Karl Urban stars as Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 2. Photo: Warner Bros.
Movies based on video games have to tread a very fine line when trying to please large audiences.
On one hand, they’ve gotta cater for the fans of games who have spent years and in some cases decades playing the source material. On the other hand, the movie has to appeal to new fans without completely rehashing what’s come before in a different medium.
This is only made even more difficult when the source material for a movie is as cheesy yet beloved as Mortal Kombat.
The classic and brutal fighting games have had several film adaptations over the last few decades, but they’ve all missed the mark, one way or another.
However, with the announcement that Mortal Kombat 2 would star Karl Urban as fan-favourite fighter Johnny Cage, audience excitement for the new film reached new heights.
Mortal Kombat 2 picks up directly after Mortal Kombat (2021), despite the five-year gap between release dates.
The god Raiden assembles a team of fighters to represent the Earth realm against the evil Shao Kahn and the forces of Outworld in a tournament known as Mortal Kombat.
While people reading this review have most likely played at least one of the 30-plus games in the franchise, the only question for readers that really matters is, “Is Mortal Kombat 2 good?”
Yeah, kinda. I guess. If you’re into this sort of thing.
If you saw this movie while seeking something that would test the foundations of your core values while asking philosophical questions about the state of the world, then my response would be, “Why did you choose to see a movie called Mortal Kombat 2, where combat is spelled incorrectly on purpose?”
If, instead, you were hoping to see a movie where a washed-up actor equipped with nothing but stunt training punches a monster, that has hundreds of teeth and bone claws, in the nuts, then congrats, you got exactly what you wanted.
If you can read between the lines, you’ll have understood by now that this movie was made with fans in mind.
Unlike the first film, Mortal Kombat (the tournament) actually takes place. The fights are the only real plot of the film, aside from some backstory involving a couple of the new characters.
While this does mean we move straight into the action, it also means there isn’t much to care about. This won’t leave those who are uneducated in the lore of the games with much to hang on to.
Every ounce of backstory assumes you’ve played the games, and that’s where the balancing act comes in. This won’t win over new fans. It’s cheesy with a capital C; the writing is akin to an episode of Power Rangers, and aside from the cool visuals and fun fights, there isn’t much substance.
But, and this is a big but, this is exactly what fans of the franchise wanted. Gory fights, silly one-liners and homages to the games with the theme song from the 90s movies blaring in the background.
There’s no denying that there’s a lot of fun to be had with Mortal Kombat 2, but I also think it’s safe to say that, unless you were already a fan, the amount of fun will vary greatly.
One person in my cinema alone was cheering with every move that was ripped straight from the games, while another sitting behind me was consistently asking, “What the hell is going on?”
It’s all about perspective and what you’re after.
The fights are fun, the story is dumb. The characters are cool, the writing is weak. Fans of the games will love it; those pulled along by their friends will probably hate it.
My advice? Enjoy the bloodshed and check your brain at the door.
Mortal Kombat 2 is currently showing in cinemas across the country.
Original Article published by Jarryd Rowley on Region Canberra.
