Film Review - Mortal Kombat II
Images courtesy of Warner Bros.
Simon McQuoid’s Mortal Kombat II is the ultimate poster child for the weirdly cynical, yet hyper-faithful era of video game adaptations we’re currently living through. Cast your mind back to the chaotic, mid-90s fever dream of The Super Mario Bros. Movie (that, of all things, channeled the sci-fi dystopia of Terry Gilliam's Brazil) or, more recently, Paul W.S. Anderson’s pulpy Resident Evil flicks. Were those films accurate representations of their games? Not even remotely. But man, did they ever buzz with a bizarre, mutant creative energy that made them hard not to enjoy. Today, the corporate pipeline delivers the exact inverse: we’re trapped in a landscape of sterile, green-screened authenticity where studios mistake asset-accuracy for actual art. Modern audiences have basically been house-trained to clap for game-accurate character skins while quietly tolerating blockbusters that are far less engaging as a result.
Ultimately, MKII is a passable entry that undeniably improves on its predecessor in a few structural ways, but still constantly shoots itself in the foot with some incredibly bland writing and a mishandling of its premium roster (Baraka fans, lower your expectations). The most glaring casualty here is Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage. Urban is usually a blast on screen, but here he feels like an ill fit, labouring against a script that somehow turns Hollywood's flashiest, most beautifully narcissistic egomaniac into a gravelly, out-of-place caricature that lacks the cocky spark of his videogame likeness. Meanwhile, Kitana, despite getting full main character focus, is sadly marooned at the centre of a woefully generic rebellion narrative that possesses zero texture or finesse. Consequently, the absolute second the punching stops, the film's momentum evaporates. The dramatic downtime doesn't build tension; it just functions as tedious filler where actors explain surface-level lore and trade quips until the next round of the tournament begins. You’ll practically find your thumb twitching for a phantom controller, just to skip the cutscenes and get straight to the fatalities.
Thankfully, Josh Lawson’s Kano is back to single-handedly rescue the film from becoming an absolute slog. Resurrected and unrepentantly crass, Lawson completely steals the show once again, injecting a chaotic, insult-heavy swagger that cuts right through the movie’s self-serious blandness. When McQuoid actually allows his fighters to cut loose, the fatalities are predictably enjoyable, but the true highlight is an unexpected mid-movie skirmish between Liu Kang and Kung Lao. The fight is blessed with razor-sharp, kinetic choreography that feels relatively grounded, magical hat aside. Staged within a visually appealing big blue wormhole, it offers a fleeting oasis of cinematic flair while feeling most like a round of the game it's based on.
Mortal Kombat II gets just enough right to keep you entertained in the moment, but it’s a shame the rest of the film is primed to be promptly forgotten about.
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Mortal Kombat II is screening in cinemas now. For tickets and more info, click here.