Mortal Kombat (film)

Mortal Kombat is a 1995 action movie, directed by Paul W. S. Anderson. It is based on the popular Mortal Kombat series of fighting games by Midway. It was filmed in Los Angeles and on location in Thailand.

The movie, quite surprisingly for a film adaption of a video game, received average reviews from critics, most notably a "thumbs up" from Gene Siskel of Siskel & Ebert. It grossed roughly $70 million in the U.S., and an estimated $122 million worldwide.

The film was considered to be the first major success for video-game movie adaptions, coming out a year after the critically disappointing Street Fighter and two years after the disastrous flop, Super Mario Bros. Director Paul W. S. Anderson would go on to work on a film franchise based on Capcom's Resident Evil games.

A sequel to Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, was released in 1997, but is largely considered to be inferior to its predecessor.

Plot
Once every generation, there is an ancient tournament known as Mortal Kombat, which was designed for the main purpose to save the Realm of Earth from the dark forces of Outworld. If the forces of Outworld win the tournament ten consecutive times, the Emperor, Shao Kahn (though not explicitly referred to by name), will be able to invade and conquer the Realm of Earth and enslave Mankind. Thus far, Outworld has won nine straight victories, making the upcoming tournament the tenth, and possibly final one, for the Realm of Earth. The ex-Shaolin monk Liu Kang and his comrades, Hollywood action star Johnny Cage and Special Forces agent Lieutenant Sonya Blade, must risk their lives and overcome their powerful adversaries in order to win the tenth Mortal Kombat tournament, or condemn the planet Earth to eternal damnation.

Although each combatant was handpicked by the demon sorceror Shang Tsung to compete in Mortal Kombat, each has his or her own reason for competing in the tournament. Liu Kang seeks to avenge the death of his younger brother Chan Kang, who was killed by Shang Tsung in battle (in a dream Liu Kang has at the start of the film). Sonya Blade is after the notorious and cold blooded killer known only as Kano, who is responsible for the death of her partner before Jax assumingly. Johnny Cage is competing to prove that he is a true martial artist, and not the fake that the press has made him out to be. Regardless of their individual agendas, they have been recruited and sent to a pier in Hong Kong, where they will be taken to Shang Tsung's island, the site of the tournament. While they are on the boat, the three encounter two of their potential opponents of the tournament, namely the Lin Kuei warrior Sub-Zero and the undead spectre Scorpion, both of whom are under a spell by Shang Tsung's sorcery. Before any pre-tournament fisticuffs can take place, however, Raiden, the God of Lightning and the Protector of the Realm of Earth, intervenes with two lightning bolts, takes his chosen three aside and explains to them just what they are up against.

Upon their arrival at the island, the fighters of the Realm of Earth are welcomed by Shang Tsung with a feast and the first rounds of the tournament begin the coming day. Behind the scenes, however, Shang Tsung expresses his concern to the Mortal Kombat champion, Prince Goro, that Liu Kang is competing in the tournament and that the Emperor's step-daughter, Princess Kitana, may betray them by allying with Earth. Shang also warns Kano not to harm "the girl", but to only humiliate her, for he has plans for her (calling her "beautiful"). Despite their concerns, the fighters of the Outworld draw first blood, with Shang Tsung absorbing the souls of the losing fighters. Worse yet, and much to the horror of Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, and Sonya Blade, they also witness the death of a fighter from the Realm of Earth, Art Lean, at the hands of Prince Goro, in another tournament battle.

After the devastating loss, the three fighters despair, until Raiden provides them with the inspiration to overcome their fears and compete bravely in battle. Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, and Liu Kang go on to post victories over Scorpion, Kano, and Sub-Zero, respectively. Before Johnny Cage faces off against Goro, Shang Tsung makes the stipulation that, at any time, he himself may choose to challenge any one warrior at a venue of his choosing. Johnny Cage defeats Prince Goro, sending him falling over the edge of a cliff to his apparent death. Shang Tsung then kidnaps Sonya Blade, invoking his earlier stipulation. Raiden explains to Liu Kang and Johnny Cage that they must go into Outworld without him, and, because Sonya Blade cannot defeat Shang Tsung in combat, one of them must defeat Shang Tsung in her stead. After Liu Kang successfully fends off an attack from Reptile, he and Johnny Cage are met by Princess Kitana, who reveals the truth about Outworld and her lineage, thus confirming Shang Tsung's suspicions about her. The three, disguised as monks, enter the Emperor's castle, the Black Tower, where Sonya is being held captive. As Princess Kitana and Johnny Cage free Sonya, Liu Kang challenges Shang Tsung to Mortal Kombat. The fiercely fought battle ends in victory for Liu Kang and the Realm of Earth, and the freedom of the souls of all the fighters that were beaten in battle and their soul absorbed, including Liu Kang's deceased brother Chan Kang, were set free from Shang Tsung's grip after he dies.

Liu Kang and Kitana happily stride arm in arm back to the Realm of Earth alongside Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, whose previous animosity towards each other has given way to a blossoming affection assumingly. Raiden catches up to them and congratulates them for their efforts in Mortal Kombat. The celebration is cut short, however, by the arrival of the Emperor Shao Kahn, who threatens the people of the Realm of Earth. Raiden and the three fighters with Outworld Princess Kitana assume fighting stances with the God of Thunder and Lightning and the Protector of the Realm of Earth as the screen cuts to the credits.

