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MK Annihilates Expectations?


On April 3rd, in the year of our thunder god, 2021, theatres and televisions across the country were graced with the long awaited brutal, bombastic, and bloody reboot of Mortal Kombat. Since the dubious reception of MK Annihilation, fans have shouted from the rooftops the world over for a proper reimagining of their beloved franchise. And although there has been a slew of attempts via various media over the years, the closest anyone has ever gotten to attaining the perceived cinematic potential of the source material is the highly successful MK 9 game and it’s subsequent sequels. However, I’m happy to say that 2021’s Mortal Kombat is a labor of love that scratches the itch of it’s diehard fans ... mostly.

As a fan, I can safely say that there are a litany of reasons to love this fast paced brawl-fest of a movie. Between top notch costumes, a colorful cast of characters, a bitching remix of the 90’s MK theme song, and an eye-catching clash of bloody martial arts mayhem, accented beautifully with gore-tastic fatalities, this movie is a sheer delight. 

However, when it comes to a faithful adaptation of the lore, deep character studies, or a tight and interesting narrative, the film is somewhat lacking. Between the many underdeveloped characters overstuffing this film, acting that ranges from damn good to dull, an underdeveloped narrative, and a pace that throttles the story far too fast even for an action movie, at best fans will get the blood stained barebones of what they know the story and it’s characters can be.

 All in all, what’s there glimmers like Shinnok's golden medallion, showing favorable promise for the franchise potential future. And I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a wickedly fun time. I just desperately hope that for it’s highly telegraphed sequels that the creators take the time and care to let the MK lore and it’s characters breath and blossom like I know they can.

Now if you don't care about spoilers, I suggest using the link below to head over to the Quarter After Five Podcast, where I sit down with George White and give my full, unfiltered thoughts on Mortal Kombat and even try to offer, what I believe, is a better version of the movie. Give it a listen and tell me what you think. At the very least, it'll be a good time. I guarantee it.

Quarter After Five: Levi Kombat - https://fb.watch/6X1hYGGoaB/

  • Levi Mock (May 2021)

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