MORTAL KOMBAT Reboot from New Line (TBD) 0

[paperheart]

unsurprising;  it's garbage

https://www.metacritic.com/movie/mortal-kombat-2021?ref=hp

[Bosco685]

Just finished. That was fun!

And there is a little surprise in the end to answer the question "Where is XXXXXX XXXX?"

[fantastic_four]

I thought the 1995 film was the best video game film up to that point.  Not great, just entertaining and not horribly bad like video game-based films up to that point had been.  The fighting sequences were great and the techno soundtrack was superb.  I still listen to the main theme as a part of my workout playlist.  Plenty of cheese in it, plenty of camp, plenty to hate, but overall enjoyable if you ignored the cheese.

Reviews thus far look mixed, but close enough to the original also-mixed reviews to give it a shot.  The entire concept of Mortal Kombat is fairly ridiculous so this was was never going to be a film most critics would enjoy.  Half of them disliking it is no surprise, but close to half of the rest enjoying it suggests there's something there to see if you're already at all partial to the game.  I never liked the game all that much--I far prefer Tekken and Street Fighter--but I like the genre, so I'm at the periphery of the core audience.

Edited April 23, 2021 by fantastic_four

[Sauce Dog]

Man, I was sooo excited for this...and it was so disappointing. The entire movie had two expectations of it from me; good fights and a bombastic soundtrack, yet it failed on both fronts. Visually it looked good (minus Raiden's temple), but that isn't ever enough to save a bad movie. 

The fights in theory were decent, but the editing (lots of medium shots cutting the fighters off at the waist, and far too many cuts) really did a disservice to a talented cast who clearly knew what they were doing when it came to fighting.

The specific editing/pacing choice that really stuck out to me was when they all split up to fight different opponents, it kept cutting back and forth between the scenes. Good fight scenes need to have focus, and allow us to follow the 'dance' in order to build up to a satisfactory KO - not cut away after a hit or two to another totally different fight (especially if the action direction isn't moving in the same direction or speed). The impact of these fights were also deflated by a very forgetful and generic score. The original movie, however you want to regard it, at least offered unique music with each of the main fight set pieces (helping to make each battle feel iconic), however here we had the same generic music playing over many fights at the same time (with only a quick 1 or 2 second clip of the MK theme or techno track that hint at something that could have been).

The Cole character and dynamic wasn't as bad as I was expecting, so that was a good surprise (though I honestly was thinking the entire surprise was going to be that his family WOULD die at the end, and as soon as he realized it, his own anger toward Sub-Zero hits a peak while his blood mixed with the blade. This is what would result in summoning Scorpion forth but rather through his own body from hell - as if his own heritage/blood was Scorpions entire escape plan from hell. Basically I was thinking he would explode and reveal Scorpion back for revenge. Rather we just had him 'appear' suddenly without much fanfare)

Wasn't the worst thing (it's a solid 'meh' movie), but such a disappointment due to having to exist in the shadow of both its iconic camp predecessor, and the many other modern action movies which raised the standard on how to shoot combat. 
 

Edited April 24, 2021 by Sauce Dog

[Sauce Dog]

I will say it did manage to have the most accurate video-game moment of all the movies ever; Liu Kang spamming the leg sweep, only for Kano to ask him if that's the only move he knows.

That's something we've all said or been accused of at one point.

[fantastic_four]

1 hour ago, Sauce Dog said:

Wasn't the worst thing (it's a solid 'meh' movie), but such a disappointment due to having to exist in the shadow of both its iconic camp predecessor, and the many other modern action movies which raised the standard on how to shoot combat. 

Yep, solid "meh," but I generally enjoyed it and am glad I saw it.  I enjoyed all of the fighting scenes more than enough for it to keep my attention, but I was getting bored whenever they delved into the story elements during the first half.  Overall the fight scenes in this one were better than the 1995 film.

The 1995 film's campy take was better.  Taking the terrible MK storyline as seriously as this film did just makes it share in its terrible-ness.  And the soundtrack on this one was FAR inferior to the original.  That one beat played during the fighting sequences was good, but not as good as the original film's theme.  The 1995 theme is still such a great song.

 

[Bosco685]

7 hours ago, Sauce Dog said:

Man, I was sooo excited for this...and it was so disappointing. The entire movie had two expectations of it from me; good fights and a bombastic soundtrack, yet it failed on both fronts. Visually it looked good (minus Raiden's temple), but that isn't ever enough to save a bad movie. 

