There’s some major good news for all Mortal Kombat lovers. Mortal Kombat is easily one of the most beloved video games there is. Leasing a huge fan base, we have witnessed some major development. As video games have advanced, so has the storytelling. It used to be that we’d just get some profile text, ending text, and a couple of neat images. But no, times have changed.
Starring Lewis Tan as the new character Cole Young, Mortal Kombat will focus on the eponymous martial arts tournament where the fate of Earth is fought over by the forces of good and evil. The new film primarily features characters from the first few arcade games, with the rivalry between Scorpion and Sub-Zero playing a particularly prominent role. The 1995 Mortal Kombat film has stood for decades as one of the genre’s better examples, but its sequel, 1997’s Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, was widely panned.
Mortal Kombat has been adapted into a live-action movie by Warner Bros. In the Mortal Kombat multiverse, there are different dimensions (or realms). You have Earthrealm, which is us, or a world similar enough to ours. The others are Netherrealm, Outworld, Orderrealm (Seido), Chaosrealm, and Edenia. Fans of the games, in particular, will be satisfied with the way the characters and lore are handled.
Review Roundup
Check out some early reviews for Mortal Kombat below:
Mufaddal Fakhruddin, IGN Middle East wrote:
“If you’re a Mortal Kombat fan, you’ll have a blast since you’ll fill in the gaps with your pre-existing knowledge of the series and just revel in the violence. But for the average viewer, there will be little reason to care for the stakes here. Ultimately that’s what 2021’s Mortal Kombat comes down to – a solid video game adaptation full of fan service for the gamers (stay for the sequel tease) and a decent action movie for everyone else.”
A’bidah Zaid, Geek Culture wrote:
“As a movie based on the popular video game, Mortal Kombat effectively brings the game’s world onto the silver screen with a lot of care and attention to detail. The characterization and portrayal of the beloved fighters are close enough to their game counterparts, with outfits and fighting styles being almost identical to the game. The visuals, sound effects, gore, and action are exactly what fans have been looking for since the original 1995 film and more.”
Bryan Tan, Yahoo! News Singapore wrote:
Fans will be pleased to know that the movie is a very significant upgrade from the 1997 Mortal Kombat Annihilation movie, which supposedly employed Word Art from Microsoft Word in its graphics, said my astute and learned movie companion. Fans can also expect trademark catch-phrases and signature moves from the characters in the movie which are true to the video game franchise.”
Sergio Pereira, Fortress wrote:
“Mortal Kombat (2021) doesn’t come without its knocks. From pacing issues to lack of character development and strange editing, it isn’t just a quick win. Yet, despite the occasional blow, the film still keeps kicking and comes out victorious in the end. Sometimes, you just need to watch a movie where a character freezes another one’s blood and stabs him with it.”
Husain Rizvi, Khaleej Times wrote:
“Now, if you are still wondering if Mortal Kombat would be a good watch, let the ‘fatalities’ take away that thought. Although the main plot dims over the course of the movie, the fatalities, Lawson’s performance, and an otherwise promising start to a new storyline in the Mortal Kombat franchise make the movie worthwhile.”
Kervyn Cloete, Critical Hit wrote:
“For every step backward it takes, Mortal Kombat then promptly flying-bicycle kicks its way forward again to the point where I walked out of the cinema not just thoroughly entertained, but actually all-in on the next chapter teased in its closing moments. With just a $50 million reported price tag, the film won’t need to do much to break even and guarantee a sequel, so let’s just hope that 2021 doesn’t pull a fatality on this franchise.”
These reviews have only proved that Mortal Kombat is set to make its mark in the film industry now. Unlike its previous iteration, Mortal Kombat (2021) has been loved and praised by critics. This is very necessary as reviews from critics can really swap viewers’ perspectives about the movie. It can either make or break a movie. But for Mortal Kombat, things are definitely on the right path.
Directed by Simon McQuoid and produced by The Conjuring’s James Wan, Mortal Kombat features an ensemble cast of characters from the video games, including Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim), Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada), Raiden (Tadanobu Asano), Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), and Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee). The film is set to release in theaters and for streaming on HBO Max on April 16. The film doesn’t release in the U.S. until April 23.
