My review of Mortal Kombat 2021

My review of Mortal Kombat 2021

 

Intro: So, let me get this straight, it's OK for Power Rangers, the Avengers movies, and the Pirates of the Caribbean films can have a character that overshadows everyone else, but not this movie. Just because Johnny Cage has a big personality, that doesn't mean that this franchise doesn't have interesting characters. (For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, I'm addressing one of the reasons why Johnny Cage is not in this movie.)     

Mortal Kombat 2021: This movie is centered on a kickboxer name Cole Young who fell from grace. His day is about to get worse when he learns that he's chosen to fight in a tournament called Mortal Kombat, and people are trying to kill him before the tournament starts. With the help of allies, Cole has to prepare for Mortal Kombat and avoid being killed. 

This movie is worse than the 95 film but not as bad as the 97 film, which isn't saying much. This movie feels like a setup for the next film, which makes watching this movie a waste of time. The way this movie incorporates lines from the game feels tacked on. I don't like the explanation as to why these characters have powers because we don't need it, and it raises more questions than answers. Considering the lack of story this movie has, I'm starting to think that this franchise can't work as a movie. 

Heck, some games tried to be story-driven, but they fall flat. 

This movie wouldn't exist if one character did his or her job. Why is this movie called Mortal Kombat if (censor)? The movie also has head-scratching moments in it. Fans are not going to be happy to see that this movie wasted certain characters. The writers should have created foot soldiers if they didn't know what to do with them. Speaking of characters, they are underdeveloped, wooden, and boring. People talk about how serious Mortal Kombat is; however, it's hard to appreciate it when we don't get an idea of the consequences if Earth realm loses. I wish the writers had done a better job of working around the rules of Mortal Kombat. I don't like the remix of the Mortal Kombat theme song.  

Cole Young is bland. He goes on a hero's journey in this movie, but the journey needs more work. I don't see why the writers need this character to help us understand this world. You could have done that with any character in this franchise. The reason why this character was created is so that the creators would prevent a reaction from SJWs. I wish someone would stand up to them. 

Liu Kang and Kung Lao are wise sages who mentor the selected fighters. What bugs me about Liu Kang is that he feels like a supporting character. This is an issue because he's the hero of this franchise. 

There isn't much to say about Sonya and Jax; they are special forces officers. 

Kano is the comic relief due to his punchable face. With that said, something missing with him; you'll know what I'm talking about when you watch the movie.  

Sub-Zero would have been ruthless if he hadn't wasted time killing his targets! His rivalry with Scorpion is serviceable. It's a shame that he's a henchman for Shang because we would like him to stand on his own. 

Speaking of Shang Tsung (the main villain.) I can't comment on him because he's barely in the movie. 

The bloody violence is fine, it's just not as good as the video games. The movie has Easter eggs for fans to spot. All in all, this was another failed attempt to make this franchise work on the big screen. Watch this movie at your own risk. 

Rating = Trash