No one can doubt the tremendous influence that Mortal Kombat has had on video games, not just in its own genre, but across the board. Known for its high levels of bloody, hilariously unrealistic violent, the early games were a centerpiece of the argument about the levels of violence and content in games. Looking back on the older games, it’s really rather silly that anyone made such a fuss over it, but back in the franchise’s heydey, it was a big deal and a hot button issue among the Morally Obligated and Really Offended Nitwits (or M.O.R.O.Ns™). Even now, there is controversy about violence in video games that gets brought up whenever the media needs to incorrectly connect a shooting or some other tragedy to them, just for the sake of having a scapegoat. Mortal Kombat may not have been the game that started that trend, but it is certainly one of it leading contributors.
However, the game did revitalize the 2-D fighter genre, as well as appeal to a massive new audience. So, in 1995 - which has to make this the faster to film adaptation of a game I’ve ever seen, since the first Mortal Kombat came out in 1992 - New Line Cinemas got a script written by Kevin Droney (the screenwriter behind such cinematic classics as the Wing Commander movie and...well, this) and a director in the form of then-newcomer Paul W.S. Anderson. Much to New Line’s pleasure, no doubt, the movie was a big hit; earning nearly one hundred and twenty five million dollars on a budget of only eighteen million. But was that because of the extreme popularity of the game franchise? Or is this movie just another stinking festering pile of dung served up among the many film adaptations of games? Let’s test our might.
The intro depicts the symbol of Mortal Kombat - a dragon wreathed in flames, complete with a heavy techno theme that - to the film’s credit - gets you pumped up almost immediately. Seriously, I dare anyone to listen to it and not get the sudden urge to want to go punch something in the face. It’s not even possible. And the film uses it to great effect in several of the fights, further cranking up the badass meter and making even cheesy moments (such as when they all strike a pose after defeating several enemies) seem at the absolute height of all that is awesome.
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| "...did I leave the iron on?" |
After the credits, we get introduced to our three heroes. The first is Liu Kang (Robin Shou), a martial artist who has a prophetic dream about the death of his brother - Chan (Steven Ho) - being killed by the evil sorcerer and recurring Mortal Kombat antagonist Shang Tsung (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa), after which he receives a telegram from his grandfather telling him to come home.
Our second protagonist comes in the form of Sonya Blade (Bridgette Wilson), a Special Forces officer who - with her partner Jax (Gregory McKinney) - trying to capture a criminal and mercenary by the name of Kano (Trevor Goddard). Immediately, with her second and third line of dialogue, we are shown that Sonya is a complete and total badass. A strong independent woman who don’t need no man...who proceeds to need to be rescued in the final act of the film. Because this is totally what Ed Boon and John Tobias had in mind when they brought the character into the games.
And the third and final hero of the film comes in the form of Johnny Cage (Linden Ashby), a martial artist and actor who is struggling in his career because the media believes him to be a fake. All three of them, in one way or another, are manipulated into joining the Mortal Kombat tournament by Shang Tsung - Liu through the death of his brother, Sonya by her desire to capture Kano, and Johnny by the promise of revitalizing his career.
We also get an additional set up scene for Liu in which he returns to the Shaolin temple that he once called home, announcing his intent to join in the tournament to avenge Chan’s death. He is immediately chewed out by Raiden (Christopher Lambert), who is for some reason a white guy who is worshipped as a Chinese God...so, yeah, kind of racist. But not to be dissuaded from his vengeance, Liu leaves for the tournament.
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| "There can be only one...victor..." |
In Hong Kong; we learn that Liu Kang is a dick to other people’s luggage, Sonya Blade doesn’t believe in back up (except when she needs it later on in the film), and that Sub-Zero (François Petit) and Scorpion (Chris Casamassa) are mind-controlled cronies of Shang Tsung in this film rather than active characters in spite of their immense popularity within the fanbase. And I have to say, that is a bit of a real misstep. Of course, with a film so packed with characters, one could expect that some things would get cut...even though the animosity between those two particular characters could fill a movie all its own.
Then, on a boat ride to Shang Tsung private island in...Hell? An alternate dimension? It’s not well explained...Raiden exposits on what the Mortal Kombat tournament really is and the stakes that are involved in it: Shang Tsung and his warriors have managed to win nine straight victories in Mortal Kombat, a tournament held once a generation. If they win this tournament, the tenth, then the Earth will be conquered and enslaved by the demonic forces of Outworld. Raiden has also looked into their souls, and determined that one of them will be the one to decide the fate of the entire world.
