Mortal Kombat (1995)

 

Mortal Kombat is based on the video game franchise of the same name. It was directed by Paul Anderson and was released 1995. It must be memorable for its kick-ass theme score from the games that plays at the beginning of the New Line Cinema title card and through the movie title card. Speaking of which, the movie title must be also memorable for the fiery background and the dragon emblem from the games itself. Then after that we appear in some unknown location where two figures engage in a fight. So what is this all about? Well as they fight, you have to watch the slow motion, hear almost realistic crunch sounds, and face pulls exhibited by this sorcerer.

 Well it appears it was just a nightmare. Liu Kang fells very distraught at losing his brother to Shang Sung. He has received a message and has to respond. What is with the green? Did he leave the light on all that time?

Suddenly from the quiet room to a noisy nightclub, we cut to this broad. Her name is Sonya Blade and she has a bounty on Kano's head.

Kano is responsible for killing Sonya's partner and now he is on her list. As Sonya makes her way, she exchanges gunfire with her henchmen, and I have to admit there is nothing like a hoard of dancers not disturbed by the firing. They are not deaf but do not flinch at the sound of firing.

Sonya finds that Kano has escaped and is still determined to eliminate him.
Suddenly again we cut to a different scene, and this one has to be the most comical of the three so far. This guy is called Johnny Cage and he is an actor. He is having a hard time with the media ridiculing him for being "fake", even though he himself has to put up with a ridiculous movie project comprising of amateur actors and a hysterical director. Is this the real experience actors face when they are involved in a movie that they figure has no solid direction? Maybe. So Cage finds a stranger and questions his presence. He is being enlisted into a tournament. The last two characters had a motivation for being involved, but this guy has no clear motivation for being chosen in the first place.

If you give an American a scroll which is written in Mandarin, at least translate for him before walking away from the set.

I must give credit to the special effects used on this sorcerer. It turns out that Shang Sung was disguised as that unnamed stranger. Why he chose Cage is still unexplained.
So now we are at a location called The Temple Of Light, China. Liu Kang has been summoned to star in the tournament. But his presence is not welcome for he has no clear reason for being here in the first place. His only reason is to find his brother's killer and face him. The monks, and Rayden, do not believe in him because of this and so doubt his capability.
Next scene is comical: Johnny has just arrived in Hong Kong and is greeted by a fellow competitor. He also finds Liu Kang and , get this, talks him down by treating him as a cargo man. After exchanging ludicrous words, paying Kang money, Kang drops Cage's load into the water. Very smart(!). Cage thought that everybody knows him and recognizes him as exceptional.
Okay, I am beginning to think that there is going to be a series of monochromatic scenes in this movie. First it is all green, then it is all blue. What does this really signify?
So now these three characters--Sonya, Johnny and Liu--are going to have a hard time adjusting to each other's character. Sonya is bloodthirsty for Kano; Cage is dissed by many as he is not used to it before; Liu just has some kind of vendetta on Shang. Let's hope they do not kill each other in the process.

So we have Shang's henchmen: Scorpion and Subzero. These two must be the pinnacles of this movie for their costumes and their superpowers. The CGI used here has to be captivating, so realistic that it is hard to notice any flaw. Though I think that Scorpion's hand vines are disturbing at a closer angle. As they show off in front of the trio, Rayden intervenes and scolds Shang for attempting to breach tournament rules. Liu is a doubting Thomas: earlier he dismissed Rayden as a mere beggar, until now when Rayden demonstrates his power as a god of electricity.Speaking of Rayden, does the actor Christopher Lambert really talk with a gruff tone, or is it part of Rayden's characteristic? He sounds more devilishly intimidating than godly.
So Rayden tells the trio that they have been chosen to participate in this tournament to defend the realm of earth. He explains that the evil forces have to win ten tournaments in a row: they have won nine, remaining one last tournament. They three must face off against anyone who intends to conquer the earth and defeat them in the tournament.But one question hovers above my head: why at this moment instead of earlier on? Well, Rayden has made it clear about that.
So after that scene, the trio are transported to an island. We have to watch Sonya and Cage interact with each other, and Sonya surely does not know how to take a joke but take Cage's smart-ass gestures too seriously. Then as they disembark, Cage has trouble with his luggage; he carries them but falls into the water. Does this guy know no bounds when it comes to stirring up hilarity? He must be good for a laugh. On the other hand, Sonya has trouble with the electromagnetic disruption, and when she asks Cage where they are, Cage reciprocates with sarcasm "Do I look like your travel agent(?)". Looks like Cage won't ask for aid with his luggage after his debacle earlier on. So he has to carry his burden alone.
So the group has made it to the den, and I do have to admit: this has to be an achievement of production value. the set has to be captivating and valid as far as the location is relevant. It gives everyone an impression of doom and gloom, death and despair. This tournament is one of death or life, and this set illustrates that.

Better watch out for this reptile: the CGI here must be crude unlike the previous moment. This creature is scary and induces goosebumps. Shang has summoned it to prevent the humans from interacting with Princess Kitana.
So a feast is being held but has to be interrupted for a moment of showmanship. One of the hooded fighters has to come against Subzero, and while doing so grunts and rants in a series before unleashing his ability. Pretty noisy and pointless. They could not even wait for the actual tournament before disrupting their meal.
So what do we have to anticipate next? Liu Kang thinks Princess Kitana is out to help him and his crew, but that ugly reptile wants to impede on that. And just as they continue to find Kitana, they are quickly ambushed by those hooded fighters. They theme music begins, and so does the action! But are these hoodlums affiliated to Shang Tsung?
Now, while  Liu and Sonya face off their opponent s at one venue, Johnny Cage has to face off Scorpion at a forest and then another "realm". Seriously, is this part of the tournament? I thought they were not allowed to fight outside of the designated venue. but if you like to see how Johnny fights his adversary, then this scene is justifiable. This also shows that Scorpion is no closer to a mortal than is Shang.
Similarly we watch Liu fight Subzero. Is this part of the tournament? I don't know, but I don't care. It is fun to watch the fight go on. There are several more fights after this one, but they are quickly summarized. Every other fighter is defeated in droves by Goro, and all they do is fall and roll onto the ground in defeat. However, we do manage to witness one fight without rushing it to the end, and this is slower.

So I would rather summaries this movie than continue this review. It is just one fight after another, even if it is unjustified, and nothing important happens. Johnny Cage is zany, Liu Kang is serious, Sonya is strict and stiff. 

I would like to note that in the video game, the fights are memorably violent; so violent that the certificate restricts to players at least 15 years of age. However, this movie curtails extreme violence in favor of a younger audience. One extra note to grasp is that this movie was released a year after the abysmal Street Fighter, which also was dumb down for a younger audience.
So despite the special effects, iconic theme music from the game and trademark costumes of a number of characters (Reptile, Subzero and Scorpion), we have to endure cheesy dialogue, pointless fights alongside tournament fights; loud, continuous grunts, howls, and whines; an almost non-existent plot, questionable motivations of the characters and lack of their development. This movie appeals to a younger audience who could care less for substance, while an older audience would not care about a movie with little or no comprehensive plot of the movie.