MORTAL KOMBAT (2021)
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Director: Simon McQuoid
Stars: Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee Rating: 8 out of 10 Being an only child in the 90's meant finding, and I mean literally hunting out, fun. A holiday to any resort or site meant I was definitely spending the next few days away from my childhood friends unless I actively did something about it, so arcades became my jam.
It was simple, you went an arcade and either watched a kid kick ass on a machine, cheer him on and then hang out with him all day or you find a machine to entertain yourself on, kick ass on it, then make friends with those who come to bask in your glory. The top 3 for me were Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat. |
Between my arcade days and the terrible (but likeable) films, that's kind of where my link with this franchise ended. I played it on my mate's Playstation in later years but I was never as drawn to it or as excited about it as I once had been. Until it was announced that they were making a new film, and my intrigue-ometer went to 11. However, upon release of this film I heard 3 small details that got right under my skin and already put me off it.
- The main character is completely made up for the film, and not a character from the game.
- Big name characters will die in this film...which was to be expected, but made annoying because...
- The Mortal Kombat Tournament will not take place in this film.
Immediately I began questioning can it be a 'Mortal Kombat' film if 'Mortal Kombat' isn't in it? And if the film centers around someone who wasn't in 'Mortal Kombat'? Well, I can tell you right now, yes. Yes, it bloody can!
- The main character is completely made up for the film, and not a character from the game.
- Big name characters will die in this film...which was to be expected, but made annoying because...
- The Mortal Kombat Tournament will not take place in this film.
Immediately I began questioning can it be a 'Mortal Kombat' film if 'Mortal Kombat' isn't in it? And if the film centers around someone who wasn't in 'Mortal Kombat'? Well, I can tell you right now, yes. Yes, it bloody can!
I feel every year I hear someone tell me I take films too seriously, or I should just give a film a pass. That some films are just "big, dumb, dinosaur films" (Gazmasters term, not mine) and I need to just enjoy them. The problem I have with the majority of these films is that they AREN'T fun, or they clearly were made WANTING to be taken seriously. So as such, I put them under a magnifying glass and, I'm going to quote multiple people here, I "piss on the things we love". 'Mortal Kombat' will not be one of those films.
This film is gory, sinister and dark, but most importantly, FUN! The film knows that to sit too long in any scene, to allow us time to think about what's happening, will cause us to come out of it. We'll realise that this is all very silly, and makes little sense. A lot like a video game. Most video game concepts make little sense when you really think about them. Why is Pac-Man being chased by ghosts in a maze? What's the backstory behind Bowser wanting Peach? When films try and explain these things in video-game movies, it just highlights the silly jumps in logic game designers make when conceptualising a game. It takes the magic away, like finding out your rabbit didn't go to live on a farm (don't think I've fucking forgotten that, Uncle David).
This film is gory, sinister and dark, but most importantly, FUN! The film knows that to sit too long in any scene, to allow us time to think about what's happening, will cause us to come out of it. We'll realise that this is all very silly, and makes little sense. A lot like a video game. Most video game concepts make little sense when you really think about them. Why is Pac-Man being chased by ghosts in a maze? What's the backstory behind Bowser wanting Peach? When films try and explain these things in video-game movies, it just highlights the silly jumps in logic game designers make when conceptualising a game. It takes the magic away, like finding out your rabbit didn't go to live on a farm (don't think I've fucking forgotten that, Uncle David).
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Watching this play out gave me the exact same feeling as watching someone play through this from beginning to end at the arcade. FMV, then a battle, then another FMV, then another battle. It sounds monotonous but it parallels the video game it's based on so well that it really isn't. As it's what you were low key expecting when you think of a 'Mortal Kombat' film.
The fight scenes are a thrill to watch. Moves and their consequences, literally ripped from the games, are satisfyingly played out in front of you. We have 'Fatalities', 'Special combos' and even a 'Flawless Victory'. |
In fact the fights are handled so well, that when we get to the third act I realised that everything that was happening onscreen, from character entrances to camera angles, was shot for shot from the games. It didn't feel forced and it worked! Right, so we've established it's extremely 'Mortal Kombat' without 'Mortal Kombat' being in it. But what about the character issues? Is Cole Young a suitable protagonist over an already established 'Mortal Kombat' character? Does it matter that major characters die in this film before the tournament has taken place?
