"You're an actor. So act."
Capturing the intensity that is, well, wholeheartedly Mortal Kombat, Simon McQuoid's follow-up to his 2021 reboot is everything you'd expect. Ridiculous and over the top, the film has learned from its past, prioritizing violence and mayhem as it throws logic to the wind, ultimately giving fans a fun, gruesome sequel that far outplays its predecessor. The rest of the world, in the words of Johnny Cage, can fuck off.
The film, which takes place soon after the events surrounding Cole Young, makes a hard pivot, leaning heavily on the newly minted Johnny Cage, played to near perfection by Karl Urban. A famed action star who is several ticks past his prime, we meet Cage at a local convention, a barren line in front of his single table booth, a scene from the fictional Uncaged Fury playing on a small television nearby. Though not entirely washed up, Cage appears down and defeated. Unsure as to his life's direction, he's intercepted in the parking lot and presented with a lifeline when chosen as one of the Earthrealm's warriors.
In the Mortal Kombat universe, several realms are constantly battling for control. If any realm wins ten consecutive Mortal Kombat tournaments, they claim dominion over the others. The fighters are chosen by the gods and eventually unlock a power (arcana) that is distinct to them.
But don't get caught up in the specifics. Returning screenwriter Jeremy Slater sure doesn't. The 2021 Mortal Kombat was not a good film. Mortal Kombat II is also not a good film. And neither story is revolutionary. But McQuoid acknowledges the importance of the violence and action, opting to pass over the fantasy and focus on the fast-paced fight sequences and scores of bloodshed.
While that emphasis is appreciated, it does highlight the underwhelming characters who consume the screen. Though the distinction between hero and villain is, for the most part, obvious, we never feel connected to either side as they battle to the gruesome death. Maybe this is intentional, allowing us to focus on the fatalities without getting sidetracked by the emotions. (Spoiler: There are none.) But it's hard to ignore the void as the film reaches its critical third act.
But I digress. That's simply not the Moral Kombat way.
Thanks to a necromancer and a trip to the Netherrealm, viewers realize that, in the vein of The X-Files and Marvel's expanding Cinematic Universe, no one here is ever truly dead. And that's a good thing, as it allows the film to nostalgia-bait to great effect. Hiroyuki Sanada's Scorpion is sure to delight. As is Josh Lawson's Kano. The comedic relief provided by the latter, with the help of Urban, adds a layer to the film's otherwise one-note narrative.
But again, that isn't why we're here. Mortal Kombat II suffers tremendously from an underdeveloped plot and underwhelming visuals. But the bar for video game adaptations is painfully low. Saying it overachieves isn't declaring much. But it does. And in the process, it delivers a fun, violent, blood-soaked time at the movies.
