by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
Growing up, my mom had strict rules about what I could play on my Sega Genesis. Basic titles like Sonic the Hedgehog and the Disney video game adaptation were always allowed. When it came to fighting games, she allowed Street Fighter, Clay Fighters, and Primal Rage because they were on the sillier side. Only one fighting game was banned: Mortal Kombat. All this meant was I wanted to play the game more.
Mortal Kombat has been under a microscope ever since the original due to its gameplay violence. Each iteration gets more brutal as people are clamoring to push the envelope. For the movies, though, it’s been anything but consistent. The original Mortal Kombat from 1995 is a childhood (and honestly, adult) favorite. The sequel is one of the worst video game movies ever (a pretty jarring statement, considering the history). When the 2021 reboot came out, I was whelmed, not overwhelmed by the quality, but not underwhelmed due to the violence and fight sequences. By far, the biggest complaint I had (other than Warner Bros. releasing it on both streaming and in theaters at the same time) WHERE IS THE TOURNAMENT? You cannot have a movie based on a video game about a fighting tournament, without the actual tournament.
Mortal Kombat II thankfully remedies this, but now even more questions arise about the choices made in the tournament. It’s helpful that there are some base rules established in Mortal Kombat lore, as the tenth tournament won in a row means Outworld can take over the competing realm. Groups of fighters are chosen to fight rather than a free-for-all tournament open to anyone. What isn’t clear are the unwritten rules about fights “to the death” (referred to in the games as Mercy) and how allegiances can come and go. At times, it felt as if the rules bent to fit the plot. In addition, we have a McGuffin that everyone is searching for, meant to help one side achieve victory, which detracts from the tournament’s actual fights.
Mortal Kombat also has a focus problem. You could argue that two main characters exist in this movie: Johnny Cage (Karl Urban), the washed-up former action star turned cynic, and Kitana (Adeline Rudolph), the princess of Outworld. Both are given tons of screen time at the expense of other characters from the first movie of this series. Urban is the most “famous” actor in the series, so it makes sense that he gets a prominent story. It would behoove the writers, then, to give Johnny Cage more of a storyline that would develop his character beyond quip jokes and cursing. I also can’t deny that his chemistry with Kano (Josh Lawson) and newcomer Baraka (CJ Bloomfield) made for some of the funnier moments of the film. Kitana, on the other hand, is the true main character of this film. She is the only one in Mortal Kombat II with any development and a legitimate character arc. Unlike a lot of the other characters, she’s driven and serves a purpose beyond fighting. Also, Rudolph’s portrayal of Kitana is the strongest acting of the series as a whole. It’s not saying a lot, though, because the script is pretty lackluster, so each character doesn’t have a whole lot to do other than fight.
One other newer character to mention is Shao Khan (Martyn Ford), the ruler of Outworld and the film’s main antagonist. In the games (at least several of the earliest games), Khan was the main villain and one of the hardest bosses to defeat. Mortal Kombat: Annihilation destroyed Khan’s reputation, and thankfully, Ford has rightfully restored it as a menacing and imposing villain. This version of Khan is a skilled fighter, brilliant tactician, and as ruthless as they come. He looms large over everyone, physically and metaphorically. Whenever he was on screen, Khan had a presence about him that made him a memorable character. He’s a ruler. Unlike Shang Tsung (Chin Hun), he can take anything by brute force, and his fights were incredibly violent. I’m glad Ford was able to restore Khan’s image, even if he is a one-note super villain.
The majority of the returning characters are relegated to exposition dumping or fighting. Liu Kang (Ludi Lin) is easily the most skilled fighter and has some of the best fight sequences in the entire movie. His role in this movie is to be ominous and make the audience think he has a higher purpose. Jax (Mehcad Brooks) and Sonya (Mehcad Brooks) are here to fight and look sad when someone loses. Raiden (Tadanobu Asano) has become a bit of a joke, which is sad because in the games, he’s one of the most powerful and recognizable characters. His role largely boils down to history lessons and moral pep talks. In the end, though, none of the returning characters is shortchanged quite like Cole Young (Lewis Tan). I almost feel bad for Cole. He didn’t do anything wrong, but he, being the main character in the first movie, was given a severe demotion in Mortal Kombat II, which almost seems unfair. Yes, I was confused about why he was a main character in a franchise filled with incredible fighters, but now that he’s here, he deserves better than what the movie gave him.
The main star of Mortal Kombat II is the fight scenes and the homages to the video games. The fight choreography is outstanding, and you can really tell some of these performers really know martial arts. Liu Kang and Kung Lao’s (Max Huang) fight is a standout for its cinematography and setting. If you’re a fan of the game, you’ll be rewarded with some recognizable areas like the acid pit and the portal from the past. We don’t get very much time to revisit how everyone got their powers, but the use of all of them was strong throughout the course of the movie. If you’re squeamish about violence or gore, think twice before proceeding forward. The fatalities in this one are over the top.
I was really looking forward to Mortal Kombat II, and I concede that it’s better than its predecessor, but it’s far from a “flawless victory.” Some of what they did well in the first one remain, particularly the fights and the violence, but that which was done poorly persist, like paper-thin characters and a pretty subpar script. The tone disparity with the jokes is a bit alarming as well, but it also kept things light and fun. Ultimately, I’m annoyed at myself for thinking that adding the tournament would fix the problems.
Rating: Just Okay
Mortal Kombat II is currently playing in theaters
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