![]() It serves the same narrative purpose as the opening prologue from Anderson’s version and does just as much to make fans of the game lower their guard, only now it’s 10 minutes long and so dense with pathos, portent, and unrealized potential that it feels like the start of a new cinematic universe. The sequence ends with Hanzo descending into Hell and Raiden (the great Tadanobu Asano, a bit lost behind some distracting stormcloud eyes) taking custody of the baby son that was hidden from Bi-Han. The extended duel that ensues - deceptively teasing a story about the origins of the blood feud between Scorpion and Sub-Zero - is indebted to classic martial-arts movies in a way that helps it stand out from the much less memorable fights to come, but it’s shadowed by a fresh sprig of grief and the lingering delusion of a franchise reboot that might take its deaths seriously. The lighting is idyllic, the set immaculate, and the actor playing feared swordsman turned family man Hanzo Hasashi is Hiroyuki Sanada, who’s brought a measure of steely grace to even the worst Japan-centric Hollywood movies since “The Last Samurai.” At a glance, this would be easy to mistake for an Ed Zwick period drama, and that historical sobriety doesn’t entirely disappear when the cold-blooded Bi-Han (Joe Taslim) shows up to slaughter Hanzo’s family with his CGI ice powers. Helmed by veteran commercial director Simon McQuoid, the occasionally fun but deeply misguided 2021 “Mortal Kombat” opens on a house in a serene Japanese forest circa 1617. Mortal Kombat opens in theaters and HBO Max on Friday, April 23.‘Falcon Lake’ Review: Heartbreak - and Possibly Ghosts - Lurk Under a Melancholy Summer Romance Perhaps perfunctory is more or less the word you’re seeking to describe it in toto? Regardless, a “Flawless Victory” for lifeless corporate cinema. The film lacks real formal verve, neither depicting the fights in super-coherent long-takes or frenetically edited chaos cinema it strikes a sort of middle ground. Not really trying to elevate the material with complex plotting or prestige actors was the right decision, but there comes a point where simply bearing the marks of a competent movie-say, being reasonably well-paced and unpretentious-isn’t quite enough. Lord Raiden, despite having the backing of the great Tadanobu Asano, in particular lacks characterization beyond simply having glowing eyes.īut did this writer eventually come to be lightly endeared to this ragtag group of completely unrecognizable (aside from Asano) D-list bozos spouting hackneyed dialogue? Well, a little, if only for the fact that they gave the film at least a sliver of the junk charm from the 1995 original. Otherwise you’ll maybe question why certain characters were considered so iconic in the first place. The highlight being the franchise’s baddie du jour, Sub-Zero, who’s given a real chance to shine the film, or at least its FX department, are in love with the number of ice effects they can have him dispense. They find themselves pitted against a number of fighters, ranging from those with superpowers (Sub-Zero) to four-armed green monsters (Goro). Downtrodden MMA fighter (and series newbie) Cole Young (Lewis Tan) finds himself thrust into this multi-dimensional brawl alongside a number of characters from the games-Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), Jax (Mehcad Brooks), and the exceptionally loud-mouthed comic relief Kano (Josh Lawson), one of the most annoying characters in recent cinema history. As a title crawl at the 13-minute mark informs us, a deadly monster and supervillain-friendly martial arts tournament is held between the Outworld and Earthrealm, the latter boasting a severe advantage in victories and on the edge of conquering our world. Though if you have no Mortal Kombat exposure, a little catch-up is needed. (The last time this writer checked in was the point you could fight as Freddy Krueger or Predator.) There’s a nagging feeling, while watching, that they’re waiting to up the stakes for a sequel. ![]() The long-lasting game franchise deserves something a little wackier or consistently gnarlier. Though a problem with this reboot––and perhaps this will stem from expectations––is that one doesn’t come away really wowed by the world or understanding how it spawned such a vast multimedia empire of games, movies, and comics. For a 2021 reboot the obvious opportunity comes to take advantage of an R-rating template set by 300 or Deadpool, putting the game’s trademark fatalities onscreen in all their gruesome glory. Goro, Liu-Kang, Scorpion… the gang’s all here to help revitalize the Mortal Kombat brand, which-depending on your age-might be primarily associated with the notoriously violent video game or the 1995 movie that epitomized PG-13 entertainment parents would drop their kids off at the multiplex to see on a Saturday afternoon. ![]()
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