Mortal Kombat II puts audiences right in between the champions of the Earthrealm, as they’re forced to fight against each other to save the world from the evil Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford). This film brings back characters from the first film like Cole Young (Lewis Tan), Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), and Kano (Josh Lawson), with other beloved characters like Johnny Cage (Karl Urban), Kitana (Adeline Rudolph), and Jade (Tati Gabrielle) finally being brought into the mix.
Directed by Simon McQuoid (who directed the prequel) and written by Jeremy Slater this movie is the fourth installment in the Mortal Kombat film series and was a full fan affair.
The movie is not a technically cinematic masterpiece; it has a very basic plot full of cheesy one-liners (some one-liners being so cringe I had to look away), and fight scenes between characters happening every five minutes. But that’s the beauty of the movie, it’s not made for cinephiles, it’s made for the fans.
The experience watching it in IMAX felt completely immersive. The sequences were designed to look like the gameplay, with incredible set pieces and amazing costumes. There were also so many easter eggs scattered throughout for the diehard fans, most recognisable as even a casual fan. And having the aspect ratio change when we would jump into a fight scene was just the cherry on top. It reminded me of the game so much that I went home and loaded up Mortal Kombat I and played for hours before sitting here and writing this up.
Mortal Kombat II also kept the campy energy from the first film, with the addition of Urban’s Johnny Cage alongside Lawson’s Kano, only amping up the comedic elements even more. The dynamic between Kitana and Jade also added some of the more emotional moments in the movie, with their relationship feeling like a way to ground the audience and remind them of the human behind the fighter.
There were also so many brutally violent kills, which is expected from this franchise, but still came as a welcome surprise at how much they upped the ante with the sequel.
With a runtime of 116 minutes, the movie isn’t a short one. But the jam packed action movie felt like it flew by. There was never a lull between scenes or scenes that felt unnecessary, it was thrilling and exciting the whole way through.
If you’re looking for a thought provoking movie that will change the trajectory of your life, you probably won’t find it here. But if you’re looking for a movie full of action and a nostalgic trip back to watch characters from a game you played growing up fight to the absolute death, this movie will be a genuinely good time.