Finish Him!

The"Mortal Kombat" reboot is a blood-soaked endeavor jam-packed full of the violence hardcore fans have come to know and love, but fails to offer much else

As one of the most successful video game franchises in history, it was inevitable "Mortal Kombat" would make the leap to the big screen. First, there was its eponymous feature film debut in 1995. While far from being a home run with critics, it was a box office hit, raking in over $122 million against a $18 million dollar budget. A sequel, "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation" followed in 1997 and was neither well-liked by critics or audiences and wasn't financially successful. Consequently, a second sequel was shelved and the future of the film franchise plunged into development hell, with only two short-lived series and an animated movie being produced in the meantime. Now, nearly 26 years after its first theatrical foray, the titular death tournament is back and this time, all of its glorious gore has been restored. Does the new "Mortal Kombat" score a flawless victory over its predecessor? Not quite.

The story follows Cole Young (Lewis Tan), a new character to the Mortal Kombat lore. Cole is a washed-up cage fighter with a destiny greater than he would have ever imagined. He's sought out by Jackson Briggs (Mechad Brooks), who tells him his "birthmark" (which suspiciously looks like the franchise's logo) is actually a marker, signifying him as one of Earth's champions. These champions are selected to compete in a tournament with the fate of the world at stake. To prevent any possible opposition, sorcerer Shang Tsung (Chin Han) sends his warriors, chief among them being Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim), to track and kill those with the marking. Cole teams with Sonia Blade (Jessica McNamee) and Kano (Josh Lawson) to find Raiden's temple and unite with other fighters to stand against Shang Tsung's forces. Unbeknownst to Cole, his lineage is also at the center of a centuries-old vendetta and prophecy that could be the key to shifting the balance of power.

"Mortal Kombat" certainly delivers on its promises of increased carnage. While over-the-top violence is a series staple, it was noticeably absent from both previous live-action installments, as they were PG-13. This film's director, Simon McQuiod, teased it would have buckets of blood on more than one occasion and he's undeniably a man of his word. Brutality is on display in full force, but after a strong opening, the movie never fully regains its footing. The backstory of Scorpion is tragic and even with sparse bits of dialogue, Hiroyuki Sanada establishes him as a force to be reckoned with. Aside from Lawson's surprisingly spirited turn as Kano, who's full of comedic charisma, every other character is forgettable. This includes the ever-popular Liu Kang (Ludi Lin) and Tam's Cole Young. Despite its cheesiness, the 1995 iteration had a measure of charm, which is something this version sorely lacks. Its production values are higher and its serious approach to the material serves it well, but it struggles to deliver any memorable character beats or setpieces. Sure, most of the fight scenes have appropriately gruesome endings, but editing robs them of their effectiveness. That's a shame considering how talented actors like Sanada and Taslim are as martial artists. There are flashes of greatness, but the script (penned by Greg Russo and Dave Callaham) doesn't do the cast any favors. If you're in the mood to watch some combatants meet their demise with extreme prejudice, this will certainly do the trick. However, if you're not already a fan of the series, there won't be much here to grab your attention. It's not bad so much as it is unremarkable; a fate, perhaps, worse than death. C+