Plot: What’s it about?
It goes without saying that, by and large, a movie based on a video game isn’t one that’ll win many (if any) awards. Likely that’s not why these are, and always have been, made. Back in the 90’s this was a thing that gave us such cinematic gems like Super Mario Bros., Street Fighter, Wing Commander and – of course – Mortal Kombat. I’ll go out on a limb and assume that anyone reading this has seen at least a few of those and is familiar with the koncept (sorry, couldn’t help myself) of this film. If not, the game was basically a more violent version of the 1 on 1 style of fighting that was made popular by Street Fighter. Mortal Kombat added fatalities (gruesome ways in which to “Finish” your opponent) as well as blood. It was a big deal. So, in 2021, the franchise was rebooted with the aptly-named Mortal Kombat. The previous films ended in 1997 with Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, the less-than-successful sequel to the 1995 original. This one is more of the same, but let’s face it – do we really want or need to fix what’s not broken?
It was teased at the end of the previous film that we’d see Johnny Cage (Karl Urban). But he’s not the “A” List Actor that he was portrayed in the 90’s films, he’s essentially that person…now. A washed up star who’s trying to cling onto his former fame and glory. He’s brought into another realm to help a squad of specially trained fighters to prevent Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) from becoming immortal. Cage, being selfish, originally wants no part of this (and that he has no powers of his own), but eventually comes around. Joining him are some familiar faces from the first installment like Jax (Mehcad Brooks), Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee) and Kano (Josh Lawson) to name but a few. The plot is simple in that the team with the last person standing wins and given that the “good guys” are down, they need to win this or, you know, the whole universe will be under the rule of Shao Kahn.
Mortal Kombat II gives us everything we’d want in a sequel with some new faces, some old faces and some resurrected faces. There’s more fighting, grosser fatalities and so on. In essence, it’s exactly as we’d expect. The addition of Johnny Cage is a nice touch, though I think he’d have been fine in the first one. The fighting sequences are immaculately staged with some amazing choreography. I also found the film to be a lot more colorful than I’d have thought. It really does look like a video game brought to life. I think we all know what will or might happen, so there’s nothing too surprising when the end credits roll, but these movies are and always have been about entertainment – and I was.
Video: How’s it look?
Much like its predecessor, well actually pretty much exactly like its predecessor, this one looks every bit the part. Everything that I commented on in the digital review stands true here. The 2.39:1 HEVC 4K image shows everything. The teeth on Baraka (all of ’em), the depth and detail of Outworld and everything in between. It’s a darker movie, for sure, but the image is never compromised. Black levels are strong, as is contrast and I noticed no shimmering or artifacting. Regardless of what format you choose, you can’t lose with this one.
Audio: How’s it sound?
We’re treated to a full on Dolby Atmos mix that pulls no punches (sorry, couldn’t resist). The deep vocals of some of the characters is topped by some of the surround ambiance from the rear channels. This comes in handy when a character has his arms pulled off or someone’s spine ripped out and so forth. I don’t think I’d ever want to be in a situation where I had to do a direct comparison, but dare I say it – this mix is…flawless.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Mortal Kombat II: Evolving the Saga – Returning characters, new alliances and even bigger fatalities! Go behind the scenes to learn all that went into creating the latest chapter in the Mortal Kombat film saga and how the sequel expands the universe to bolder, bloodier heights.
- Building the Realms of Mortal Kombat – From the decaying streets of Edenia to the terrifying Pit featured in the iconic video game series, discover how the Mortal Kombat II design teams blended practical sets with groundbreaking VFX to create the legendary realms in the film.
- Mortal Kombat II: Choose Your Fighter – Awaken your Arcana as you meet the cast and explore the brutal weapons, epic costumes and fierce training that went into bringing their characters to life.
- Klose Quarters Kombat – Cast members and key creatives share insights into how the stunt preparation, intense fight scenes and weapons training shaped both classic moves and new, merciless combat styles.
- A “Boon” to Gamers Everywhere – Sit down with chief Mortal Kombat mythmaker and creator Ed Boon for a deep dive into the franchise’s storied history and ongoing evolution that spans three decades of near-infinite games, films and comics, culminating with the live-action sequel.
The Bottom Line
It took half a decade, but we now how the long-awaited sequel to 2021’s reboot of the franchise. Depending on your take on the game and previous films, it was either a long wait or you never noticed. The cast is bigger, the plot is – well – the same and we’ve got more fatalities. The disc is, as expected, spectacular.
