THE STORY – The champions of Earthrealm, joined by Johnny Cage, are forced into battle against one another as they attempt to resist the rule of Shao Kahn, whose rise threatens the survival of Earthrealm and its defenders.
THE CAST – Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano, Joe Taslim & Hiroyuki Sanada
THE TEAM – Simon McQuoid (Director) & Jeremy Slater (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 116 Minutes
For a certain subset of the population that foams at the mouth when promised an onslaught of cinematic depictions of histrionic carnage, “Mortal Kombat” seemed to be a promising offering. Those who have any nostalgic connection to this property have vivid memories of relishing in the graphic violence that was meant to celebrate the deliciously over-the-top stylization that only a piece of extreme media could provide. Previous film adaptations have always been met with mixed results, but while still possessing a charm that makes them watchable, even if only to mock the horrendously executed displays. However, the 2021 adaptation, meant to breathe new life into this foray, was so utterly disappointing. It was a film that struggled to capture any sense of genuine enthusiasm, relying not only on a stale plot but also on uninspired action sequences. Any person with slightly elevated expectations for that project was met with crushing disappointment at how insipid the execution was. Perhaps setting the expectations as low as they were was an ultimate benefit for “Mortal Kombat II.” To be fair, it’s another project that isn’t without its flaws, but thankfully, it becomes a far more enthralling venture than its predecessor.
This endeavor quickly follows the events of the first film, which was really some false advertising, since the titular event never actually transpires and is more of an elongated recruitment storyline that ends with our heroes discovering their powers to eventually enter Mortal Kombat. However, there will be enough exposition dump for anyone to get caught up to speed, which is basically that a group of Earth warriors have to defeat a bunch of bad guys from other realms to prevent Earth from being overtaken by otherworldly beings. Our previous protagonist, Cole Young (Lewis Tan), has joined the planet’s other champions in an effort to win the tournament and prevent enslavement from the evil emperor Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford). However, the death of a teammate has left them without a crucial member, prompting them to turn to Johnny Cage (Karl Urban). Cage is a washed-up actor who starred in 90s action flicks, but now that star has fully waned. However, he is among the chosen set to compete and is on his own journey to turn his cynical perspective into a fighting spirit. It’s a dueling narrative with Kitana (Adeline Rudolph), Shao Kahn’s ward, who was kidnapped from another enslaved world but who is also sympathetic to the plight of Earth’s warriors. With every battle, losses on both sides are taken, and the stakes grow higher for the fate of humanity’s freedom.
Despite some impressive moments of action stuntwork, the ultimate downfall of the previous entry was a subpar narrative that didn’t bother to give its bland characters any dimension, while also shooting most of the set pieces with a bland, inert perspective. Simon McQuoid returns to the director’s chair and manages to make the fight scenes land with more impact this time. There’s still a bit of timidity in the filmmaking, as one often yearns for a more kinetic camera movement, which can still come across as stilted in the environment. It forces the performers to adopt a less frenetic style, which would do a much better job of selling the hyperbolic tone the rest of the film aims for. However, what is depicted carries far more weight. The violence can even mix with the emotion, as in the battle between Liu Kang (Ludi Lin) and Kung Lao (Max Huang), the latter of whom has been resurrected as an evil form and must face off against his former ally. With a swirling array of stars behind them, it’s a sequence that mixes impressive choreography with as much emotional investment as one can have for this type of film, and every spin kick or hat flourish is quite engaging. Even the scenes meant to be played more for comedy, like a brawl between Cage and a monstrous creature he’s insulted, feel right out of an 1980s fantasy adventure with just the right amount of tongue-in-cheek playfulness to provide a compelling scene.
It all speaks to a greater tactility within the frame that makes this effort more successful. There’s still a fair amount of CGI, for sure, as the animated body doubles that clunkily bounce off walls will attest to that. But having that creature, Cage fights, adorned with rows of teeth that clearly interact as if they were part of the actor, is an appreciated sight. Same with the hulking frame of Shao Kahn being a physically impressive person and not a wholly computer-generated creation. Weightless bodies may look silly when falling from a great height and replacing a person. Still, when a real performer is sent flying across the room as wires spin their body around while staying completely horizontal, it’s such a silly display that one can’t help but lap it up. These elements go a long way toward compensating for a serviceable screenplay by Jeremy Slater, which moves the plot along enough while not really indulging in any specific machinations to make the storytelling singular. At least we actually get to see Mortal Kombat this time, though its broad stakes and flat characters are never meant to offer much beyond the basic structure for building the action scenes around.
The addition of some revered characters from the franchise into this entry also goes a long way toward making it more appreciated, and Urban’s Johnny Cage is a very fun inclusion. It’s a delight that there’s immediate recognition of a throwback sensibility to the character’s action roots, as a flashback to one of his old movies, complete with awkwardly staged stunt work that’s wonderfully executed. He’s got enough charm and screen presence to be an endearing figure, even though he’s mostly used as an audience surrogate in the beginning to reassert the plot points you have probably already forgotten from the first film. Most of the other returning players are about the same level of contribution as before, simply passable, with a story that doesn’t give them much beyond the page. As mentioned before, the little bit of emotional depth between Lin and Huang at least gives them a little more to do. Kitana’s tragic backstory gives Rudolph a foundation to build from, even if it is still rather pedestrian. Josh Lawson returns as Kano, but thankfully, his wisecracks are (slightly) more muted and become a tolerable presence now, even though the pop culture references are still comedic poison. Some faults are harder to erase, though, as the conflict between Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada) and Bi-Han/Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim) still lacks anything that’s worth the effort beyond the extravagant fight sequences and still wastes such talented actors. The same goes for Tadanobu Asano as well. Tan is still giving a very weak performance, but thankfully, his utilization here is severely diminished and no longer the focal point of distraction as it was previously.
It’s heartening that some lessons have been learned, making “Mortal Kombat II” a far more enjoyable film. The ensemble can’t be saved by its less talented members, but the newcomers are well-suited to this world, and others find ways to make a more meaningful impact. The story still isn’t the most captivating and has another bit of frustrating sequel bait that muddies some arcs towards the finale, but it has a clearer sense of focus, at least putting the exciting sequences to the forefront. The filmmaking still has a bit of a stiltedness to it, but it leans further into an energizing tone that is far more engrossing. Though the gore could have been pushed even further, and it likely isn’t due to so many protagonists that can’t really be maimed too severely. Still, for those who admire such cheesy spectacle, there’s a good time to be had here, especially coming off the disappointment of the previous film. If another one comes, there’s room for improvement all the same.