Gee, considering who won the first canonical Mortal Kombat tournament, I wonder who that could be…
The rest of the film plays out its parts with wins (for the three protaganists) and losses, as well as the introduction of another main character - Princess Kitana (Talisa Soto), Liu Kang’s love interest both here and in some of the games. Her motivations are not entirely clear at the beginning, but it becomes apparent soon that she resents both Shang Tsung and her adoptive father, the Emperor of Outworld, assisting the Earth fighters and eventually joining their side against Shang Tsung.
Eventually all the fighting and killing pays off as, in the end, Liu Kang learns the true meaning of Christmas...or something, and defeats Shang Tsung in the final battle of the Tournament to release all the souls he had enslaved to his power. And they return home to the Earth realm (during a celebration where the opening song from Hackers is playing) secure in the knowledge that they’ve stopped the evil machinations of Outworld and have saved the Earth for another generation…
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| "Mine, your souls are..." |
..OR HAVE THEY?!
Alas, not quite it seems as Fred from Scooby-Doo decides to make the monster grow and shows up giant-sized to the Shaolin Temple. Actually, it’s Shao Khan (Frank Welker), who has come for their souls. Raiden denies him and the fighters strike a pose for the trailer as the film comes to an end with enough sequel bait to catch a pond full of fish.
I will say that they knew where their strengths were with this movie: the fight scenes. Almost all of them are done in a very adequate manner, and show a lot of work in the choreography. Some of them do get a bit implausible at points (Johnny Cage’s strange ability to find any item he needs in piles of bones during his fight with Scorpion comes to mind), but for the most part you can chalk any particularly cheesy moments to Rule of Awesome. Why does Sub-Zero take so long to freeze Liu Kang after clearly showing he could easily do it in a second? What exactly was the deal with Reptile? Why exactly aren’t the rules of Mortal Kombat clear despite everyone saying that they are? Totally doesn’t matter…
Okay, that last one matters, but it’s semantics that you don’t really need to care about for the film.
The acting isn’t terrible, but besides Tagawa (who is the definitive Shang Tsung, and I know many would agree), there’s really nothing to write home about. Linden Ashby’s turn as Johnny Cage can be a bit grating at times, mostly because his character is comic relief in spite of his main character status and so he gets saddled with the snarky quips and jokes. Not that that’s a bad thing, it just really depends upon the material being presented and he really wasn’t given the best material to work with. Of course, I know we are all still mourning the loss of his five hundred dollar sunglasses…
I will say that the - what I think is an - attempted romance between Cage and Sonya comes off as...bizarre, really. They have the bickering and arguing that comes with any polar opposite romantic couple in films, but one scene where Johnny expresses his desire to fight Goro (Kevin Michael Richardson) so that he won’t pick them off all one by one and claims he couldn’t stand to see what happened to extra character of the day happen to Sonya. It’s clearly set up to be a sincere moment, but there is just no chemistry between the two actors. Both of them sound very hollow in their performance. Luckily, though - much like Liu and Kitana’s relationship - this gets glossed over to make room for what the film is actually good at, namely the fight scenes. And there are other scenes where it’s either the dialogue or the performance or perhaps the direction that just makes it come off as strange or out of place.
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| "Let's do it, guys! IT'S MORPHIN' TIME!" |
Like Resident Evil from a few weeks ago, I can’t really rag on this film too much. When you get down to it, this is one of the good video game movies. It’s doesn’t really differentiate from the games all that much so far as I can tell. And I really do enjoy it. It’s a popcorn movie, something you just pop in whenever you happen to be in the mood for it. Yes, it’s dumb and yes, you really aren’t supposed to think that much about it. But let’s face it, for a live action adaptation of a game like Mortal Kombat, you really can’t get much better than this. Get together with a couple of your friends, laugh at the cheesier moments, and revel in its awesome moments (and awesomely cheesy moments).
Of course, with this film came success. So, naturally, New Line wanted to make a sequel. It’s not remotely as well regarded by the fanbase as the first, and was met with even harsher criticisms by critics who critically criticize. Is it all that bad? What changed between this film and its sequel? Next time, we’re going to find out as we face Annihilation…
...and let’s just say, I’ve got a bad feeling about this…
Mortal Kombat is owned by New Line Cinema and Threshold Entertainment, and is based on the game series created by Ed Boon and John Tobias and currently owned by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.
“Mortal Kombat” is available wherever movies are sold.
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