The Cole character and dynamic wasn't as bad as I was expecting, so that was a good surprise (though I honestly was thinking the entire surprise was going to be that his family WOULD die at the end, and as soon as he realized it, his own anger toward Sub-Zero hits a peak while his blood mixed with the blade. This is what would result in summoning Scorpion forth but rather through his own body from hell - as if his own heritage/blood was Scorpions entire escape plan from hell. Basically I was thinking he would explode and reveal Scorpion back for revenge. Rather we just had him 'appear' suddenly without much fanfare)

I agree there were more than a few slow spots in the film. But I also recognized the director was trying to build out the backstory than making it all about just the video game fight influences only.

But reading your assumptions of how Cole would play out may have set this up to be disappointing for you. Hate to see that happen.

We'll see if this gets a chance to continue the story.

[media_junkie]

6 hours ago, fantastic_four said:

Yep, solid "meh," but I generally enjoyed it and am glad I saw it.  I enjoyed all of the fighting scenes more than enough for it to keep my attention, but I was getting bored whenever they delved into the story elements during the first half.  Overall the fight scenes in this one were better than the 1995 film.

The 1995 film's campy take was better.  Taking the terrible MK storyline as seriously as this film did just makes it share in its terrible-ness.  And the soundtrack on this one was FAR inferior to the original.  That one beat played during the fighting sequences was good, but not as good as the original film's theme.  The 1995 theme is still such a great song.

 

After all these years since seeing the first Mortal Combat movie I still grin from ear to ear listening to that song.

[Sauce Dog]

2 hours ago, Bosco685 said:

I agree there were more than a few slow spots in the film. But I also recognized the director was trying to build out the backstory than making it all about just the video game fight influences only.

But reading your assumptions of how Cole would play out may have set this up to be disappointing for you. Hate to see that happen.

We'll see if this gets a chance to continue the story.

The backstory building was fairly good and it was clear they wanted to go a little slow to build a franchise, however I felt the world building it did try to do was a little awkward (I think most of the lore about the tournament was info-dumped by Sonya to Cole within a quick 30 second conspiracy theory sounding rant).

The Cole stuff was just how it felt the direction the movie was going as it entered the third act (especially when his 'power shirt' started to replicate Scorpions own armour) but alas, I guess the studio wanted to keep their new character alive for a few more movies. Going in I think most of us were already hesitant with the Cole character, and while he wasn't the disappointment I thought he would be it still felt like a lost opportunity to do something very unexpected.

Edited April 24, 2021 by Sauce Dog

[fantastic_four]

Was the Cole character based upon anyone from any of the games?

[fantastic_four]

Haven't paid much attention to video game movies for the last 25 years.  Have any truly good ones ever been made, or are they all mediocre?  Looked at a few lists and they mostly all look mediocre.  Highest-ranked one on Rotten Tomatoes is Angry Birds 2 at 73%.

[Sauce Dog]

25 minutes ago, fantastic_four said:

Was the Cole character based upon anyone from any of the games?

Nope, he's 100% new and from what I recall was the result of studio demands. 

[Bosco685]

2 hours ago, fantastic_four said:

Was the Cole character based upon anyone from any of the games?

 

1 hour ago, Sauce Dog said:

Nope, he's 100% new and from what I recall was the result of studio demands. 

Exactly! He was created as a unique character so it didn't feel like the movie was just throwing traditional game personalities at us.

I'm not sure about the 'studio demand' part. I think was the showrunners for a reason.

WHO IS COLE YOUNG? MORTAL KOMBAT STAR EXPLAINS HIS NEW CHARACTER

Quote

WHY DID MORTAL KOMBAT CREATE COLE YOUNG?

As we’ve previously reported, Cole Young was invented for several helpful reasons. Primarily, Cole helps the confusing mythology of Mortal Kombat be accessible to a wider audience.

 

“That’s the problem with Mortal Kombat,” producer Todd Garner told Inverse in March. “It’s so complicated. Cole asks the questions, ‘Who? What’s happening?’ and he gets the answers.”

 

With a new character, the filmmakers also had the freedom to do whatever they wanted with Cole Young, instead of changing beloved characters like Liu Kang. “There’s no character I could take and dust off and give a new backstory,” Garner said. “We needed somebody to completely manipulate, so there’s not 30 years of people going ‘You can’t do that.’”

 

Co-screenwriter Greg Russo, who is credited with Dave Callaham, wrote the latest draft of Mortal Kombat and injected his lifelong love for the games into the movie. Russo did not invent Cole Young, nor was it his idea for the movie to have him as an audience vehicle.

 

“It was something the studio wanted,” Russo tells Inverse. “The new protagonist was an idea loaded in prior to my involvement.”

 

[Bosco685]

Audiences at the theater gave the film a B+ CinemaScore, which is good (not super - not horrible). For an R-Rated film that's about where you want to be.

R-Rated films such as Stephen King's IT Chapter 1 and Joker and even Mad Max: Fury Road all received B+ CinemaScores.

