Directed by Simon McQuoid

Starring: Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Martyn Ford, Tadanobu Asano, Damon Herriman, Lewis Tan

Admittedly, to this day, I haven’t spent any time playing the video game or getting to know Mortal Kombat’s universe. But no one can deny the game’s popularity, even to a non-gamer like me. I took the time to familiarize myself by watching the first film of its latest incarnation, Mortal Kombat (2021), on streaming. And man, that was a terrible film to say the least. The pace seemed hindered, the acting mediocre, and the action sequences unimpressive.

Even Josh Lawson’s comic relief as the semi-evil Kano couldn’t save it. The effects seemed cheap and uninspired. There was too much focus on Cole Young’s (Tan) origin story. No time was left over for any tournaments to occur, which seemed to be the point of the game, no? So, I was confused why the studios decided to fund a sequel anyway. I was about to find out. For the uninitiated, the convoluted plot is as follows:

Mortal Kombat II centers on the long-awaited tenth tournament, the decisive clash that will determine whether Earthrealm falls under the iron grip of the ruthless Emperor Shao Kahn (Ford). With their roster depleted after the events of the first film, Raiden (Asano) and Sonya Blade (McNamee) turn to an unlikely recruit—fading Hollywood action star Johnny Cage (Urban)—to round out their team of fighters.

Meanwhile, Shao Kahn’s sorcerer Quan Chi (Herriman) resurrects fallen warriors to bolster Outworld’s forces, and the Edenian princess Kitana (Rudolph), raised by Shao Kahn after he murdered her father and conquered her home realm, begins to question her loyalties. As the two sides trade brutal blows in the tournament arena, Earthrealm’s misfit champions must find a way to rise above overwhelming odds before Shao Kahn achieves total domination.

With that out of the way, I was pleasantly surprised and entertained by Mortal Kombat II. It follows the same story format as the first film but makes the genius choice of casting Karl Urban as Johnny Cage in a cool comedic shift that actually works. The one-liners hit home, and his presence gives Mortal Kombat II a sense of legitimacy that the first film lacked outright. Also, the film’s special effects and fight scenes did not disappoint. Fans in the theater got rowdy at the expected moments, especially during the long-awaited tournament fights the video game is known for.

Flashier, funnier, with more action and controlled pacing, Mortal Kombat II is ‘realms’ better than its predecessor and, at the very least, captures part of the essence that made the video game a worldwide phenomenon. While intended for the millions of fans of the original game, Mortal Kombat II has a good chance of entertaining even the most ignorant of non-gamers. Mindless, maybe, but you are bound to have fun watching it with the kids.

Have you seen MORTAL KOMBAT II? Well, what do you think?

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