In an era where video game adaptations are becoming as popular as superhero movies, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that a lot of people are showing up to see this new bloody beat-em-up. Amping up its narrative stakes, production budget, and star power, Mortal Kombat II brings fans exactly what you’d expect and maybe even a little bit more.
2026 will mark a sort of turning point for video game adaptations into the film market as this is when we’re going to start to see multiple of them per year. We’ve already gotten Return to Silent Hill, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and now Mortal Kombat II with Street Fighter and Resident Evil slated to come out later this year. Next year already has five adaptations lined up including the likes of The Legend of Zelda and A Minecraft Movie 2. The box office shows the popularity isn’t fading and will likely increase in the coming years.
So, what will separate these movies from their controller-bound counterparts? Does the modern audience want a full departure from the video game they know and love so it can translate properly into a movie medium? Or are they seeking truly faithful recreations? With how recent adaptations have been perceived, they seem to be leaving the narrative at the wayside in exchange for spectacle and action. Thankfully, that’s all Mortal Kombat was known for even before getting the big screen treatment.
Like its 2021 predecessor, Mortal Kombat II features brutal one on one fights for the sake of Earthrealm’s peace. Don’t worry, you don’t need to understand a bit of this story to get enjoyment out of it. The tournament’s combatants include some super-powered humans from the first: Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), Sonya Blade (Jesica McNamee), Jax (Mechad Brooks), Kano (Josh Lawson) and Cole Young (Lewis Tan).
Their opponents from Outworld (again, don’t stress about the universe stuff) consist of some more monstrous fighters like Shao Khan (Martyn Ford) and Queen Sindel (Ana Thu Nguyen). It also has one of the new leads, Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) along with her sister-like mentor, Jade (Tati Gabrielle). Where the first entry focused a bit more on newcomer Cole Young, this one sticks more with Kitana with her struggles as Shao Khan’s adopted daughter along with an anticipated franchise character.
The real star power comes in the form of one of Mortal Kombat’s most iconic figures, Hollywood action star Johnny Cage. Played by Karl Urban, Johnny is a quip-filled egomaniac that gets in way over his head when he transitions from B-movie stunts to combat to the death. Though comedy has never been Urban’s real strong suit, his physical presence and commitment to the role makes him a welcome addition, but not quite the highlight.
As I’ve mentioned, the narrative is not the reason to go to these movies. Much like the actual games, the story for Mortal Kombat always revolves around a sacred tournament put on by the “Elder Gods” where good fights evil in an attempt to hold their title and therefore, keep their realm safe. It’s no different here and unfortunately wastes its time by exposition dumping the lore without much subtlety. Thankfully, there’s enough happening outside of the main tournament to make this surprisingly unpredictable.
The real reason people go to these films and continue to play the games is the ferocious and bloodthirsty fights between these differently-abled combatants. The built-in “cool factor” is easily found with weapons that include laser eyes, a blade-rimmed hat, or suped-up robot arms. Characters will brutally destroy their enemy only to unleash pathetic, yet laughable one-liners. McQuoid will also infuse some fun gameplay easter eggs, including a weary foe collapsing to the ground after the opponent forgoes a fatality.
So while its story beats and overall look can be disappointing, it’s still hard to not have some fun with this sequel. McQuoid does a good job of giving these main heroes just enough agency and emotionality to explore relationships and have them feel like more than just a copy-paste from the games. And as each fight comes up, the stakes are understandable and the tension keeps you involved, even if the world-building doesn’t. It has some major flaws, but doesn’t take itself serious enough to create a real detriment to the experience.
It certainly won’t be a critical or awards darling, but Mortal Kombat II gives you exactly the experience you’d expect with a few surprises waiting. We’ll see if this momentum is carried over to its third entry slated for a release sometime in the late 2020s. For now, while it certainly isn’t flawless, I’d consider Mortal Kombat II a victory.
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