Review of Mortal Kombat (2021) by Shohoku — 23 Apr 2021

It's fun to watch, but I would say the movie could get a better direction and casting. What probably appeals to MK fans, is the gore, finishing moves, and special effects, but that's a given, considering the advancement in the sfx.

The story itself is decent, logical enough for a videogame plot. With the exception of a few characters like Hanzo, Bi Han, Kano and Shang Tsung, acting is abysmal. The rests feel like a B movie actors, and the bad script surely doesn't help.

Not sure why they picked Simon McQuoid to direct a fighting movie such as this, and it shows. The only good fighting sequence is shown at the first seven minutes (available in youtube). They underutilize of having Joe Taslim here, because we know what he's capable of, given the right fight choreography.

Most of the other actors seems like they need to train another year to make the fight sequence believable. And for god sake, couldn't they use camera trick to make the movement seems faster like kungfu flick? They move hella slow for chosen warriors.

All in all I so wish this would be a hit, commercially and critically. Now I'm not so sure.