With the new Mortal Kombat film coming out one month from today, I thought I should go back and watch the films that the franchise already has to offer. I am a big fan of the games but much to my dismay I have actually never watched this film all the way through, until today that is and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees three Earthrealm warriors summoned to compete in the Mortal Kombat tournament in order to save the world from an evil sorcerer and his Emperor.
Main Character
Robin Shou plays Liu Kang and he does a decent job here, he doesn't give a top performance but honestly I actually think he fits the character well. He is great in the action scenes and I think he has a decent dynamic with the other characters, especially Johnny Cage. Linden Ashby plays Johnny Cage and I think he is a really fun character, he has plenty of charm and charisma that again fits the character of Cage well.
Supporting Characters
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa plays Shang Tsung and he is truly great here and is a really intense villain. He has been linked to the characters for years and even came back to voice him in MK 11, showing how much he is loved in this role. He is a great bad guy and his mix of campiness and intensity really works and provides a great character. Even though it is a smaller role the same can be said for Trevor Goddard as Kano, he is so cool in the role and his likeness has become the standout for Kano ever since. Even though he passed away at a young age it is great to see a long legacy coming from his performance in this film. But then there are those that aren't so good, Christopher Lambert plays Raiden and he is just a bit weird, he never feels like what I would imagine Raiden to be and that does hurt the overall product. Bridgette Wilson-Sampras plays Sonya Blade and even though she gets plenty of focus I didn't think Sonya was treated with much love. She just isn't a very interesting character and it feels like they didn't give her enough interesting stuff to do. Also iconic characters such as Kitana, Scorpion and Sub-Zero are here but they are so wasted, they are there because it would be strange for them not to be but they are lacking for sure.
Story
The story does follow some of the MK lore well and I am glad they bought the tournament into the film and they gave the heroes an accurate representation. But this film has a really sloppy execution of its plot, characters just seem to start fighting even though they are outside the tournament and motivations aren't exactly expanded upon. The last act is also absurd with plot holes that are very large and this film has a very clear sequel bait ending that it doesn't really deserve.
Script
The script is easily the weakest part of the film, the film is cheesy and the drama doesn't really work and you just won't really care. This film has some okay elements in other areas but it feels like the screenwriters though showing the MK universe and action would be enough to satisfy.
Style
The style of the film has some good action scenes in it. There is plenty of exciting stunt work involved and credit has to go to the performers for that, also it is fun to hear the Mortal Kombat theme used and adds a layer of excitement. But this film has a few glaring issues and the lack of fatalities is one of them, Mortal Kombat is a really violent game but this film was forced to be PG-13. It waters the product down and basically makes it feel like any other action film when there should have been a more mature theme. Also I know this film came out in the 90's but the CGI in this film is horrendous and some of the worst I have ever seen in any film ever made.
Overall
Overall, Mortal Kombat is an average film with some fun action. It is a quick and easy watch so if you want something on in the background to watch with friends once the pandemic is over then this could be one of those films. But people who aren't MK fans can give it a miss and will see the flaws in much greater detail.
