Everyone remembers the old Mortal Kombat games, and to a certain degree fans try really hard not to remember the movies that resulted from them. For the most part, Hollywood hasn't been too great at adapting fighting games (or most video games for that matter). Funny that you-tube was able to make it work after all these years.
Fans are no strangers to web series taking over where Hollywood has abandoned them, and probably the most well done series I've had the pleasure of watching is Mortal Kombat Legacy, which just released its second season. Of course, it features everyone's favorite characters from the games (and even a couple of obscure ones nobody liked playing with), but it manages to breathe new life into them while remaining faithful to what fans loved most about the original games. Essentially, the entire series is updated without being butchered, which was no small task, considering just how ridiculous the original premise actually was. Legacy though manages to offer an original story with new twists on the characters (just wait until you meet the new Liu Kang).
Legacy is directed by Kevin Tancharoen and produced by Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, which means that it's not really an indie project, but it's still a pretty big step as far as taking advantage of the potential for releasing series online. The episodes themselves are pretty short and chapter-esque, usually only lasting about ten minutes or so. The thing is, that Legacy manages to pack those minutes with some pretty impressive features. The fight scenes are awesome, and the series has even featured a few well known action stars like Michael Jai White (guess who he plays). Even the effects and the costuming would be impressive for a feature film, much less a web series.
The thing that has bugged me about the first two seasons is how many characters changed actors. Sure, there was almost two years between seasons, but I'm pretty unhappy about Casper Van Dien taking over as Johnny Cage (I actually kind of liked Matt Mullins and his washed up portrayal of the former action star). The other casting changes though are relatively unnoticeable since characters like Stryker didn't play much of a part in the first season. However, I'm not sure I like this direction of them changing actors, especially with season three rumored to be heading toward production.
The reason why Legacy is such a success is because it is basically fan service. It knows what Mortal Kombat fans want and it tries to give them exactly that (I say "tries" because "real" fans are never satisfied for some reason), and despite the fact that each chapter manages to stand on its own two feet, it's a very addicting web series and easy is very easy to watch. That being said, it's still a series about Mortal Kombat, which means that it's not exactly high art. Don't get me wrong, it certainly pushes the envelope at times with its strong vision and astounding execution, and really does deserve the utmost praise. However, it's not something that stays with the viewer after the credits have rolled. I really liked Mortal Kombat Legacy, but I wasn't exactly fawning over it the next day. I guess that means I'll just have to watch it all over again, and you know what? I'm alright with that.
Fans are no strangers to web series taking over where Hollywood has abandoned them, and probably the most well done series I've had the pleasure of watching is Mortal Kombat Legacy, which just released its second season. Of course, it features everyone's favorite characters from the games (and even a couple of obscure ones nobody liked playing with), but it manages to breathe new life into them while remaining faithful to what fans loved most about the original games. Essentially, the entire series is updated without being butchered, which was no small task, considering just how ridiculous the original premise actually was. Legacy though manages to offer an original story with new twists on the characters (just wait until you meet the new Liu Kang).
Legacy is directed by Kevin Tancharoen and produced by Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, which means that it's not really an indie project, but it's still a pretty big step as far as taking advantage of the potential for releasing series online. The episodes themselves are pretty short and chapter-esque, usually only lasting about ten minutes or so. The thing is, that Legacy manages to pack those minutes with some pretty impressive features. The fight scenes are awesome, and the series has even featured a few well known action stars like Michael Jai White (guess who he plays). Even the effects and the costuming would be impressive for a feature film, much less a web series.
The thing that has bugged me about the first two seasons is how many characters changed actors. Sure, there was almost two years between seasons, but I'm pretty unhappy about Casper Van Dien taking over as Johnny Cage (I actually kind of liked Matt Mullins and his washed up portrayal of the former action star). The other casting changes though are relatively unnoticeable since characters like Stryker didn't play much of a part in the first season. However, I'm not sure I like this direction of them changing actors, especially with season three rumored to be heading toward production.
The reason why Legacy is such a success is because it is basically fan service. It knows what Mortal Kombat fans want and it tries to give them exactly that (I say "tries" because "real" fans are never satisfied for some reason), and despite the fact that each chapter manages to stand on its own two feet, it's a very addicting web series and easy is very easy to watch. That being said, it's still a series about Mortal Kombat, which means that it's not exactly high art. Don't get me wrong, it certainly pushes the envelope at times with its strong vision and astounding execution, and really does deserve the utmost praise. However, it's not something that stays with the viewer after the credits have rolled. I really liked Mortal Kombat Legacy, but I wasn't exactly fawning over it the next day. I guess that means I'll just have to watch it all over again, and you know what? I'm alright with that.