Diehard fans of the video game Mortal Kombat were treated to two film adaptations in the 90s that…well, they were lacking. Mortal Kombat and its…memorable sequel Mortal Kombat: Annihilation both featured characters from the beloved video game. However, they were both genuine disasters. Fortunately, 2021’s remake is much better fare.
The film became notorious prior to its release, as it almost earned an NC-17 rating for its gory content. It makes sense, as the source material features flesh being vaporized, heads being ripped off, spines detached from bodies, and much other grisly fates.
Diehards know the deal: there’s a tournament with the most vicious fighters in the universe. They fight. They sometimes maim and kill each other. The bloodlust is accompanied by corny jokes, minimal to almost zero character development with titular figures Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), Jax (Mehcad Brooks), and others vying to defeat Shang Tsung in the battle between Earthrealm and Outworld fighters.
At times unbearably corny, but always a visual delight given the carnage, this flick delivers in a way the 90s ones couldn’t. Those looking for compelling, intriguing dialogue and plot development should steer clear. Also, if you’re looking for that in a Mortal Kombat movie I genuinely don’t know what to tell you. The film is far from a flawless victory, but it’s a damn good time.