‘Mortal Kombat II’ Surrounds a Sarcastically Stellar Karl Urban With Total Action Absurdity 

Alci Rengifo

Sometimes there will be a curious case of syzygy, when actors giving it their all are placed in a movie that is an otherwise throwaway entertainment. “Mortal Kombat II” is a slightly better sequel to 2021’s “Mortal Kombat,” a grittier reboot of the film franchise based on the famously bloody video game. But this is still not a good movie. You can only do so much with such a one-dimensional plot thread. Yet, it is better shot, with stronger action sequences and a performance by Karl Urban that has the kind of scruffy wit missing from the rest of the production. 

A challenge with any “Mortal Kombat” movie is that the storylines really just revolve around one premise used as an excuse for the combat. After a quick prologue explaining how Kitana (Adeline Rudolph), princess of Edenia, saw her world shattered by Outworld warlord Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) before the tyrant adopted her, we learn that, surprise, Kahn has designs on conquering Earthrealm (meaning our world). Lightning god Raiden (Tadanobu Asano) gathers the fighters from the last movie, including Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), Jax (Mehcad Brooks) and Cole Young (Lewis Tan) to figure out what to do. They need another strong fighter to engage in Mortal Kombat with Kahn’s minions and save Earth. The best candidate is Johnny Cage (Urban), a washed-up action star sliding into depression over the fading of his career. Johnny is of course baffled at the appearance of people in martial arts clothing with superpowers, but before long he’s facing off with Outworld threats.

What else is there to say about the plot? If you are walking in expecting a “Mortal Kombat” movie then that is precisely what you will get. This one at least reverses the franchise’s original screen trajectory. The first adaptation of the game was released in 1995 as a guilty pleasure romp by Paul W.S. Anderson, which was followed by the infamously bad “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.” The tables have turned and now the sequel is superior to its predecessor on multiple levels. Director Simon McQuoid, who directed the 2021 movie, and writer Jeremy Slater add more self-aware humor. They use Johnny Cage as the satirical spirit who lightens up what last time was such a gloomy experience. One almost wishes the movie stayed in the tone used to introduce Johnny as we see him star in ridiculously macho action movies, then sitting bored at a convention surrounded by posters modeled after ‘90s hits like “Mission: Impossible.” 

Another source of comic relief is Kano (Josh Lawson), a fan favorite villain killed off in the last movie but resurrected through some Outworld occultism in the sequel. Lawson clearly enjoys playing the politically incorrect loudmouth with the laser eye. Everyone else pretty much stays serious as battles ensue where the game’s gore is once again brought to life with plenty of “fatalities” involving impaling, shredded skeletons and bodies left with holes we can see the other side through. Characters known to players like Jade (Tati Gabrielle), Kitana’s loyal bodyguard, are pushed to the background. Grotesquely funny Baraka (CJ Bloomfield) gets some goofy one-liners before also disappearing into the plot’s ether. As expected, most of the movie is pretty much Johnny and everyone else uttering some famous phrases from the movie, fight, then run off and fight some more. Urban shines above it all with his cynical edge, making the comedy work when he’s told he should know how to fight since, hey, he’s an actor.

Other than that, “Mortal Kombat II” is just fine to look at with its production design that offers some vast landscapes of apocalyptic vistas, convincingly menacing palaces or stony terrains where people fight (what else?). Cinematographer Stephen F. Windon tries to find elegant choices where he can. There is also no miscasting here and Adeline Rudolph is so convincing as Kitana that she should front more and better action films. While the music by Benjamin Wallfisch provides the necessary drive, it is curious that the filmmakers insist on taking so long to let the classic “Mortal Kombat” theme song play. No intro in these new movies has yet to surpass the pumped up opening of the ’95 movie with the game’s logo backed by the theme’s pulsating beat. This could all be a case of demanding too much when “Mortal Kombat II” still succeeds in churning out a movie faithful to the spirit of its source material. It is not a universal cup of tea, but its core target audience might be satisfied before returning to play the game.

“Mortal Kombat II” releases May 8 in theaters nationwide.