Mortal Kombat (2021) Movie Review: A Bloody and Brutal Return to the Arena

Mortal Kombat (2021): Fatality... Almost

My Rating: 3/5 Stars

I'm going to be brutally honest here - I went into this movie with extremely low expectations. Video game adaptations have a legendary track record of being absolutely terrible, and the previous Mortal Kombat movies from the '90s were... well, let's just say they were products of their time. But you know what? This new Mortal Kombat actually surprised me. It's not great, but it's a hell of a lot better than it had any right to be.

As someone who spent countless hours in arcades during the '90s perfecting my Sub-Zero fatalities and getting absolutely destroyed by friends who could somehow pull off Scorpion's spear combo every single time, I have a lot of nostalgia for this franchise. The games were stupid, violent, and absolutely addictive. The question was: could a movie capture that same energy without being completely ridiculous?

The Plot (Such As It Is)

The story follows Cole Young (Lewis Tan), a washed-up MMA fighter who discovers he's descended from a legendary warrior and marked for participation in Mortal Kombat - an interdimensional fighting tournament that determines the fate of Earth. He's recruited by Special Forces agents Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee) and Jax (Mehcad Brooks) to train with other chosen fighters including Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), Kung Lao (Max Huang), and Kano (Josh Lawson).

Meanwhile, the sorcerer Shang Tsung (Chin Han) is trying to eliminate Earth's champions before the tournament even begins, sending iconic fighters like Sub-Zero, Scorpion, and others to hunt them down.

Look, if you're expecting deep storytelling or complex character development, you're barking up the wrong tree. This is about as straightforward as action movies get. The plot exists to get us from one fight scene to the next, and honestly, that's probably for the best.

When It Gets the Fights Right

The action sequences are genuinely the highlight of this movie. Director Simon McQuoid clearly understands that people are here to see their favorite video game characters beat the hell out of each other, and he delivers on that front.

The opening sequence featuring the original Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim) and Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada) in 17th century Japan is absolutely fantastic. It's brutal, beautifully choreographed, and sets up the rivalry that drives much of the film's emotional core. This sequence alone is worth the price of admission.

When the movie focuses on the iconic characters doing their signature moves, it really works. Seeing Sub-Zero create ice weapons and freeze his opponents feels exactly like watching someone pull off those moves in the game. Scorpion's "Get over here!" moment gave me legitimate chills.

The fatalities, when they happen, are appropriately over-the-top and satisfying. The movie earns its R-rating with some genuinely creative and brutal kills that feel ripped straight from the games. Kano's fatality in particular had me cheering.

The Characters We Actually Care About

Joe Taslim as the original Sub-Zero (Bi-Han) is absolutely perfect casting. He brings this cold, calculating menace to the role that makes him feel like a genuine threat. Every scene he's in crackles with tension, and his fight choreography is top-notch.

Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion brings real gravitas to what could have been a one-note revenge character. The flashbacks to his family being murdered are genuinely affecting, and when he finally gets his revenge, it feels earned.

Josh Lawson steals every scene he's in as Kano. He's playing the character as a complete sleazeball, but he's having so much fun with it that you can't help but enjoy watching him. His Australian accent and crude humor provide most of the movie's best moments.

The other fighters are hit-or-miss. Ludi Lin and Max Huang do good work as Liu Kang and Kung Lao respectively, bringing the right mix of martial arts skill and mystical warrior energy. Jessica McNamee makes Sonya Blade feel like a real soldier rather than just eye candy.

The Cole Problem

Here's where things get tricky. Lewis Tan does his best as Cole Young, but the character feels completely unnecessary. He's clearly meant to be the audience surrogate - the regular guy who gets pulled into this crazy world - but the movie already has iconic characters that people actually want to see.

Cole's "arcana" power (the movie's term for special abilities) is basically having armor, which is about as exciting as it sounds. In a movie full of people shooting ice and fire, having really good defense feels pretty lame.

The character also suffers from being completely original to the movie. While everyone else is bringing beloved video game characters to life, Cole is just... there. He's not bad, exactly, but he's taking screen time away from characters people actually paid to see.

