Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge is an animated movie based on the popular Mortal Kombat series of fighting games by Warner Bros.
Plot
In Japan, Hanzo Hasashi is taking his son, Satoshi, back to the Shirai Ryu village. There, they are ambushed by the warriors of the Lin Kuei, who have already slaughtered the entire village. Hanzo is able to counter the ambush and hide in his dojo. Upon entering his room, Hanzo discovers the corpse of his wife Harumi, unleashing a state of berserk rage inside him as he starts to eliminate the remaining warriors of the Lin Kuei inside the dojo. Hanzo temporarily loses himself in his rage, and awakes outside the dojo, with the Lin Kuei's leader Sub-Zero holding Satoshi hostage and threatening to kill him if Hanzo does not surrender. Hanzo does, but Sub-Zero incapacitates him and kills Satoshi regardless by impaling him through the throat before firing an icicle through Hanzo's mouth, impaling him through the back of his neck and killing him.
In the Shaolin temple, Raiden tells Liu Kang to prepare himself to the tournament, and other defenders will be reunited with them. In Los Angeles, Johnny Cage, having broken up with his girlfriend, receives a call from his agent, who tells him that he should travel to China for his next job. In China, Sonya Blade engages a thug in a street fight, amid a Special Forces task to locate Kano, where she gets an invitation for the tournament. In the Netherrealm, Hanzo is about to be tortured by Moloch, but manages to free himself and kills the demon. On his search for Shinnok, he eliminates hundreds of demons, before meeting with Quan Chi. Quan Chi tells him that Shinnok was in-disposed and proposes an offer to Hanzo: Join the Mortal Kombat Tournament, which Sub-Zero will attend and complete his revenge, but also retrieve the key to free Shinnok, which is being held at Shang Tsung's Palace, the tournament location. Hanzo accepts, now calling himself as "Scorpion".
On a boat, Johnny meets with Liu Kang, Sonya and Raiden, as they travel through the vail to reach the Island of Shang Tsung. Upon their arrival, Shang Tsung hosts the attendants. Meanwhile, Scorpion manages to infiltrate inside the treasures of Shang Tsung, but just as he is about to get the key, he is suddenly persuaded by Raiden not to steal it. Shang Tsung gives a demonstration of the tournament by capturing Sonya's partner Jackson "Jax" Briggs before forcing him to fight his champion and henchman Goro. Goro succeeds in defeating Jax by ripping both his arms off, but Raiden halts Jax's execution and warns Shang Tsung that this fight was the tournament not been officially started yet. He is able to heal Jax's wounds, but the sorcerer holds him prisoner. Shang Tsung then starts the tournament properly, and uses his magic to teleport the attendants to face each other on the Island.
Johnny is teleported to an abandoned fortress, where he encounters Baraka. Johnny, still not convinced that the tournament is real, believes that Baraka is actually an actor in a monster costume. The Tarkatan fighter attacks Johnny using the blades extending from his arms. However, as the blades scrape against the stone walls and floors, they create sparks that set fire to the old, dry wooden furniture and barrels in the building. Having noticed earlier that the barrels were filled with gunpowder, Johnny leaps from a ledge, plummeting into the nearby forest below while Baraka is killed when the gunpowder barrels explode. Meanwhile, Sonya is sent to a swamp, where she encounters Reptile, who uses his invisibility to attack her. However, Sonya proves to be far from easy prey and counters Reptile's attacks, even throwing mud over him to rob him of his invisibility. Sonya then jumps up and over Reptile, using a wire to seize the creature's neck and successfully decapitates him. In a forest, Scorpion kills a lone Lin Kuei warrior. At Shang Tsung's Garden, Liu Kang fights Kitana and defeats her, although he instead spares her life afterwards.
In the wake of Earthrealm's success, Shang Tsung orders the Black Dragon to kill them. Liu Kang reunites with Sonya and Johnny and later, they meet Scorpion after killing a few Black Dragon thugs. Raiden appears and tells them they must enter the throne room to face the final kombatant, but Black Dragon members try to stop them. Upon reaching the bridge that leads to the throne room, the Earthrealmers are ambushed by Kano and Black Dragon assassins. With the help of Scorpion, they manage to defeat the Black Dragon. Kano is intercepted and overpowered by Sub-Zero, who helps the group deal with the Black Dragon assassins, but Scorpion, recognizing the blue-clad ninja as his son's killer, starts to battle him in an act of vengeance. Kano runs to the torture chamber, but Sonya goes after him, while Johnny decides to help her and Liu Kang goes to the throne room to confront Shang Tsung.
