When the evil Shang Tsung threatens to invade Earth with a band of malicious warriors, it is up to an unlikely crew of champions to stand against him in Mortal Kombat. In that cast of champions are former MMA champion Cole Young, Special Forces operatives Jax and Sonya Blade, arms dealer Kano, and two Shaolin monks Liu Kang and Kung Lao. Together with the help of thunder god Lord Raiden, this team will have to put aside their differences to save Earth from Shang Tsung and his dangerous assassin Sub-Zero.
Mortal Kombat is based on the arcade fighting game from the 90’s whose gore and blood led to the creation of the ESRB video game content rating system. While holding true to most of the characters, Mortal Kombat takes some liberties surrounding the story and adds character Cole Young. As with any video game movie, this addition may cause some fans to be nervous; but not to worry, all the favorites from the game (minus Johnny Cage who is unfortunately absent) are present in full force.
Mortal Kombat may be one of the best video game movies ever filmed. Staying true to its roots, all the major characters are present and their costume and casting choices feel true to their video game counterparts. Kano, Sub-Zero, and Scorpion shine brightest here while Raiden, Reptile, and Shang Tsung lack some of the traits that made their video game characters so memorable. Beyond that, each character performs brutal attacks based on their game’s attacks, special moves, and, yes, fatalities. Mortal Kombat delivers on the blood and gore that fans of the series are quick to associate with it. That being said, I found the violence to be rather tame on the whole, and it is certainly less graphic and gory than the games themselves.
Where Mortal Kombat breaks from its roots it does so carefully and thoughtfully. The addition of Cole Young does not take away from any of the other major characters, but allows them to all focus around him. His story is simple, uncomplicated, and just what it needs to be to fit him in the world of Mortal Kombat. There is an addition of a “mark” that grants those who have it power, some changes in character backstory, and other small things that differ from the games, but not in a large enough way to distract fans.
Mortal Kombat is a great movie for fans of the series. They will be impressed with the costumes and a new take on the classic story. And they will certainly enjoy the violence along with classic lines like, “flawless victory,” and Scorpion’s famous, “GET OVER HERE!”
That being said, viewers who are not fans of the game may not appreciate Mortal Kombat. There is much that is supposed to be understood about the world that non-fans may not grasp and there will be significantly less attachment to the characters. Beyond this, the, at times, consistent profanity and violence makes Mortal Kombat not suitable for children. Instead, the movie is designed for fans of the video game series who are used to its mature themes.
Mortal Kombat is rated R for strong, bloody violence and language throughout, and some crude references.
*written by Brennan Kress
Union University Library Blog 