Mortal Kombat
Release Date: 26th December 1995 - Australia
Production Companies
New Line Cinema (presents)
Threshold Entertainment
Genre: Action/Fantasy
Rating: M
Runtime: 101 minutes
Budget: $18,000,000
Box Office Gross: $124,741,822 (Worldwide)
Federal agent Sonya Blade,
Shaolin monk Liu Kang, and
action movie star Johnny
Cage are chosen by Lord
Raiden as his protégés.
After rigorous training,
Raiden transports the trio
to Outworld for an inter-
dimensional tournament.
The three humans must
battle the demonic forces
or allow him to take over
the Earth.
Cast
Christopher Lambert - Lord Raiden
Robin Shou - Liu Kang
Linden Ashby - Johnny Cage
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa - Shang Tsung
Bridgette Wilson-Sampras - Sonya Blade
Talisa Soto - Kitana
Chris Casamassa - Scorpion
Francois Petit - Sub-Zero
Keith Cooke - Reptile
Kenneth Edwards - Art Lean
John Fujioka - Chief Priest
Daniel Haggard - Assistant Director
Sandy Helberg - Director
Steven Ho - Chan
Peter Jason - Master Boyd
Lloyd Cino - Grandfather
Gregory McKinney - Jinx
Kevin Michael Richardson - Goro (Voice)
Ed Boon - Scorpion (Voice)
Crew
Based on Video Games - Ed Boon and John Tobias
Writer - Kevin Droney
Associate Producer - Lauri Apelian
Associate Producer/Visual Effects Supervisor - Alison Savitch
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager - Robert Engelman
Executive Producer - Danny
Simon
Producer - Lawrence Kasanoff
Champion, Kate Kennedy and Mark Paladini
Production Designer - Jonathan A. Carlson
Art Director - Jeremy A. Cassells
Set Decorator - Susan L. Degus
Property Master - Eugene McCarthy
Costume Designer - Ha Nguyen
Director of Photography - John R. Leonetti
Stunt Coordinator/Fight
Choreographer - Pat E. Johnson
Stunt Coordinator: Additional
Crew - Jeff Imada
Fight Choreographer: Additional
Fight Sequences, Additional
Crew - Robin Shou
Mechanical Special Effects Coordinator - Ron Trost
Goro Creature Effects/Lead Puppeteer - Alec Gillis
Goro Creature Effects - Tom Woodruff Jr.
Art Department Supervisors - Yuri Everson and Andy Schoneberg
Visual Effects Supervisor:
BVVE - Peter Montgomery
Animation Design & Supervision:
Van Tilet
Visual Effects Supervisor: R/Greenberg Associates West - Stuart Robertson
Visual Effects Supervisor: Fantasy II Film Effects - Gene Warren, Jr.
Additional Special Visual Effects: Illusion Arts - Syd Dutton and Bill Taylor
Visual Effects Executive Producers: R/Greenberg Associates West - Tricia Henry Ashford and Ralph Horan
Visual Effects Director of
Photography - Vincent E. Toto
Supervisor: BVVE - Denise Davis
Head of Digital Post Production: R/Greenberg Associates West - Tara Handy Turner
Digital Effects Supervisor: Pacific Title - David Sosalla
Production Coordinators: R/Greenberg Associates West - Craig Sost and Craig A. Mumma
Special Projects Supervisor: BVVE - Wally Schaab
CG Supervisor: R/Greenberg Associates West - Isa Alsup
CG Supervisors: BVVE - Aaron Campbell
and David Jones
Digital Matte Paintings and Conceptual Art:
R/Greenberg Associates West - Michael Lloyd
Matte Paintings: BVVE - Paul Lasaine
Model Supervisor: Grant McCune Design -
Grant McCune
Editor - Martin Hunter
Additional Editors - Peter Amundson and
Scott Conrad
Supervising Sound Editor/ADR Editor -
Marc Fishman
Sound Designer - David Farmer
Re-Recording Mixers - Ken Teaney and
William Freesh
Special Vocal Effects - Frank Welker
Music - George S. Clinton
Music Supervisor - Sharon Boyle
Review
With the release of the film Mortal Kombat II, I thought I would take a look back at the original 1995 movie that made it all happen. The film began life as a controversial video game that took the gaming world by storm when it first hit the arcades in 1992, forever changing a generation of children. Gamers waited in long lines for their turn at the machine, while parents and politicians condemned the game's over-the-top violence. I remember playing Mortal Kombat on the Nintendo 64 as a teen, but back then I only played the fourth instalment. I didn't watch the film until I was either 19 or 20, when I rented it on Blu-ray at Blockbuster.
