Oh, the ‘90s! For some of us, they were the “good ole days,” but as the great Billy Joel once sang, “the good ole days weren’t always good,” and in the simplest terms imaginable, that includes the entertainment industry.
As a child of the ‘90s, so to speak, I was enamored with video games, as many of my other peers were, as well. It was never just about having the latest and greatest of technology for your home consoles; it was also about keeping up with the latest and greatest at the local arcades. At the time, hand-to-hand fighting games were in vogue and virtually every company with a pulse was trying to take advantage of it. While ‘Street Fighter II’ is probably considered by most as not only the best of this sub-genre of arcade gaming, but also the one that revolutionized it, another, similar outfit soon staked a similar claim: ‘Mortal Kombat’ (MK).
Yes, it is true that the popularity of MK led to the eventual creation of the ESRB, but it did not go away, either, as a result of its controversy. In fact, just three years after the release of the original arcade, a feature-length, live-action movie was presented to prospective filmgoers (and fans of all ages). At the time, I really enjoyed it, as did many others, including the immortal Gene Siskel, of all hardened critics. However, while some had complained of the graphic nature of the arcade, itself, ironically it was the fans of that game who now complained of the LACK of graphic violence within this movie. Over the years, some still enjoy this film for its nostalgic value and “Enter the Dragon-like” storyline, which I happen to concur with, but many still see it as another weak, yet early attempt by movie studios to cash in on the popularity of the gaming industry, which was (and still is) at large.
I wish I knew why anyone waited until 2021 to reboot the storied franchise of MK to the big screen, but either way, I was somehow looking forward to this production, which is a rarity for me, I must say. As always, I did not look into any of the details to see what I might expect and I think that has really paid off over the years. You might be happy to know that THIS example paid off in a positive way…
The opening takes place in Asia during the 15th century. You might not completely understand what is happening, but fear not, you will, shortly. It comes down to two, great warriors: one who is pitted as the antagonist and another who appears to be the protagonist, at least for now, but that all truly comes down to perspective, does it not?
Fast-forward to our present day and we are introduced to a seemingly washed-up martial artist combatant by the name of Cole Young (played by Lewis Tan, “Deadpool 2”). He is approached by a man who should look familiar to anyone who knows the MK franchise well: Jax, played by Mehcad Brooks (“A Fall From Grace”). They share at least one, very important thing in common, which leads to their immediate journey toward a very important tournament, though there is not much of an explanation as to why or how, at this point. Eventually, Young meets Sonya Blade, our first of the original arcade characters to appear in the film, who is played by Jessica McNamee (“The Meg”). She then goes on to explain what is at stake for everyone who is involved, but in the same space is the infamous Kano, played by Josh Lawson (“Holly Slept Over”). Now, you have your nucleus ready for the rest of the story…
As the fighters make their way to where they must go to get prepared for what lies ahead, more familiar MK characters come forward: Liu Kang (played by Ludi Lin, “Son of the South”), Kung Lao (played by Max Huang) and Lord Raiden (played by Tadanobu Asano, “Minamata”). Not long after, the presence of the enemies, from the Outworld, try to bring the fight to these supposed under-powered battlers, who are trying to protect this world from the impending destruction of: Sub-Zero (played by Joe Taslim, “The Swordsman”), Mileena (played by Sisi Stringer), Reiko (played by Nathan Jones, “The Scorpion King: Book of Souls”) and Kabal (voiced by Damon Herriman, “Judy and Punch”). They are led, of course, by Shang Tsung (played by Chin Han, “Skyscraper”). Just be ready for a few surprises along the way, too.
To me, what makes this reboot excel as an engaging movie is in its storytelling. Instead of getting a campy rendition of a classic martial arts film, we are handed something that resembles the framework of a ‘Marvel’ movie. The key difference is the element of a ‘Star Trek-type’ element involving the discovery of your inner strength or drive, which leads to a unique set of skills and powers. Regardless of what motivated this idea for the film, it worked as a guide through the story, for me, and I had no qualms about whether or not it was faithful to the original source material of this particular franchise.
The fight scenes are bloody and full of the requisite gore you would expect, opposed to the restraint we all saw some 26 years ago. However, it is performed in a way that I did not find at all offensive. It was almost comically over-the-top and it was appealing to look at, as well. I even liked some of the original music, which does not happen very often to me, either. I found it to be somewhat in the vein of James Horner, if that still means anything to anyone.
I can safely say that the fans of MK ought to be more than pleased with this reboot. In hindsight, it was not perfect, but it was a solid effort for all those who were involved. There were clever references made to the games, throughout, and it struck the right balance between serious elements and comedic jabs. All I can add is that you need to be ready for much more in the near future and please do not be upset if one of your favorite characters is dead by the end of this entry. Who knows? Maybe you will still see them again in one of the sequels. I am looking forward to those, either way.
Director: Simon McQuoid
Screenwriters: Greg Russo and Dave Callaham (“Wonder Woman 1984”)
Based on: ‘Mortal Kombat’ by Ed Boon (‘Injustice 2’) and John Tobias
Starring: Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Tadanobu Asano, Mehcad Brooks, Ludi Lin, Chin Han, Joe Taslim and Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date: April 8th, 2021 (International) and April 23rd, 2021 (United States)