When the Movie Remembers What It Is

Mortal Kombat works best when it fully embraces its video game origins. The "Test Your Might" training sequence is pure fan service, and it's wonderful. The way characters discover their arcana powers feels like unlocking new abilities in a game progression system.

The production design does a great job of bringing the game's aesthetic to life. The costumes look practical and lived-in while still being recognizable to fans. Sub-Zero's outfit in particular looks fantastic - practical enough to fight in but stylized enough to feel otherworldly.

The movie also gets the tone right most of the time. This isn't a serious, grounded take on the material - it's pulpy, violent, and occasionally goofy in exactly the right ways. When Kano makes jokes about the ridiculousness of the situation, it feels like the movie is in on the joke without being mean-spirited about it.

Where It Falls Apart

The biggest problem with Mortal Kombat is that it feels like half a movie. Just when things are getting interesting, it ends. We spend the entire film building up to the tournament, and then... the tournament doesn't happen. It's clearly setting up a sequel, but it leaves this movie feeling incomplete.

The pacing is also pretty uneven. The middle section, where our heroes are training and discovering their powers, drags considerably. Some of the exposition is painfully clunky, with characters literally explaining the rules of the world to each other (and us).

Some of the CGI is pretty rough, particularly in the larger action sequences. The movie clearly had budget constraints, and it shows in some of the visual effects work. Goro, in particular, looks like he escaped from a video game cutscene circa 2010.

The Nostalgia Factor

For fans of the games, there's a lot to love here. The movie is packed with references, easter eggs, and iconic moments that will make longtime players smile. Hearing "Fatality!" spoken aloud in a movie theater was weirdly emotional for me.

The techno-heavy score by Benjamin Wallfisch incorporates themes from the games in ways that feel natural rather than forced. When that classic Mortal Kombat theme kicks in during fight scenes, it's impossible not to get pumped up.

The movie also respects the cultural origins of many of these characters. The Japanese and Chinese elements feel authentic rather than appropriated, and the casting of actual Asian actors in these roles makes a big difference.

Technical Craftsmanship

The fight choreography is generally excellent, with each character having a distinct fighting style that matches their video game counterpart. The wirework and practical effects are solid, even when the CGI lets things down.

The cinematography during fight scenes is kinetic without being incomprehensible. You can actually follow what's happening, which is more than you can say for a lot of modern action movies.

The costume and makeup work deserves special recognition. These characters look like they stepped out of the games while still feeling like they could exist in the real world.

What It Gets Right About Violence

One thing Mortal Kombat absolutely nails is the violence. This isn't gratuitous gore for its own sake - it's stylized, creative violence that serves the story and characters. Each fatality feels like a signature move, distinctive to the character performing it.

The movie understands that Mortal Kombat has always been about consequence-free violence in a fantasy setting. This isn't trying to be realistic or grounded - it's about spectacular, over-the-top combat that looks cool and feels satisfying.

Final Thoughts

Mortal Kombat (2021) is a frustrating movie because it gets so much right while still feeling incomplete. When it works, it really works - the fights are spectacular, the characters are fun, and it captures the spirit of the games better than most video game adaptations manage.

But it's clearly the first act of a larger story, and that hurts it as a standalone experience. Just when you're fully invested in these characters and this world, the movie ends with a promise of "what's next" rather than a satisfying conclusion.

Still, for a video game movie, this is pretty good. It's violent, fun, and respectful of its source material. If they can stick the landing with the inevitable sequel, this could be the start of something special.

As it stands, Mortal Kombat is a flawed but entertaining piece of fan service that delivers on its most important promise: watching iconic video game characters beat each other up in spectacular fashion.

Bottom Line: Mortal Kombat succeeds as a video game adaptation by focusing on what made the games fun - spectacular fights and iconic characters - even if it stumbles on story and pacing.

Perfect For: Fans of the video game series, action movie enthusiasts who don't mind thin plots, and anyone looking for some mindless violent entertainment with great fight choreography.

Content Warning: Extremely violent content, graphic fatalities, strong language, and intense action sequences. Definitely earned its R rating and not suitable for children.

Best Viewing Experience: This is meant to be seen on a big screen with loud sound. The fight scenes benefit from theatrical presentation, and the sound design really sells the impact of the combat.