MOVIE REVIEW: For the Fans: A Review of ‘Mortal Kombat II’

I don’t even remember the 2021 film Mortal Kombat, which Mortal Kombat II is the sequel. However, this latest release from the franchise leans so heavily into its video game lore and mode that you don’t need to have seen the first film (or even remember it) to follow the story. It’s not completely bonkers that it shifts gears into the level of camp; Mortal Kombat II is not taking itself too seriously, either. It knows its selling points: it has characters to present, action sequences to highlight, and brutal kills to show off that is reminiscent of the video game the whole IP is based on.

The story begins in the past, detailing how Sindel (Ana Thu Nguyen) and Kitara (Adeline Rudolph) joined the side of the Outworld, led by Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford). This piece of history explains how Outworld conquered the realm of Edenia. A decade later, Outworld is after Earthrealm, and Lord Raiden (Tadanobu Asano) gathers his champions to prepare for Mortal Kombat to protect the planet. His champions include returning characters Sonya (Jessica McNamee), Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), Jax (Mehcad Brooks), and Cole Young (Lewis Tan). They travel to Earth to recruit a new champion: washed-up action star Johnny Cage (Karl Urban). While the tournament will decide the fate of Earthrealm, but there are things happening underneath the surface that threaten to change the outcome of the game.

Mortal Kombat II is a fast-paced fantasy and action-adventure film that feels thin on story, largely because it works too hard to give every character a chance to have their moment. Kitara begins the story and has the character with the clearest goal, yet she lacks a true character arc. Those arcs belongs to Johnny Cage and Kitara’s bodyguard and friend, Jade (Tati Gabrielle). However, the narrative is crowded: Liu Kang gets his moment, Kano (Josh Lawson) is resurrected and he gets a lot of screen time because his character is so fun and there’s a lot of plot going on in Shao Kahn’s group involving Quan Chi (Damon Herriman) and Shang Tsung (Chi Han). Consequently, the film never really feels grounded; Johnny Cage’s character development is often glossed over with a punchline, while Jade’s story is the most developed but her character is relegated to a supporting cast.

And because this is Mortal Kombat, we see the return of Sub Zero/Bi Han (Joe Taslim) and Scorpion/Hanzo Hasashi (Hiroyuki Sanada). Of course, they too have to have their moment.

Since the movie is really meant for entertainment and to deliver fan service, there’s quite a number of logical inconsistencies that I’m willing to forgive. However, what I’m expecting, though, is really good fight scenes which the film delivers inconsistently. I’m not that sure of Karl Urban’s ability to fight but his fight scenes are the ones that are the most heavily edited to try and hide the switching of a stunt double. Many of Rudolph’s fights (except the one with Johnny Cage) and that of Gabrielle were fun to watch but the real gem is the fight scene between Liu Kang and Kung Lao (Max Huang). It is fast, the choreography is stunning, the editing allows the viewer to still see the action, and it was dynamic without being overshadowed by the special effects. It’s this kind of fight scene that I hoped to see more of, yet there wasn’t a lot of it.

Because the film felt like it was intended for fun and fan service, the finale dragged on for quite a bit as two different storylines. In the form of two different fight scenes, The constant cutting back and forth between these two battles extends the action beyond what feels comfortable. But as one-character bows out, another takes their place, and the scene extends some more. It gets a little out of hand. Ultimately, Mortal Kombat II is chaotic, messy, has a lot of story inconsistencies or easy plot fixes, and the fight scenes are not at all balanced out. However, for serious fans of the lore, there is still a lot here to enjoy. The audience at my screening were obviously fans, taking the time to ask questions about where this character showed up and if what’s mentioned is part of the official story canon or not.

My Rating: 2.5 Stars

The tournament has begun! Grab your popcorn and catch the chaos at a theater near you. Check out the latest Mortal Kombat II showtimes here.