New era, new film… Difficult to imagine seeing to accept for many fans of the first hour who do not imagine a new version of Mortal Kombat without the legendary Christophe Lambert who played the role of Raiden in the 1995 version. However, this new version of Mortal Kombat de Simon McQuoid produced by James Wan will be available for digital purchase from May 12 but is already in theaters in the United States may well surprise early fans.
MORTAL KOMBAT: BETWEEN CINEMA AND VIDEO GAMES, A REAL WAITING!
For neophytes, Mortal Kombat it is a real epic that began with a video game sold in 1992 on arcade machines. Despite the criticism and reluctance of the time by a Puritan elite, the game was a real success and the “gore” aspect made it a real “hit” unmissable. Many successful sequels will follow with a story that develops and continues to develop recently with the latest game: Mortal Kombat 11 released in 2019.
Known as a successful video game, Mortal Kombat can also be adapted in the form of animated films, films, novels or even comics. In 1995, Paul WS Anderson makes the first film Mortal Kombat produced by New Line Cinema. Considered by many fans as a reference film on the world of the famous video game, it has aged badly over time and only those in their thirties remember the trance that the opening music of the original Mortal Kombat could provide. . The second opus, " Mortal Kombat: Final Destruction ”Released in 1997 will instead be a film disaster that does not even deserve that we dwell on it.
When you think of Mortal Kombat, you can't just say " it's a simple fighting game ". Indeed, the universe is vast there, the characters have their own story, links between them and we find a real chronology that cannot be put aside. And we can clearly say that the risk is in releasing a new film on a game series that has grown over time. Today, the universe of Mortal Kombat is no longer that of the first opus, we find ourselves with a complex story that would rather be closer to what we know with DC Comics or Marvel. Taking the bet to launch a “Mortal Kombat” in 2021 is a big deal because no one will be able to forgive a mistake in the story, in the details or even in the casting.
MORTAL KOMBAT: BETWEEN FEAR, DOUBTS AND HOPE!
MORTAL KOMBAT (2021)
Director : Simon McQuoid
SYNOPSIS
Cole Young is a failed mixed martial art fighter who is hunted down by the Lin-Kuei Sub-Zero clan assassin. Wanting to know the reasons for this hunt and to protect his family, he goes in search of the fighters who have been chosen to defend the Earth Kingdom in the battle that opposes them to the forces of the Other World.
FILMING INFORMATION
When it comes out, the film industry is heavily affected by the pandemic, so it is benefiting from a simultaneous theatrical release and on the HBO Max service in the United States. In the rest of the world, it benefits from a traditional cinema release but strongly impacted by the closure of many cinemas around the world.
OUR OPINION ON THE FILM
I cannot begin this review without specifying that I am a fan of video games, films and other productions. Mortal Kombat for over 25 years now. This is an important detail because for this film, the vision of an average spectator will not be able to have the same trajectory as that of a fan of the genre. If the 1995 version was muscular, energetic and humorous, it has deteriorated over time, especially in the performance of special effects.
In this new 2021 version, we land directly in Japan with the story that links Hanzo Hasashi (who will become the famous “Scorpion”) and Bi-Han (who will become “Sub-Zero). Indeed, without making the epilogue of 20 years of Mortal Kombat universe, there is a real fratricidal duel between the Lin-Kuei clan (that of Sub-Zero) and the clan Shirai Ryu (that of Scorpion). It is therefore not surprising that the film starts with such an important part of the history of the series. The small "problem" for fans of the genre will probably lie in the lack of detail given in this scene which has the main interest of bringing an element yet absent from the history of the video game: Cole Young.
Character invented for the occasion of the film, Cole Young is the central character of the film which can clearly confuse the spectator who expected to see Liu Kang on the front of the stage. A surprising choice, such as not including "Johnny Cage", a key character from the first saga and from the game itself. We also find Kano, eternal enemy of Sonya Blade with an astonishing role since it allies itself with the forces of the ground at the beginning of this new film… So much information which will not surprise a spectator who does not know the universe of the game but which will make the most assiduous fans of Mortal Kombat jump.
However, you have to see the film to its end to fully understand that this vision of Mortal Kombat must be done through several films. The absences and the questions that one can ask oneself during the film find for the most part answers once arrived at the epilogue. For my part, I have a lot of curiosity about the potential sequels that will be offered, the main question will be to see if the wait will be up to the announced ambition.
Casting side, it is clearly a success! In addition to having physical resemblances to the characters, the actors present are for the most part well entered in their roles. Only downside to Raiden of course that fans will not be able to forget when he was played by Christophe Lambert (and his mythical laugh). Picky and realistic, the detail is present at the level of the characters! We find the flagship techniques of each as well as the cult replicas of the video game, the costumes are successful and we particularly appreciate the work that has been done on Prince Goro (in synthetic images).
Regarding the atmosphere, we find a bloody film, explosive with many energetic fights and fatalities. The disappointment will clearly be that of not finding the “tournament” as we knew it in the first opus, but in my opinion, this film is neither more nor less than a prequel which leads to various sequels. Special effects, successful framing, we don't get bored in this film even if I also understand that we can be disappointed by a certain lack of "soul" and humor very present in the version of Paul WS Anderson. The soundtrack is not unforgettable even if we find a real panoply of sounds supporting the brutality of the fights, I personally appreciated the return of the soundtrack of 1995 at the end of the film which brings a certain energy and a panache. Should it have been used throughout the film? Probably in my opinion.
Clearly, difficult to remain insensitive to this new installment of Mortal Kombat. He was eagerly awaited by the fans and after analysis it remains a small success for me! Throughout the film, we find ourselves in doubt, we wonder if the story will be respected and if the characters will be up to it. However, the only valid question is: What will they propose after this first opus? It is with the release of a next film that we can really judge the credibility and interest of this one. The general public will appreciate this film as a good moment of energetic relaxation and fans will probably stay on their toes wondering if the sequel will live up to it. The failure of "Mortal Kombat: Final Destruction" must clearly give the director and the production pause. According to some sources, 5 films are planned for the moment on the Mortal Kombat epic, let's just hope that the sequels will make this universe a must-see like the series offered by Marvel or DC Comics.
THE FILM'S RATING
