Mortal Kombat (1995) (Exclusive Series Mini Review)

Mortal Kombat (Facebook Exclusive Mini Review Series)

Initial release date: August 19, 1995

Studios: New Line Cinema Threshold Entertainment

Tagline: Choose Your Destiny

Plot: Lord Rayden handpicks three martial artists - federal agent Sonya Blade, Shaolin monk Lui Kang and action movie sensation Johnny Cage - and mentors them. After intense training, Rayden transports the trio to Outworld, the site of an inter-dimensional fighting tournament. There, the three humans must defeat the demonic warriors of the evil Shang Tsung - or allow Tsung to take over the Earth.

Cast

Christopher Lambert (Kickboxer: Retaliation) - Lord Rayden

Robin Shou (Death Race: Inferno) - Liu Kang

Linden Ashby (MTVs Teen Wolf) - Johnny Cage

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Netflix’s Lost in Space) - Shang Tsung

Bridgette Wilson-Sampras (Shopgirl) - Sonya Blade

Talisa Soto (Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever) - Kitana

Trevor Goodord (Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl) - Kano

Chris Casamassa - Scorpion

Francois Petit - Sub-Zero

Keith Cooke (National Security) - Reptile

Gregory McKinney - Jaxx

Writer: Kevin Droney (Wing Commander)

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson (Monster Hunter)

Rated PG-13 for non-stop martial arts action and some violence (101 min)

Since I reviewed the new take on ‘Mortal Kombat,; I figured that I’d take a look at the 1995 movie for the Facebook Exclusive Series.

The 1995 movie adaptation of the video game series is a pretty fun movie to watch. All of the action that is featured is quite entertaining and the tournament scenes are very very awesome to watch.

Some of the visual effects were alright. It’s a mid 90s movie so CGI was still in the early stages of actually being very good. Just like some early movie adaptations of video games, there are a few cheesy moments scattered throughout the movie.

Overall, the 1995 ‘Mortal Kombat’ movie is fairly entertaining and even if you are not a huge fan of the video game, definitely give both the 1995 movie and the new one a look. I was going to work on a mini review for the 1997 sequel ‘Mortal Kombat: Annihilation,’ but couldn’t get thru half of that one. No wonder that one bombed lol!

Here are some interesting tidbits about 1995s ‘Mortal Kombat’:

• Jean-Claude Van Damme turned down the role of Johnny Cage to do 1994s ‘Street Fighter.’ The character in the games was allegedly originally based on him.

• The movie’s soundtrack went platinum in less than two weeks.

• The locations in Thailand were so remote that they were only accessible by boat. Cast, crew and equipment had to be transported by long canoes.

• The movie enjoyed a three week run at the top of the US box office.

• Sean Connery was the first choice for the role of Rayden. Connery, however, turned it down. Christopher Lambert, his ‘Highlander’ cast member, got the part instead.

• The original screenplay for the movie was more faithful to the game, in that it had graphic violence and strong language, making it an R-rated script. However, the deal that the producers had with New Line included that they deliver a PG-13 movie to keep the movie accessible to the target audience (mostly teens).

• Quickly after the movie’s box office success, director Paul W.S. Anderson was asked by New Line to helm a sequel, but he had set his mind to doing something different, and accepted the offer to do ‘Event Horizon’ instead. He later expressed some regret over not being involved in the making of ‘Annihilation’ (which he disliked). It was one of the reasons that he remained involved in the making of the ‘Resident Evil’ sequels, as a way to “stay with the franchise and shepherd it.”

• The producers had to frequently consult the ratings board to find out how much cursing there could be, and how much blood could be shown in the movie, in order to make it violent enough for the target audience, yet still carry a PG-13 rating as mandated by the studio. They found out that showing a human death on screen would automatically mean an R rating, but the death of a monster or creature wouldn’t. This explains why all human deaths occur off-screen, but the deaths of creatures like Goro could be shown in full.

• The movie’s primary source material was the 1992 video game, but it was also inspired by and incorporated elements of 1993s follow up game ‘Mortal Kombat II.’

• Was well-received by the fans of the video game and it received mixed reviews from critics who praised the martial arts sequences, atmosphere, exotic locations and production values whereas the performances, the script and the PG-13 rating were criticized.

• The movie was originally scheduled for an early May 1995 US release, but was pushed back to August because New Line execs felt the movie had the potential to be a summer hit.

• Since its release, ‘Mortal Kombat’ has undergone a critical re-evaluation. Many critics feel that it’s one of the best video game adaptations due to its respect towards the source material, the well-crafted action sequences and the new iconic roles. The movie is now considered a cult classic.