Mortal Kombat 2s Most Exciting Update So Far Is Fixing The First Movies Worst Problem

Mortal Kombat 2 will continue the franchise with a direct sequel to the 2021 reboot, and the new movie seems to be improving upon its predecessor in a lot of ways. Mortal Kombat (2021) was the third theatrical live-action MK film and the first since 1997. As a reboot, the latest Mortal Kombat needed not only to introduce the characters and establish the lore but also set up elements that could be explored in a sequel. Surprisingly, the reboot skipped the tournament altogether, most likely saving it for the upcoming Mortal Kombat 2.

Mortal Kombat (2021) has a 55% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the best-received out of the three theatrical live-action Mortal Kombat movies. However, it was not the definitive adaptation of the video game many had been expecting ever since the franchise first jumped to the big screen in 1995. The Mortal Kombat reboot had a few problems, one of which had to do with the fight scenes. Fortunately, Mortal Kombat 2 is promising to be better in that regard.

Mortal Kombat 2’s Fights Must Be Better Than The Ones In The 2021 Movie

Mortal Kombat 2 Is Confirmed To Have More Fights Than The First Film

Speaking to Screen Rant, Mortal Kombat Jax actor Mehcad Brooks revealed that there are 27 fights in the sequel. For comparison, the 2021 Mortal Kombat had 17 fights. Brooks commented on how they “worked really hard to get [the fights] right,” which is good news for the sequel. Not only is a Mortal Kombat sequel always expected to be bigger and bolder than its predecessor regardless of the medium, but Mortal Kombat 2 needs better fights after the first film disappointed in that aspect. While the visuals and the lore were on point, Mortal Kombat’s fights could’ve been better.

Jax is in my DNA. Love him. I understand him. He’s a great guy. And in this film, you’re going to see a lot more of Jax’s personality, a lot more of his humor, a lot more of what he believes, and some really, really awesome fighting. There are 27 fights in the movie, and we worked really hard to get those right.

For example, the opening fight between Hanzo and Bi-Han should have been an exciting moment that would establish their rivalry and set the tone for the rest of the movie. However, the fight had way too many cuts that did not allow us to properly follow the choreography, thus wasting the performances of Hiroyuki Sanada and Joe Taslim. Other fights in Mortal Kombat (2021) struggled for the same reason, and by the end of the movie, seeing the Scorpion vs. Sub-Zero rematch was not even that exciting anymore. This is a problem that MK 2 must avoid.

A Mortal Kombat Movie Can Only Be As Good As Its Fights

Getting The Fights Right Is Essential For Mortal Kombat Adaptations

While the Mortal Kombat games have a very interesting lore that has helped the franchise stand out among other fighting games, a Mortal Kombat movie can only be as good as its action scenes. No matter who the villains are or what the MacGuffin of the story is, Mortal Kombat needs great fights. This included not only the fighting choreography itself but also the setting, the stakes involved, the visual effects, and last but not least, the editing and the pacing. Most fights in Mortal Kombat (2021) had just too many cuts and were very difficult to follow.

The fact that Mortal Kombat’s fights were not as great as they could have been is even more disappointing considering that the 2021 reboot got a lot of other things right. The latest Mortal Kombat live-action film was much closer to the games in terms of lore and visuals than the 1995 cult classic, even incorporating the R-rated violence that was missing from the original films. The fatalities and other special abilities also looked on point. However, none of that was as effective as it could have been due to underwhelming fighting scenes and the lack of a proper tournament.

Mortal Kombat 2 Can’t Fail The Tournament After The First Movie Skipped It

Mortal Kombat (2021) Had Separate Matches But Not A Proper Tournament

Nailing the fights is important, but Mortal Kombat 2 must also have a more engaging story than its predecessor. Mortal Kombat (2021) controversially skipped the tournament and saw Shang Tsung trying to kill the Earthrealm champions before the competition could even begin. Although Shang Tsung breaking the rules of Mortal Kombat is very common, rebooting the movie franchise without having a proper tournament was a strange decision. The film did have a few matches happening concurrently, but the stakes weren’t as high as if a real Mortal Kombat was happening.

Getting Mortal Kombat right shouldn’t be difficult given the somewhat simple nature of the games, but making “tournament films” interesting can be difficult. Mortal Kombat 2 will also have to balance a lot of characters, including not only all the returning heroes and villains but also the new champions that will appear in the sequel. Hopefully, Mortal Kombat 2 will give every character a chance to shine and have the memorable fight scenes that the first movie lacked.

The sequel to the Mortal Kombat 2021 film franchise reboot, Mortal Kombat 2, will follow the original cast and new faces as they prepare for the Mortal Kombat tournament. Cole Young and his allies will continue training and enlisting new warriors to prepare for the contest between Earthrealm and Outworld, which will determine the fate of humanity.

Director

Simon McQuoid

Studio(s)

Atomic Monster Productions , Broken Road Productions , New Line Cinema

Distributor(s)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Writers

Jeremy Slater

Cast

Martyn Ford , Desmond Chiam , Ana Thu Nguyen , Damon Herriman , Lewis Tan , Jessica McNamee , Josh Lawson , Tadanobu Asano , Mehcad Brooks , Ludi Lin , Karl Urban , Tati Gabrielle

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