“Mortal Kombat” was made in response to “Street Fighter II.” It offered something very different from the animated style of Street Fighter back when it released in 1992. With its more realistic approach, making use of digitized sprites, it stormed onto the fighting game scene. The inclusion of the fatalities set it apart from the rest of the fighting games of the time. While this would help bring about the ESRB (and all the other video game rating systems), it also helped establish a franchise. With at least 11 main-line games, now 3 live-action hollywood movies, an animated series, live action show, and a number of spin-off games. For a series like this to be going strong for nearly 30 years says a lot about it. It's about the brutal fights, gory fatalities, and the supernatural powers. And some decent performances, I guess.

The movie opens centuries in the past. We see Hanzo Hasashi (Hiroyuki Sanada) of the Shirai Ryu Ninja clan in Japan. Everything starts serene, with Hanzo simply living his day to day life with wife and two children (an older son and a baby daughter). While getting water, a strange dragon mark appears on his forearm. Before long, we are introduced to Bi-Han (Joe Taslim), from the Chinese Lin Kuei. He is introduced from the shadows, killing the retainers and other household staff about the Hasashi property. He comes face to face with Hanzo's wife and son after that. By the time Hanzo returns, Bi-Han has frozen his family. The two fight, with Bi-Han just emerging the victor. Before his wounds take him, Hanzo swears revenge, promising Bi-Han he will see him again. After he dies, we are introduced to a key figure, Raiden (Tadanobu Asano). He appears to claim the kunai that Hanzo used as well as take Hanzo's unnamed daughter to safety. The scene jumps here to Cole Young (Lewis Tan), the protagonist for this film. After meeting his family and participating in a fight, where is scouted by Jax (Mehcad Brooks), he gets ambushed by Sub-Zero, having the dragon mark that signifies he is a champion of Earth Realm. Jax gets him out of there, giving him an address and a name before leaving to face off against Sub-Zero. This is when the plot in the modern time genuinely starts and the ride starts its next climb for subsequent fight scenes.

When it comes to the violence and gore, time has been a friend to the series. When the first “Mortal Kombat” movie came out in 1995, the studio wanted it to be more accessible with a PG-13 rating. Which meant the violent Fatalities the series was famous for had to be toned done. Apparently back then, a PG-13 movie couldn't show a dead body, or at least killing someone. A lot of the fan base back in the 90's was younger, being mid-late teens, maybe early twenties. Now, that fan base has shifted into their thirties and forties. To do the game justice, the movie wanted a “R” rating. This time, it got it. This is a film that will offer a lot of amazing fight choreography. This meant there would lots of blood, violence, and at least a few grisly fatalities. You want broken bones? We got you. Severed limbs? Yep. Incineration? Someone ordered Hellfire. From the first fight scene at the Hasashi estate until the last blow, there is a lot of display. The movie very much takes its cues from rebooted series. The fights have a visceral nature to them with the performers in the fights themselves. While the movie does not go into the X-ray moves of the modern series, it revels in the viscera afforded by the R rating. The first 5 minutes sets this tone and the fights only build toward that goal.

Something that can displease long-time fans is in the inclusion of Cole Young. Cole is a new character for the universe of MK, created for the movie itself. While he has a time to the core roster of fighters, it takes a little bit of time for it to show. But this does allow the core players to be more who we know them to be from the game in ways. Cole only really adds to the world. He does a good job of being one thing the audience needs, a new set of eyes. It makes a lot more sense for things to be explained to him about the dragon mark, the powers that can be harnessed from it, and who these people are than anyone else. It felt a lot more organic there than say someone explaining things to Kano (who was delightfully apathetic).

It does bear mentioning, there are frequent easter eggs and nods to the games hidden in the background. Early in the movie, Jax remarks to Cole about him taking the belt from Eddie Tobais, a clever nod to the creators of the series, Ed Boon and John Tobias. The roster of characters in the film comes from all across the series. Those games it does not show much of, there are little nods to. Nightwolf appears as a picture while things are being explained to Cole. There is a lot scattered throughout the movie for those who like to hunt around for the little nods.

One thing this movie did a lot better than the earlier Mortal Kombat movies is diversify its characters. Raiden, first played by Chris Lambert is now played by  Tadanobu Asano. The two are very different in their approaches to the Lord of Thunder and to this film's benefit. More of the roster was seen overall. While there still were background characters, they were more accurately reflective of who they were in the games.

This movie was a fun time for fans of the Mortal Kombat series. All one needs to see if the red-bar trailer to get an idea of what is in store for you watching this movie. It is a delightful popcorn film, with its simple plot and amazing fights. It's not going to compete very well with the blood fountains from some of the games but it offers a solid experience.