Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind is a 2022 American direct-to-video adult animated martial arts film, produced and directed by Rick Morales from a screenplay by Jeremy Adams, based on the Mortal Kombat franchise created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. A standalone sequel, it is the third installment in the Mortal Kombat Legends series.
Synopsis
In the distant future, Earthrealm has devolved into a wasteland due to multiple attacks by creatures known as revenants. As the cities and communities stay isolated, Kano declares himself king and conquers cities and villages by leading his clan the Black Dragon formed by Kira, Kobra, Ferra, Torr, Drahmin, Kabal, Erron Black, No Face, Dairou, Tremor, Jarek and an elderly Shang Tsung.
In the middle of the wastelands, Kuai Liang, who abandoned the title of Sub-Zero, lives a farmer's life, cultivating vegetables and selling them to the closest city. While traveling to the city, Kabal, Kira, and Kobra cross his path, beating him up and taking some of his supplies. They travel to the closest city that it remains untouched city by the Black Dragon. The city is the place of Kenshi, who seeks a better challenge. He manages to defeat the three members, but spares their lives, with the three promising to return.
Back at the general quarters of the Black Dragon, the three members report to King Kano their defeat, with him ordering them to return with the assistance of Tremor under the watch of Shang Tsung. While watching Kuai Liang carrying supplies, Kenshi spots on him the Lin Kuei brand and asks him for training. The Black Dragon members arrive again in the city, and Kenshi mentions that he is 'Kenshi Takahashi', a surname that intrigues Shang Tsung. Kenshi proceeds to fight Tremor but is defeated. Before Kenshi can be executed, Shang Tsung orders Tremor to spare his opponent. Shang Tsung, under the alias of "Sung", tells Kenshi that there is a powerful weapon called "Sento" which he could use to defeat the Black Dragon.
Amid the desert, Shang Tsung lures Kenshi to open the Well of Souls, with its releasing energy powering and rejuvenating him, but blinding Kenshi in the process. Shang Tsung now has a young body and throws Kenshi into the pit and leaves. At the bottom of the pit, Kenshi hears Sento, the mystic sword Shang Tsung mentioned, talking to him, as he is able to wield it and climb the pit as he wanders through the desert.
Back at the Black Dragon's General Quarters, Shang Tsung unleashes multiple attacks on Kano, killing multiple members, including Kobra. Getting the upper hand on Kano, he attempts to drain his soul, but is unsuccessful, as Kano no longer has a soul, beating him in a humiliating form and killing him.
As he is about to start his routine, Kuai Liang finds Kenshi wandering in the desert and takes him to his home for care. Realizing that Kenshi had lost all hope of living, Kuai Liang decides to train him by enhancing his other senses. As the training proceeds, Kuai Liang reveals to Kenshi that he was once the leader of the Lin Kuei and faced the wave of the revenants. In a desperate attempt to end the conflict, he summoned an ice storm, killing everyone around but himself, including his clan members and civilians. In regret, he swore an oath never to use his powers again.
While training, the duo spots smoke coming from the nearest city, as they watch from afar as Kano seizes control of the place. Kenshi argues that they need to help, but Kuai Liang refuses, as they both start fighting to force the other their way. Having the upper hand, Kuai Liang offers Kenshi one last chance to return to their normal life, which he refuses and leaves to help the city.
Atacking the members of the Black Dragon, Kenshi manages to kill a few members, including Jarek, but is overwhelmed by the surviving members, getting captured.
Back at his farm, Kuai Liang destroys the place by burning and summoning Scorpion, as the two travel to the Black Dragon General Quarters.
As Kano starts torturing Kenshi, Sub Zero and Scorpion arrive, freeing Kenshi and starting a battle. Kenshi manages to kill Kira, while Scorpion succeeds in killing No Face, Torr, Ferra, and Erron Black. With most of the Black Dragon members killed, they battle Kano, being able to punch his head out of his body, but he is able to survive, as he rushes to his closet chamber. Kenshi stays to battle Tremor, while Sub-Zero goes after Kano, but Scorpion stays behind to battle Kabal. Kenshi is able to explode Tremor to pieces and Scorpion burns Kabal to death.
