In a year packed with video game movie adaptations,Mortal Kombatbears the load of being first, at least untilUnchartedcomes out this summer andResident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon Citydrops in November. However, with the movie premiering internationally before landing in the United States, the firstMortal Kombatreviews are already in.
Mortal Kombathas a lot going for it when compared to other franchises attempting the video game to cinema transition, not the least being a simpler story than what other games bring to the table. After all, in its early beginnings,Mortal Kombatwas all about getting a bunch of fighters in the same place to beat each other to death, something that theMortal Kombatmovie seems to have nailedaccording to its pre-release fight teaser and comments from critics.
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On a different note, the inclusion of Cole Young as a newcomer character completely foreign toMortal Kombatgame fans doesn’t seem to have rubbed anyone the wrong way, as most reviewers claim the protagonists fit in just fine with the rest of Earthrealm’s gang. This was echoed by A’bidah Zaid fromGeek Culture, who also praisedMortal Kombat’simpeccable costume design, especially for Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Kung Lao.
Yahoo! News Singapore’sBryan Tan called the film a gory masterpiece that definitely caters more toMortal Kombatfans than those not too familiar with the series, but overall, there’s almost universal acclaim for the film’s action without any major storytelling flaws that hinder its enjoyment.Mortal Kombatalso hints at a potential sequel in its final scenes, so Warner Bros. will be carefully watching how it performs in the coming weeks.
IfMortal Kombattruly delivers an entertaining burst of gore, finely crafted kombat sequences, andanother memorable techno themethen the movie is definitely honoring its video game legacy. With shows likeThe WitcherandSonic The Hedgehog’ssecond movie already planned, perhaps the days of lackluster video game adaptations could be gone for good.
Mortal Kombatwill be available in theaters and on HBO Max starting June 16, 2025.