Cole is fine. He kinda reminds me of Luke in A NEW HOPE. He's our eyes and ears in getting the explanations for what is going on in this world, he's clearly going to be given a moment of redemption, and he is actually quite likeable. And like Luke, he is rightly overshadowed by the other characters. They are rightly given their due time on screen and moments to shine. Director Simon knew exactly what we wanted to see, and how much of Cole is both necessary to the plot, and enjoyable to watch. Whilst all the characters were very likeable and enjoyable to watch, for me the show was stolen by two in particular. Kano and Sub-Zero.
Cole is fine. He kinda reminds me of Luke in A NEW HOPE. He's our eyes and ears in getting the explanations for what is going on in this world, he's clearly going to be given a moment of redemption, and he is actually quite likeable. And like Luke, he is rightly overshadowed by the other characters. They are rightly given their due time on screen and moments to shine. Director Simon knew exactly what we wanted to see, and how much of Cole is both necessary to the plot, and enjoyable to watch. Whilst all the characters were very likeable and enjoyable to watch, for me the show was stolen by two in particular. Kano and Sub-Zero.
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Kano is fucking hilarious. He has the best lines in the whole film and is unrelenting, often at times saying exactly what the sensible side of me is thinking, pointing out the absurdity in every scenario. Every time he was on screen I was waiting for his reaction to it. He genuinely didn't have a bad line, or a groaner of a joke. They clearly spent time making sure he is a real funny, pain in the ass character. Meanwhile Sub-Zero is that darkness I mentioned earlier. His appearances on screen are chilling (pun totally intended) and he casts a shadow of doom on any scene he walks in on. You learn to dread his arrival at any location, and I love that. Too many villains are bland nowadays, which is insane because don't we all love a good villain?
Is it perfect? Fuck no. There are jumps in logic after all. And the film's fastpaced attitude means that you may forget or not care about some characters. A couple of the fights shot in the dark are TOO dark, and I couldn't tell what was happening. Also, if you're not a fan of the game, a lot of what happens will probably go right over your head, but that's what I love about this. The vision that Simon has had for this film is so clear. It's an adaptation of 'Mortal Kombat', and it shouldn't try to be anything more than that. It's not trying to make the original material clever or nuanced, and rightly so because 'Mortal Kombat' isn't. It's a gory, beat 'em up, button basher game of the best kind, and it deserves to be treated with the same love and attention that the game designers gave it.
Oh, and those characters that die? Well, if this is how they die in this franchise, then they went out superbly. However, given that the characters didn't stay dead in the games...I'm personally not counting them out just yet. Not a flawless victory but certainly a knock-out of film for me and gave me a smile bigger than Mileena.
By Jay Burdett @ProJub
Tweet at us @talknerdyuk
Or Email us [email protected]
Is it perfect? Fuck no. There are jumps in logic after all. And the film's fastpaced attitude means that you may forget or not care about some characters. A couple of the fights shot in the dark are TOO dark, and I couldn't tell what was happening. Also, if you're not a fan of the game, a lot of what happens will probably go right over your head, but that's what I love about this. The vision that Simon has had for this film is so clear. It's an adaptation of 'Mortal Kombat', and it shouldn't try to be anything more than that. It's not trying to make the original material clever or nuanced, and rightly so because 'Mortal Kombat' isn't. It's a gory, beat 'em up, button basher game of the best kind, and it deserves to be treated with the same love and attention that the game designers gave it.
Oh, and those characters that die? Well, if this is how they die in this franchise, then they went out superbly. However, given that the characters didn't stay dead in the games...I'm personally not counting them out just yet. Not a flawless victory but certainly a knock-out of film for me and gave me a smile bigger than Mileena.
By Jay Burdett @ProJub
Tweet at us @talknerdyuk
Or Email us [email protected]