Reaching Kano's secret chamber, it is revealed to contain Kronika's Hourglass, as Kano manages to defeat her and absorbs her powers, creating an alternative timeline where he has unleashed waves of revenants on the world, causing it to become a wasteland.
Before Kano can use the hourglass to erase Sub-Zero from existence, Kuai Liang stops him and then they face each other in the chamber. After killing Kano, Kuai Liang and Scorpion destroy Kronika's crown, making the chamber self-destruct. Kenshi offers Kuai Liang to help the city and the people in the wasteland, which he declines. Since he promised Scorpion to take him if he ever uses his powers again, Kuai Liang and Scorpion depart to the Netherrealm, making Kenshi the successor of the Lin Kuei and protector of Earthrealm.
Cast
- Manny Jacinto – Kenshi
- David Wenham – Kano
- Ron Yuan – Kuai Liang/Sub-Zero
- Keith Silverstein – Kabal
- Courtenay Taylor – Kira
- Yuri Lowenthal – Kobra
- Artt Butler – Shang Tsung, Lin Kuei
- Imari Williams – Tremor
- Patrick Seitz – Scorpion, Owner
- Lei Yin - Sento, Peter
- Sumalee Montano - Kindra
- Debra Wilson - Graji
Non-speaking characters appearing in the film are Ferra & Torr, Erron Black, No Face, Drahmin, Jarek and Dairou.
Development
Cover art for the film was leaked onto Twitter on August 1, 2022. Two days later on August 3, 2022, the film was formally announced via IGN.
Reception
The film received positive reviews from critics, deeming it an improvement over its predecessor, praising the story, the animation, performances and the focus of Kenshi Takahashi being the story's protagonist, while some criticized aspects of the screenplay, diversions from other Mortal Kombat stories and the inclusion of Scorpion in some scenes. The film currently holds an 80% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 5 reviews.
Trivia
Game Connections
- Erron Black, Ferra/Torr and Tremor have their designs based on their Mortal Kombat X standard costume.
- Sub Zero's past appearance is based on his Mortal Kombat 11 design.
- Kabal's breathing Mask is based on his main render look from Mortal Kombat 11.
- A statue of Liu Kang based on his Mortal Kombat 11 "Young Justice" skin appears in the beginning of the film.
- Nightwolf makes a cameo appearance as one of the revenants from Kuai Liang's flashback.
- Scorpion's mask is based on his main render look from Mortal Kombat 11.
- Drahmin has his design based on his Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance standard costume.
- The final confrontation between Kuai Lang and Kano takes place in Kronika's Hourglass.
- In Kronika's hourglass, Kuai Liang witnesses glimpses of himself fighting alongside Bi-Han, Raiden gathered with himself, Scorpion, Cassie Cage and Liu Kang, all of them with their designs based on their Mortal Kombat 11 story mode gear set, himself fighting alongside Hanzo Hasashi, Kano with his Mortal Kombat 11 standard gear set absorbing Kronika's powers and collecting the Amulet of Shinnok.
- This was referencing to Sub-Zero's Klassic Tower ending and Kano's Klassic Tower ending and the story mode scene between Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 of Mortal Kombat 11.
- Hanzo Hasashi's past appearance is based on his Mortal Kombat 11 story mode design and gear set.
- Kronika's Crown can be seen on a skull in Kano's secret chamber, while Kano is activating it.
Other
- Ron Yuan, who previously voiced Scorpion in Mortal Kombat 11, replaces Bayardo De Murguia as the voice of Kuai Liang.
- David Wenham replaces Robin Atkin Downes as the voice of Kano.
- The film marks Patrick Seitz's official final performance as Scorpion.
- This movie has some similarities to the Mad Max movies. The setting takes place in a Wasteland and the Black Dragon has taken over Earthrealm just like the gangs took over in Mad Max.
- Aspects of the movie's story are referenced in Mortal Kombat 1, where in the Arcade, mirror match interactions with Kenshi reference Kano being Keeper of Time in one of the Kenshis' timelines.
- In the commentary for the film, writer Jeremy Adams and director/producer Rick Morales agree that while the film isn't a direct sequel to the previous films in the Legends series and is primarily based on Kano's Klassic Ending from Mortal Kombat 11, it's "not not a sequel" and the events of the first two films happened "in a fashion" in regards to Sub-Zero's backstory.
Notes: