Mortal Kombat

What is it?

Mortal Kombat is a live action reboot of the iconic video game franchise of the same name. The film focuses on Cole Young – a washed up MMA fighter who has a mysterious dragon insignia branded on his chest. Cole is tracked down by Jax Briggs and Sonja Blade who want to know more about the insignia. Sonja is holding a mercenary named Kano captive who also happens to be branded with the insignia. Fortunately they find Lord Raiden, Liu Kang and Kung Lao before long. Liu Kang and Kung Lao are preparing the Earthrealm for its biggest challenge yet. The Outworld sorcerer Shang Tsung is seeking to enslave the Earthrealm by killing all its fighters before the next tournament. Cole’s heritage may hold the key to defeating Shang Tsung and his merciless warrior Sub-Zero.

What to expect

Mortal Kombat is an entertaining live-action adaptation of the iconic video game franchise. It introduces a new heroic character to the Mortal Kombat universe and captures the origin stories of some of its established stars.

Whilst the games have generally been classified as R18 in New Zealand, older teenagers are likely to be aware of the content and the fantastical context of the film will further mitigate the impact on this audience. The film also lacks the interactivity of the games which tends to amplify the impact and effect. Furthermore, older teenagers will have already been exposed to other films and shows with material similar to that seen in this film.