Meanwhile, Scorpion fights Sub-Zero which ends by grabbing the former and resulting in the two hurling themselves off the bridge's cliff, impaling both ninjas on a large spike, although Scorpion survives since he is an undead being while Sub-Zero is killed. Then, Quan Chi appears and reveals to a badly injured Scorpion that he disguised himself as Sub-Zero and ordered the Lin Kuei soldiers to exterminate the Shirai Ryu since the real Sub-Zero was not actually involved in the carnage while also being the one responsible for murdering Harumi and Satoshi. Before the sorcerer leaves, Scorpion has a thought of Satoshi when he told his son that the Scorpion creature has its will, which made itself stronger. Scorpion then came back from that and removes himself from the spike to exact his redeem revenge and avenge his family. At the torture chamber, Kano is holding Jax hostage, and releases a horde of Outworlders to fight Sonya. They easily outmatch her, but she is saved by Johnny. They are able to defeat the horde, free Jax and finally defeat Kano. As they are about to leave, Jax apparently kills Kano by stomping on his head, seemingly crushing his skull.
Liu Kang reaches the throne, where he battles Goro. Goro easily outmatches Liu Kang, but before he is about to perform the same execution on him just like what he did to Jax, Scorpion appears and decapitates Goro with his kunai. Shang Tsung proposes to Scorpion to defeat Liu Kang, in exchange for having Quan Chi. Scorpion tricks Shang Tsung into giving him the key, and ends the tournament, making Liu Kang the champion of Mortal Kombat. Since the tournament ended, Shang Tsung leaves to Outworld and the Island starts to crumble. Raiden and Liu Kang gather with Sonya, Johnny and Jax and leave in the boat while Scorpion stays to battle Quan Chi. Although Quan Chi possesses great magical power, Scorpion appears to be the more experienced fighter, using all of his ninja skills as well as his newfound spectral powers to maximum effect. Scorpion uses his swords to cut off both of Quan Chi's arms, leaving the sorcerer defenceless. As the undead ninja closes in to finish the job, Quan Chi states that Shinnok will avenge him, but Scorpion instead just rips off Quan Chi's head and upper spinal cord. He then proceeds to take off his mask and shoots out a stream of hellfire which burns Quan Chi's headless corpse before tossing the sorcerer's severed head into the fire, finally avenging the deaths of Satoshi, Harumi and the Shirai Ryu. As the island crumbles in ruins, Scorpion accepts his fate as he is crushed by debris before joining his family and clan in the afterlife while Liu Kang and the Earthrealmers watch the island collapse in the distance. Liu Kang voices regret for failing, but Raiden assures him that his destiny was never to face Goro, but rather the emperor.
In Outworld, Shang Tsung faces Shao Kahn's punishment for failing to win the tournament. Shao Kahn orders him to gather his forces to end the cycles of the tournament.
Characters
The following Mortal Kombat characters appears in the movie:
- Joel McHale — Johnny Cage[2]
- Jennifer Carpenter — Sonya Blade[2]
- Jordan Rodrigues — Liu Kang[2]
- Patrick Seitz — Scorpion[2]
- Steven Blum — Sub-Zero[2]
- Artt Butler — Shang Tsung[2], Lin Kuei Assassin
- Darin De Paul — Quan Chi[2]
- Robin Atkin Downes — Kano[2]
- Dave B. Mitchell — Raiden[2], Lin Kuei Warrior
- Ike Amadi — Jax[2]
- Kevin Michael Richardson — Goro[2], Bystander
- Grey Griffin — Kitana, Satoshi Hasashi[2], Johnny Cage's Ex-girlfriend (uncredited)
- Fred Tatasciore — Moloch (Credited as Demon Torturer)[2], Shao Kahn (uncredited)
Marketing
TBA
Release
The film was set to release in April 12th digitally, but due to unknown reasons, it was pushed to April 14th. The release on DVD and Blu-Ray was released in April 28th.
Reception
The film received very positive reviews from critics, who praised the animation, action sequences, story, voice performances of the cast, and faithfulness to the source material. The film has a 90% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 20 reviews, with an average score of 7.35/10.[3]
Trivia
Production
- This is the first Mortal Kombat movie to receive an R-Rating from the MPAA.
- It is also the first Mortal Kombat property to be produced by Warner Bros. Animation.
- Co-Creator Ed Boon serves as a creative consultant for the movie.
- A special variant of the Warner Bros Animation opening logo for this movie has the Looney Tunes character, Daffy Duck being grabbed by Scorpion himself in place of Porky Pig for the normal opening logo.
