratuitous violence that came to define the series. To say MORTAL KOMBAT was a hallmark of my youth would be an understatement.
There have been many adaptations of MORTAL KOMBAT. Comic books, animated films, and even a live tour back in the 1990s! Did you know the franchise even spawned a cartoon series aimed at children? (I’m not making this up!) MK has graced the big screen a few times in the past, including a feature film adaption in 1995 that was a surprisingly big hit (and even garnered a “Thumbs Up” from Gene Siskel). Its ill-fated sequel MORTAL KOMBAT ANNIHILATION in 1997 derailed the big screen gravy train for Boon and Tobias’ cash cow, and it took over two decades for the series to get a feature film reboot, which it got in the form of the 2021 film from director Simon McQuoid; it was his directorial debut.
The previous film was hit and miss. It finally brought the extreme gore to the big screen that the PG-13 films of the 1990s lacked, but made numerous unnecessary changes to the mythos that did more harm than good (special moves have to be unlocked like X-MEN mutations/powers?) It also made the strange decision to focus on an original character descended from the game character Scorpion. But the biggest sin the movie committed was that it was building up to a tournament that never actually took place. Right from the get-go, MORTAL KOMBAT II is a step up from the previous film because it corrects many of the sins of the previous movie. This isn’t Oscar material. Many will likely straight up say it’s a bad movie. Maybe they’re right. But the MORTAL KOMBAT fan in me had a damn good time. It’s easily the best MK movie since the 1995 original.
Where MORTAL KOMBAT II shines brightest is its leading man. Rather than making the mistake the previous movie did of focusing on an original character who was a descendent of a classic character from the game franchise, this one focuses on washed-up martial arts movie star Johnny Cage, played perfectly here by Karl Urban (DREDD, STAR TREK, THOR RAGNAROK) who brings charisma, humor, and decent emotion and drama to this part when it’s needed. The trope of the “reluctant hero” is nothing new in cinema, but seeing this guy, past his prime, in over his head makes for entertaining viewing. There are plenty of heroes and villains alike here, including the hilarious Josh Lawson reprising his role of gangster Kano, who becomes the king of the one-liners, and Adeline Rudolph as Princess Kitana, a tragic figure who takes center stage and becomes an ally to the heroes, but let’s not deny it. This movie belongs to Karl Urban. It’s some of the best casting in a game-based movie I’ve seen.
The best part about MORTAL KOMBAT II is that you can tell the crew and screenwriters actually played the games. Many familiar faces and locales show up on screen, with several of them getting as decent of screen time and development as the movie will let them get (let’s face it; no one ever played MORTAL KOMBAT for its story). I won’t spoil who all shows up in the movie, but be on the lookout for a cameo by series co-creator Ed Boon.
MORTAL KOMBAT II absolutely does not shy away from the element that made the video games legendary: Violence. It earns its R rating from start to finish with fatalities galore, including many moves and finishers that will immediately be familiar to those who’ve indulged in the games over the past three-and-a-half decades. This movie is fan service, but it’s fan service done right. And seeing it done with a proper Hollywood budget speaks for itself. This is the MORTAL KOMBAT movie fans have been waiting for.
There are a few undeniable shortcomings. It’s disappointing to see certain legendary characters like Shang Tsung and Quan Chi (who are cast perfectly) relegated to what are essentially glorified cameos; the same can be said of other iconic series characters like Sub-Zero and Scorpion. The movie does bite off a bit more than it can chew with plot points and the like, and its running time is perhaps a bit overlong for a movie of this nature.
MORTAL KOMBAT II improves on its 2021 predecessor in every conceivable way, serving up buckets of blood and carnage with the budget to back it up, and a halfway decent story clearly conceived by people who played the games. Easily the best big screen take on this franchise since the original 1995 movie; I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. Is it two hours of big, dumb, ultraviolent fanservice for those who’ve played the games for 30+ years? You bet it is. But is that a bad thing? Oscar material this ain’t, but I challenge you not to find yourself entertained by Karl Urban’s performance as Johnny Cage. The film’s not a flawless victory, but it’s close enough.
Recommended for fans of the game series, but not for the squeamish!