6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
MMA fighter Cole Young seeks out Earth's greatest champions in order to stand against the enemies of Outworld in a high stakes battle for the universe.
Starring: Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Joe Taslim, Mehcad BrooksAction | 100% |
Adventure | 59% |
Fantasy | 53% |
Martial arts | 17% |
Foreign | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (640 kbps)
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
German: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English SDH, French, German SDH, Italian SDH, Portuguese, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Norwegian, Swedish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
I haven't played a Mortal Kombat game in years. In fact, I probably lost interest in the brand more than two decades ago, just a few years after the original game pulled in crowds like a magnet at arcades worldwide. I first glimpsed the original MK at a local bowling alley and still remember skipping a few frames to gawk at its unique graphics and bloody fatalities. That bowling alley finally closed its doors after six decades in business but Mortal Kombat lives on, doubling down on the bone-crunching action and ridiculous, over-the-top finishers with each new installment. Over the years it's grown from a controversial Street Fighter wannabe to a full-blown franchise with two earlier live-action movies, comics, action figures, socks, a "blood, sweat, and tears" scented candle, and more. Warner Bros. has re-ignited its cinematic flame twice in 2021: there's the surprisingly solid animated origin film MK Legends: Scorpion's Revenge... and then there's this scattershot live action reboot, which isn't as great but still pretty fun in its own right.
Unfortunately, Mortal Kombat doesn't achieve this level of Zen-like perfection again. That's not to say it isn't enjoyable or without
more than a few bright spots, of course, with a story unfolding around modern-day MMA fighter Cole Young (Lewis Tan) and familiar franchise faces
such as ex-military members Jax (Mehcad Brooks) and Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee) who, along with Australian mercenary Kano (Josh Lawson),
serve as three two of several allies who help Cole uncover his destiny as a fighter bearing a very specific marking... one that most
of them share, which carries its own meaning and set of rules. Theirs is kind of a long and meandering journey towards the temple of Raiden and,
ultimately, the truth about "Mortal Kombat", a mystical fighting tournament between members of Earthrealm and the Outworld. What follows is,
predictably, a pretty visceral and intense series of action scenes loosely glued together by the franchise's hokey mythology... which, to be fair,
seem to be respected faithfully. I mean, the original game was really just an excuse to generate controversy through ultra-violence, not
some deep and multi-layered masterpiece. Within those admittedly narrow boundaries, this new adaptation should satisfy its intended audience.
Perhaps the only other obvious drawback here is Mortal Kombat's repeated attempts to set up several sequels and/or spin-offs, which
shouldn't be too hard considering the franchise's global popularity in keeping with this film's relatively meager budget. These loose threads aren't
annoying on their own terms, but they sometimes distract from the main story and even make the ending feel a little abrupt: this very much feels
like one part of a story that obviously hasn't been sharpened to a fine point. Either way, Warner Bros. has clearly put their ever-dwindling faith in
Mortal Kombat's home video rollout, which actually includes Atmos audio and a pretty satisfying collection of extras... unlike this recent
title, which probably deserved it more. But I digress: this is a surprisingly well-rounded package that should please die-hard fans and newcomers
alike, so let's just enjoy what we have. A separate 4K option is also available.
Although the separate 4K option (linked above) unsurprisingly offers a better viewing experience, those limited to 1080p should find a lot to like about Mortal Kombat's appearance on Blu-ray. The wide number of locations -- not to mention characters and abilities -- translates to a lot of visual interest, even if the film's mostly earth-toned color palette leaves less room for vivid color than expected. But when Mortal Kombat kicks into high gear -- mostly during its visceral fights, not to mention the more supernatural locations and moments -- it becomes a more richly satisfying experience, showcasing a visual refinement that doesn't push the format's limits but doesn't really disappoint either. While banding and a few chunky compression artifacts can be spotted during the film's darkest moments or visual complex scenes, such drawbacks are mostly held at bay. Fine detail and textures, while obviously not comparable to the 4K disc, are respectable at times and look especially nice during close-ups that aren't bathed in color-grading or darkness. Similarly, skin tones -- at least the human ones -- look accurate depending on lighting conditions, while most of the CGI elements blend fairly seamlessly with the live-action footage; there are exceptions, of course, but they rarely last more than a split second. Overall, it's a capable runner-up and fine-looking Blu-ray indeed.
The default Dolby Atmos mix, which automatically unfolds to Dolby TrueHD 7.1 if your receiver doesn't support the format, also offers a pretty intense experience with just a little room for improvement. This is a surprisingly dialogue-driven film and that particular sonic aspect seems mixed a little low in comparison with music and sound effects -- and while it's nothing that can't be alleviated with a few subtle adjustments in your receiver's settings menu, it's a pretty clear sign that this is much closer to a theatrical-style presentation than the preferred "near field" mix which, when done correctly, adapts a movie's far-reaching sound design to better fit small home theaters. (When not done, however, you'll probably be reaching for your remote every few minutes, unless you like your movies overpoweringly loud or have very forgiving neighbors.) Either way, with that handicap in mind Mortal Kombat still offers a satisfyingly visceral experience with crisp and brutal sound effects, propulsive music support, and more discrete channel panning and LFE presence than you might know what to do with. I've absolutely no complaints other than the dialogue balancing and, since it's easily overcome with the right touch, it doesn't warrant all that much of a deduction.
Optional subtitles, including English (SDH), are offered during the film and extras in a variety of languages.
This two-disc release ships in an eco-friendly keepcase with bold cover art, a matching slipcover, and a Digital Copy slip. The bonus features, all of which can be found on the Blu-ray, are a good mix of fun and informative.
Simon McQuoid's cinematic reboot of the Mortal Kombat franchise isn't as great as MK Legends: Scorpion's Revenge (which also debuted back in April), but it's decent stuff considering the source material and low budget. Its scattershot story obviously attempts to set up a handful of sequels and spin-offs -- perhaps too many for it to stand on its own -- but the groundwork has been laid and, if nothing else, it'll do until something better arrives. Warner Bros.' 4K combo pack is obviously the better of the two primary home video options, but this Blu-ray isn't a bad runner-up: the 1080p transfer is very good, the Atmos track is identical to the 4K disc, and of course the extras are surprisingly good too. All told, it's a well-rounded package that fans will enjoy and comes Recommended.
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