Mortal Kombat is 2021 reboot of The Mortal Kombat movies which are based on an ultraviolent martial arts video game of the same name. Mortal Kombat was theatrically released internationally on April 8, 2021 and for a month will be available on HBO Max when it will be removed until the normal home media release schedule period.
Those familiar with the video games will know to expect a ludicrous fighting game with graphic blood and gore, spines being ripped off and hearts being pulled out over some outlandish story about battling to save Earthrealm from sinister forces…. That is pretty much it.
You do not pick up this title with the intention to watch wholesome entertainment and character development in well constructed story arcs that will have you connecting with the characters… If that is what you seek this movie is not for you… but if you have two hours to kill willing to suspend disbelief and revel in some almost gratuitous violence, served in familiar finishing moves and some catchphrases from the games… then what are you waiting for?
The Good
Mortal Kombat has some well-executed (no pun intended) finishing moves and choreography sequences bearing the signature fatalities one would expect from the video games, Rated R you know there will be blood and gore…
The Bad
The movie’s pacing is a bit awkward it starts off with a tense opening which then fizzles out into an overdrawn character introduction with a superfluous walkthrough on what Mortal Kombat is without really doing justice to the characters nor convincingly explain the Mortal Kombat premise/
Of course as with most martial art movie storyline they will need to prepare, master their techniques before the show can really begin. Then finally you have the action-packed last half of the movie and an ending which just lays ground for a sequel..
The Ugly
While I would not say I am a big fan of the video games I found the movie not being quite canonical with the lore from the video games.
Mortal Kombat didn’t have enough of the familiar favourite characters or their storylines and those who were there didn’t really get their moment in the sun, maybe they are testing the waters and priming the audience before getting a bigger budget for the sequel.
Final Thoughts
I give it a fair rating, you get what you ask for, a cheesy martial arts movie with a ludicrous premise and some graphic fighting sequences and when it starts you can scream the catch phrase as the techno beat kicks in MORTAL KOMBAT!!!!!
Have you watched Mortal Kombat? Would you watch it or its not your cuppa tea…
~B
Becoming The Muse 
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