Edited April 24, 2021 by Bosco685

[Sauce Dog]

32 minutes ago, Bosco685 said:

 

Exactly! He was created as a unique character so it didn't feel like the movie was just throwing traditional game personalities at us.

I'm not sure about the 'studio demand' part. I think was the showrunners for a reason.

WHO IS COLE YOUNG? MORTAL KOMBAT STAR EXPLAINS HIS NEW CHARACTER

 

It's a very odd justification though, as you don't see Marvel/DC movies inventing outright brand new superhero characters so people won't get overloaded by traditional comic personalities (especially when in the end Cole was just like the rest, except with actual literal plot armour).

Here is the writer talking about the mandate for Cole:
https://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/mortal-kombat-screenwriter-cole-youngs-inclusion-studiomandated/

Thinking about it now, they should’ve just made the focus Sonya Blade. She already has a built in plot in the movie (rounding up fighters) and her own arc (wanting to be a chosen fighter and struggling to get her mark). The actress was also much much better in her role than Cole. She also had emotional connection & chemistry to other characters in the film (Jax, Kano) and if they wanted a family connection to keep her grounded that would have been easily enough to implement (either as actual family or more of her army 'family' being in danger). She was also likewise one of the few characters without powers initially, and accomplishes the same thing as Cole overall (and let's be honest, we would much rather have Sonya go to Hollywood to find Johnny)

Edited April 24, 2021 by Sauce Dog

[Bosco685]

14 minutes ago, Sauce Dog said:

It's a very odd justification though, as you don't see Marvel/DC movies inventing outright brand new superhero characters so people won't get overloaded by traditional comic personalities (especially when in the end Cole was just like the rest, except with actual literal plot armour).

Here is the writer talking about the mandate for Cole:
https://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/mortal-kombat-screenwriter-cole-youngs-inclusion-studiomandated/

Thinking about it now, they should’ve just made the focus Sonya Blade. She already has a built in plot in the movie (rounding up fighters) and her own arc (wanting to be a chosen fighter and struggling to get her mark). The actress was also much much better in her role than Cole. She also had emotional connection & chemistry to other characters in the film (Jax, Kano) and if they wanted a family connection to keep her grounded that would have been easily enough to implement (either as actual family or more of her army 'family' being in danger). She was also likewise one of the few characters without powers initially, and accomplishes the same thing as Cole overall (and let's be honest, we would much rather have Sonya go to Hollywood to find Johnny)

You reference WE GOT THIS COVERED as a factual site? No offense. Look elsewhere.

I was okay with Cole, and at the beginning of the movie when the baby gets hidden it dawned on me how they were going to use that in the story. Especially when Lord Raiden showed up.

[Sauce Dog]

25 minutes ago, Bosco685 said:

You reference WE GOT THIS COVERED as a factual site? No offense. Look elsewhere.

I was okay with Cole, and at the beginning of the movie when the baby gets hidden it dawned on me how they were going to use that in the story. Especially when Lord Raiden showed up.

The post was literally like every other article, sourced from screenwriter Greg Russo's interview with Inverse. Who cares where it was posted to as so long as you check the sources yourself (which are right there. If you don't want to actually follow the source and just discard it outright suit yourself).  

 

[Bosco685]

3 hours ago, Sauce Dog said:

The post was literally like every other article, sourced from screenwriter Greg Russo's interview with Inverse. Who cares where it was posted to as so long as you check the sources yourself (which are right there. If you don't want to actually follow the source and just discard it outright suit yourself).  

 

Easy. I'm not attacking your views. But the We Got This Covered site many times is like The Onion on the fantasy film community. They post EVERYONE is getting a movie.

 

[Bosco685]

Quote

In short, while the critics aren't impressed, fans of the fighting game franchise are seemingly loving it, but what do series' creators John Tobias and Ed Boon think of the new movie?

 

Well, Boon, who still works on the series as a creative director at NetherRealm Studios, hasn't said a word about the movie. He only acknowledged its existence for the first time yesterday. For some, his silence is pretty telling.

 

Meanwhile, Tobias -- who doesn't actively work on the series anymore -- has talked about the movie a little bit in the past, but not a ton. In other words, while he hasn't been as silent as Boon, he's not out and about actively promoting it either. However, he did tweet about it today, though he didn't divulge any actual opinion about the reboot.

 

In the tweet, Tobias notes that the crew and cast put a lot of "blood, sweat, and tears" into the movie before wishing everyone involved congratulations.

 

[Namtak]

On 4/23/2021 at 4:41 PM, Bosco685 said:

Just finished. That was fun!

And there is a little surprise in the end to answer the question "Where is XXXXXX XXXX?"

Wait what there was something at the end of credit @$%$#^%,missed it.good movie goro a little disapointing,cole characther not a fan the rest was great.but there is no tournament wtf?