It has been almost a quarter of a century since the last Mortal Kombat movie was released to almost universal derision, so fans of the franchise have been awaiting the latest instalment with excitement and also some trepidation. The movie smashed through predicted box office takings in its opening weekend, and audiences and critics have been generous in their praise for the reboot.
The video game has been around since 1992, and became an instant classic – so much so that the first movie was released just three years later. As well as the exhilaratingly brutal fights, Mortal Kombat featured memorable characters and a fleshed-out backstory and lore. As part of such a beloved franchise, how does the newest chapter compare to the original game? We take a look at what has changed.
We have a new lead character
In order to appeal to both die-hard fans and newcomers, the makers of the new MK movie employed a clever device – a brand new lead character. Cole Young is an MMA fighter with blood links to some of the established characters in the series, but his presence as an outsider allows him to act as a stand-in for the audience. Plot lines and back stories can be explained through Cole, thus avoiding obvious exposition. It’s a neat trick, but Cole is also a good character in his own right, ably portrayed by Lewis Tan.
Could Mortal Kombat inspire a new slot soon?
One tie-in that the MK series has not as yet explored is a branded new online slot, but could this be on the cards soon? There is no word as yet, but the signs could be promising. For a start, next year will be the 25th anniversary of the game, so we can expect a flurry of different promotional content. Perhaps a new retro slot game to commemorate its earliest incarnation, which many fans would welcome. The MK movie series is in the Warner Brothers stable, also home to the DC comics movies. Since there are a lot of official DC slot games at several new slot sites, there is hope that we could be seeing a new MK-inspired slot game before too long.
We are introduced to Arcana
An issue that has divided fans and critics is the introduction of the concept of Arcana. The original video game and movies didn’t have a singular explanation for the characters’ various powers, but the new movie has changed that. Arcana is explained as a superpower that can be unlocked by fighting, and is bestowed upon those who bear the dragon birth mark. It’s a tidy way of bringing all the powers together under one umbrella, but many fans feel that this explanation was unnecessary.
Johnny Cage is missing
Of the seven original playable avatars, six appear in the movie. Notably absent is Johnny Cage, the popular action movie star often portrayed as the comic relief. In the 2021 movie, screenwriter Greg Russo claims that there was no room for Cage due to Kano’s comedic turn. According to insiders, Josh Lawson’s performance as Kano was so good that they wanted to focus more on his character; if Cage had been there then he would not have had the screen time that such a beloved hero is due. Never fear, if there is a sequel (and the signs are good) then it has been heavily hinted that Cage will make an appearance.
There is no tournament
Always central to the storyline of MK has been the tournament between Outworld and Earthrealm. That doesn’t happen in this movie, but again there appears to be a good reason for it. A tournament is coming, but the movie is set during the build-up to the event. Much of the plot revolves around the attempts of villainous sorcerer Shang Tsung’s attempts to destroy Earth’s champions before it starts. This is clearly part of the setup for the second movie, where we may expect to see the actual tournament go ahead. Never fear, there is still plenty of ferocious action and carnage in the movie, which is no less than we would expect from MK.
The movie stays true to most characters
The changes to the characters and storylines are for the most part simply minor tweaks, often to make the story more cinematic. Existing fans should be pleased with the way that the protagonists have been brought to the screen, with most of them resembling their video game counterparts very closely. The fighting scenes are suitably gory and action-packed, and the kill scenes are sure to satisfy gamers with how close they are to the game version. Video game movies have had uneven success over the years, but there is plenty to suggest that this new version of Mortal Kombat may be one of the best additions to the genre.
Hi! I’m Bryan, and I’m a passionate & expert writer with more than five years of experience. I have written about various topics such as product descriptions, travel, cryptocurrencies, and online gaming in my writing journey. The latter is one of my favorites topics, and you can find some of my premium casino content at OUSC.