Characters
The following Mortal Kombat characters appear in the movie:
 * Liu Kang — Robin Shou
 * Johnny Cage — Linden Ashby
 * Sonya Blade — Bridgette Wilson
 * Raiden — Christopher Lambert
 * Princess Kitana — Talisa Soto
 * Kano — Trevor Goddard
 * Shang Tsung — Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
 * Sub-zero — François Petit
 * Reptile — Keith Cooke
 * Scorpion — Chris Casamassa (voiced by Ed Boon)
 * Jax — Gregory McKinney
 * Prince Goro — Kevin Michael Richardson with vocal effects by Frank Welker
 * The Emperor — Frank Welker

Production

 * The Outworld exterior scenes were filmed at the abandoned Kaiser Steel Mill in Fontana, California. The site is now the California Speedway.
 * All of Goro's scenes were filmed in Los Angeles.
 * All principal production, casting, and photography were all done a few years prior to the completion of the film. Many more familiar faces almost ended up with the roles of some of the characters.
 * It is rumored that Brandon Lee was cast to play Johnny Cage, but this has never been proven. Eventually Linden Ashby was cast in the role.
 * Cameron Diaz was originally set to play Sonya Blade, but she broke her wrist before filming.

Cast

 * Gregory McKinney, who played Jax, served in the United States Air Force Presidential Honor Guard and in law enforcement before breaking into acting. He died of a brain aneurysm on April 12, 1998.
 * Bridgette Wilson was jokingly nicknamed "RoboBabe" during production by Anderson.
 * Despite the intensity of the fight scenes coupled with the actors performing most of their own stunts, on-set injuries were surprisingly at a minimum, with the only notable occurrence being a mildly bruised kidney suffered by Linden Ashby while shooting Johnny Cage's fight scene with Scorpion (Chris Casamassa).
 * Sandy Helberg, who is briefly seen in the beginning of the film as the director of Cage's latest movie, appeared in the 1977 Mel Brooks hit High Anxiety.
 * Lloyd Kino (Liu Kang's Grandfather) has made numerous film and television appearances in a career spanning 45 years.
 * Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa was the filmmakers' first and only choice for the role of Shang Tsung. He came to the audition in a costume, and read his lines while standing on a chair.
 * Tagawa and Talisa Soto (Kitana) were also featured in the James Bond movie License to Kill, which also included an appearance by Grand L. Bush, who played Balrog in Street Fighter.

Game connections
Although the movie was primarily based on the first Mortal Kombat game, there are several elements that were incorporated from the second game.
 * Jax and Kitana were introduced in Mortal Kombat II. Reptile's reptilian nature was also first demonstrated in MKII, though he was present in the first game.
 * Several of the scenes in Outworld, such as the Wastelands and the portal through which Shang Tsung took Sonya, were first seen in MKII.
 * Sonya's capture is a reference to MKII's storyline, as is Shang Tsung's youthful appearance and Shao Kahn's appearance at the end of the movie.
 * Johnny Cage drops an autographed picture of himself near Scorpion's remains after their battle, which references his autograph Friendship from MKII. The fire-breath finishing move Scorpion attempts prior to this is also seen in several of the games.
 * The explosion of Scorpion's head references Raiden's Fatality in the original Mortal Kombat, while the explosion of his burning body references an opponent after getting toasted by Scorpion's Toasty Fatality in MKII.
 * Liu Kang used his Bicycle Kick in his match with Reptile. This move was not featured until MKII.
 * The shadow priests, seen leading Shang Tsung to the final arena and elsewhere in the movie, debut in the background of MKII.
 * Shang Tsung announced "Finish him!" after Sonya defeat Kano. Both Shang Tsung and Liu Kang announced "Flawless Victory." Shang Tsung also says "Fatality" after stealing the fighting monk's soul.
 * The Death of Shang Tsung is a Stage Fatality.
 * When Reptile appears after forming from an Outworld statue a quiet voice can be heard saying "Reptile". The voice is that of Shao Khan and is taken from Mortal Kombat II.

Two plot change in the movie. The major change is Sub-Zero and Scorpion's role as slaves to Shang Tsung. In the game, however, they are under no such control, and are in fact deadly enemies (although Shang Tsung does make a reference to their feud in the movie). The other one is Liu Kang's last name.

Soundtrack

 * The movie is renowned for its memorable theme music ("Techno Syndrome", performed by The Immortals) and the soundtrack album went platinum on the Billboard charts.
 * Three songs from Chicago-based group Stabbing Westward (a favorite band of Tobias' at the time) were included in the movie, but were omitted from the soundtrack.
 * Goro's theme is a rendition of the band Napalm Death's song "Twist the Knife (Slowly)", except it is played three modulations higher than the standard.
 * A music video was filmed for the KMFDM single "Juke Joint Jezebel" and featured clips of fight scenes from the movie, but it was pulled by MTV due to complaints about its violent content.

Other

 * Mortal Kombat, at $70 million, is the second most successful live-action video game movie in terms of domestic box office grosses (behind 2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider).
 * On the DVD's French soundtrack, the part of Raiden is voiced by Lambert.
 * In the credits, as well as subtitles, Jax's name is misspelled as "Jaxx."
 * According to Midway, the first MK game was to be centered around Jean-Claude Van Damme. Ironically, Van Damme would go on to play Guile in the less successful Street Fighter movie.
 * In the novelization, Sonya spares Kano.
 * A fight scene pitting Sonya against Jade was cut from the script during production as well as the movie novelization, but the film's official souvenir magazine, published by Starlog, made mention of it anyway in the plot synopsis: "As Sonya takes on the kimono-clad Jade, Liu Kang has his hands full with the beautiful Princess Kitana."
 * The movie can be seen very briefly viewed by a group of vampires in the movie adaptation of the Blade series of Marvel Comics. The scene showed appears to be Reptile transforming into his infamous human form.