- The opening logo was originally going to be where Daffy was impaled through the head by Scorpion's Kunai, but that was changed due to WB still having to adhere to age-appropriation regulations for their opening logos.[4]
Game connections
- Liu Kang, Raiden, Kano, Sonya, Scorpion, Reptile, Quan Chi, Kitana, Jax, Goro, Baraka, Lin Kuei Warriors and Oni have their designs based on their Mortal Kombat X standard costume.
- Scorpion in his human form has his design based on his Mortal Kombat X Hanzo Hasashi costume.
- Bi-Han has his design based on Kuai Liang's Mortal Kombat X standard costume.
- Johnny Cage and Shang Tsung have their design based on their Mortal Kombat (2011) alternate costume.
- Shao Kahn and Motaro have their design based on their Mortal Kombat (2011) costume.
- Nitara makes a cameo appearance, where she stands by the food along with Johnny Cage. She is seen in her default attire from Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance.
- While explaining the Mortal Kombat to the combatants, Shang Tsung shows images of the Elder Gods, The Great Kung Lao and his younger self that has the design based on his Mortal Kombat 3 appearance.
- The Demon Torturer has his design based on Moloch.
- Over the course of the film, there are multiple times when attacks and kills show the X-Ray of the damage.
- It is possible to see a poster of Ninja Mime at Johnny Cage's residence.
- Shinnok is mentioned by multiple characters through the film.
- Johnny Cage gives an autograph to a monk on Shang Tsung's Island, making a reference to his Friendship.
- There is a scene where two unknown attendants are challenging Test Your Might.
- Masked Guards make a cameo appearance, guarding Shang Tsung's treasures.
- Since the production of the film started before the release of Mortal Kombat 11, Cetrion isn't one of the Elder Gods shown in the film.
- After defeating the Tarkatan, Johnny Cage yells "Toasty!".
- The ship that gardes Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, Liu Kang and Raiden is part of The Kove.
- The fight of Scorpion against Moloch takes place in Krossroads.
- The fight of Scorpion against Quan Chi takes place in Quan Chi's Fortress.
- The fight of Sonya Blade against Reptile takes place in Kuatan Jungle.
- The fight of Liu Kang against Kitana takes place in Shang Tsung's Garden.
- The fight of Scorpion against Sub-Zero takes place in The Pit.
- The fight of Liu Kang against Goro and later Scorpion against Quan Chi takes place in Shang Tsung's Throne Room.
- The fight of Motaro, TaiGore, Tarkatan, Saurian and other demons against Sonya Blade and Johnny Cage takes place in Goro's Lair.
- Scorpion kills Quan Chi using his classic Flame-breath Fatality from Mortal Kombat.
- The punishment of Shang Tsung by Shao Kahn takes place in the Shao Kahn's Throne Room.
Soundtrack
TBA
Other
- Kitana's voice actress in the movie, Grey Griffin was originally going to voice the character in Mortal Kombat X but she previously bowed out to the role due to her pregnancy with her second child at the time, leaving Karen Strassman reprising the role instead.
- Goro's voice actor, Kevin Michael Richardson reprises his role for the first time in twenty-five years after voicing him in the 1995 film.
- Patrick Seitz reprises his role as Scorpion after being replaced by Ron Yuan in Mortal Kombat 11.
- Steven Blum reprises his role as Sub-Zero, this time voicing the elder Sub-Zero after being the voice for the younger Sub-Zero in Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11.
- Dave B. Mitchel, who previously voiced Geras and Sektor in Mortal Kombat 11, voices Raiden.
- Ike Amadi, voice actor for Cyrax and Shao Kahn in Mortal Kombat 11, voices Jax.
- Fred Tatasciore, who worked in Mortal Kombat X as Torr and Tremor, voices Moloch and Shao Kahn.
- Johnny Cage reference this movie in Mortal Kombat 1 during his intro dialogue with Scorpion.
Errors
- Robin Atkin Downes is credited as the voice of Shinnok, despite the character not appearing in the film.
Sequel
In June 16 2021, Ed Boon confirmed in his official Twitter account that a sequel is in production title Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle for the Realms. The cast of Scorpion's Revenge is set to reprise their roles,[5] with a target release date to summer 2021.[6]
See also
References
- ↑ Twitter post by Ed Boon
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 Animated 'Mortal Kombat' Movie Sets Cast With Joel McHale, Jennifer Carpenter
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ https://twitter.com/RickJMorales/status/1256735985888460801
- ↑ https://twitter.com/noobde/status/1405281508819050497?s=20
- ↑ https://twitter.com/noobde/status/1407771376597995528?s=20