Before Detective Pikachu, the Sonic the Hedgehog movies, and even Illumination's The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the 1995 version of MORTAL KOMBAT was the first good video game movie adaptation and is considered by many as one of the better adaptations of its kind. However, at the time of its release, this film was a marked improvement over the first few failed attempts, such as Super Mario Bros., Double Dragon, and Street Fighter. It proves that some video games can translate well to the big screen if done properly. While the movie grossed well over $124 million worldwide at the box office, it received mixed reviews from critics. However, the audience and fans didn't care, as they enjoyed it anyway. Does the film still stand the test of time? Let's find out!
I liked how the film stayed true to the games while maintaining its core elements, such as its campy tone and dark, otherworldly atmosphere. Unfortunately, it's missing the bloodshed that made the game popular with kids and teens, as the filmmakers toned it down to secure a PG-13 rating, which comes off as a disappointment to many fans. It is a sophomore effort from director Paul W.S. Anderson, who, in later
years, has become a bit of a pariah among film fans for his work on
the Resident Evil films and Alien vs. Predator. Despite his more recent offerings, his direction in the film is competent nonetheless.
While the movie does expand on the original game a bit, the story is
thin, the dialogue is laughable, and the characters are undeveloped,
which is a shame because it could have been so much better. However, these drawbacks also add to its charm. It also draws inspiration from Enter the Dragon, albeit with a supernatural spin.
Unfortunately, the cast is a bit of a mixed bag. Robin Shou did a tremendous job as Liu Kang. He brings the sincerity and
physicality required for the role. Looking back, his career could have
taken off after this film, as he could have been the next Bruce Lee in
terms of acting and martial arts. Cary-Hiroyuki
Tagawa delivers a terrific, over-the-top performance as the villainous sorcerer
Shang Tsung. You can tell that he's having a blast in this film, so much so that in later years, he reprised his role in the Mortal Kombat Legacy webseries and the game Mortal Kombat 11.
Linden Ashby was likable as Johnny Cage. With his cocky, wisecracking attitude, he fits the role perfectly, capturing the character's essence and delivering some of the movie's best humour. Christopher Lambert was an odd casting choice to play the God of
Thunder, Raiden, as the character is supposed to be an Asian deity.
However, Lambert delivers a performance with enough charisma to satisfy
fans without overacting, suggesting he is having fun.
Despite lacking the brutality of the games, the film makes up for this with its spectacular, well-choreographed fight scenes. It helps that many cast members perform their own stunts, including Shou. However, the movie's Hong Kong-inspired wire techniques were developed before The Matrix, with certain camera angles adding flair. The best of these fights include Johnny Cage vs. Scorpion and Liu Kang vs. Reptile.
I liked how the film's lavish and immersive production design faithfully recreates the game's atmosphere with its beautiful sets, most of which were filmed on location in remote areas of Thailand. While some of the practical effects, such as those involving Goro, are effective, some of the CGI is extremely dated. The soundtrack is amazing, with a solid score by George S. Clinton and an awesome selection of techno and electronic dance songs, especially the iconic main theme "Techno Syndrome." Trust me, you'll hear this tune from the moment you recognise it.
While not quite a flawless victory, MORTAL KOMBAT was a decent video game-to-movie adaptation in its own right. It spawned a sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, which proved to be an absolute trainwreck. The film doesn't take itself seriously, which is why it's enjoyable. Anyway, what we've got is a fun, nostalgic ride with plenty of action and 90s nostalgia. For MK fans, the cinematic experience is like stepping into the game itself.
Star rating: (6/10) Fair Movie
