Mortal Kombat II

When the first Mortal Kombat movie was released in 1995, the video game franchise was at its cultural pinnacle. In practically every arcade around the world, you would find a machine with the power to transport you to another dimension for a game of 1v1 fighting. But despite this dominance, the film failed to live up to expectations, with accusations of a flimsy plot and laughable dialogue. In 2021, a new reboot was released, but fans were once again left dissatisfied as less focus was placed on the elements that make the game a success, such as the actual fighting.

Deemed worthy of a sequel (ka-ching), here comes Mortal Kombat II. Picking up after the events of Mortal Kombat, this second instalment sees the champions of Earthrealm called to battle once more, this time in a resistance against the ruthless dark tyrant Shao Kahn. In search of a champion, Raidan (Tadanobu Asano) and Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee) recruit down-on-his-luck actor Johnny Cage (Karl Urban). One by one, the team must enter into combat and defend the future of the world they call home.

Where Mortal Kombat chose to feature a new unconnected lead character in Cole Young (Lewis Tan), this follow-up is like the game in cinematic form. The first movie was made to open the universe, but this one is undeniably created for the fans. There are more recognisable characters for audiences to enjoy, a lot more tournaments, and much like the video game, it doesn’t hold back in killing off characters in an instant. It does have “mortal” in the title after all.

Both its benefit and detriment, Mortal Kombat II doesn’t take itself too seriously at all, and that is why the introduction of Johnny Cage becomes acceptable. Urban might not be the best fit as the washed-up martial arts actor, but he still manages to provide the best performance of all. His witty quips and suave actions make this two-hour popcorn movie a fun watch.

However, does that make for a good film? Simply being “fun” doesn’t cut the mustard these days, and Mortal Kombat II has very little else to offer.

While remaining true to the essence of the game this time around, it is almost as if the show runners are apologising for the mistakes that were made in 2021 by overcompensating with action sequences. The plot is a muddled, unnavigable mess and if you aren’t aware of the Mortal Kombat lore, you are left stranded in an ocean, miles away from land. The sound editing and visuals also don’t help the viewer keep track of what the hell is going on, with some dialogue practically inaudible due to overdistortion. Most of the acting is cheesier than a thick fondue while the feature hurtles through the flat and paper-thin plot, and as the credits roll, you are left neither caring for what drama has unfolded nor what might come in the future.

It might be “fun”, but that is all it is. There hasn’t been a buzz around the release of this film, but even if you enter the cinema with low to no expectations, you’ll still leave feeling disappointed.