Mortal Kombat (2021) is a “Flawless Victory”: Movie Review

On April 23rd, the newest edition of the Mortal Kombat film franchise was released in theaters and on HBO Max. For those who may not know, Mortal Kombat is a fighting video game known for its blood, gore, and creative story. Even though this is the third adaptation of the video game, not counting the two animated adaptations, this film hits all the marks in what it means to be an excellent R-rated movie. Watching this movie, you get the same aspects as you would from the video game series. Unlike other films based on video games, this film focuses on making sure that it stays true to its roots without being too corny. From its amazing and creative fighting scenes to the makeup and costumes, this film version stands above its predecessors.
This film was directed by award-winning Australian commercial filmmaker Simon McQuoid and produced by James Wan, who is known for his involvement in films like the Conjuring series and “Aquaman.” Together these two individuals have given us amazing visual aspects that leave lasting impressions. Seeing the blood, gore, and violence on the screen gives a profound sense of fantasy while having a coherent plot. In this film, we are following the story of a brand-new character named Cole Young, as he navigates the world of Outworld and Mortal Kombat. Along with its other aspects, this film comes with a great cast choice in acting to martial arts. This cast consists of names like Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Mehcad Brooks, Joe Taslim, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Sisi Stringer. Lewis Tan, who is known for his role as Shatterstar in “Deadpool 2”, gives an amazing performance as Cole Young. Even though his character is not from the actual franchise, his performance gives the impression as if Cole Young is from the video game. Jessica McNamee, who plays Sonya Blade, while watching gave a thorough portrayal of the character’s strength and determination.
Actor Mehcad Brooks, known for his roles in “Just Wright”, “Nobody’s Fool”, and “A Fall from Grace”, gave a good portrayal of his character, Jax. When it comes to actors, Joe Taslim and Hiroyuki Sanada, these two gentlemen did a beyond amazing job portraying Sub Zero and Scorpion. In their scenes together and apart you get from the first few minutes of the film, you instantly get who they are playing. Finally, there is actress Sisi Stringer, who plays the clone Mileena. Even though she may not look like the original character, she gives a noteworthy performance. With her makeup, costume, and acting she gives the creepy portrayal that makes the character so memorable.
While watching you get sucked into everything that goes on screen. In every fighting scene, like with visuals from the games, you feel every punch, kick, stab, and limb removal that the characters feel. While highlighting some of the fan’s favorite characters, this film has gained such positive responses with the talk of a potential sequel. As of April 25th, this film has already grossed $22.5 million in the U.S. and with a worldwide total of $50.1 million from box offices. Overall, this is a great representation of the Mortal Kombat franchise and will call for multiple viewings from new and old fans. “Mortal Kombat” will continue to be streamed on HBO Max and in theaters until May 23.