Mortal Kombat Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		3.5

Mortal Kombat Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman June 4, 2026

Note: This version of this film is available on disc as part of Arrow's Mortal Kombat Kollection.

This far into the 21st century it may understandably be hard for some to decide which by this point is more quaint, the original Mortal Kombat arcade game, its home console version(s), or the two films aggregated in this new set from Arrow Video. Both of the films in this collection had 1080 releases well over a decade ago courtesy of home studio Warner Brothers Home Entertainment (see below for review links), but despite at least their cult status if not overwhelming popularity, kind of interestingly neither has been re-released with any significant technical upgrades or new special features in the interim. Arrow is providing both films in standalone 1080 and 4K editions, with their usual generous supply of on disc supplements and packaging swag.

As mentioned above, both of these first two Mortal Kombat feature films had 1080 releases many years ago, and those interested are encouraged to read Ken Brown's reviews linked to directly below, both of which contain plot information, lists of supplements and Ken's reaction to the technical presentations.

Mortal Kombat Blu-ray review

Mortal Kombat: Annihilation Blu-ray review

Mortal Kombat Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Mortal Kombat is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Arrow sent check discs for their 1080 releases of both films, but they did provide their retail final of their standalone Mortal Kombat Kollection 4K edition. I'm assuming that per their standard operating procedure they've provided the same insert booklet for their 1080 release, even if the following verbiage (which lumps both films together) includes obvious 4K specific terminology (as with many other prior Arrow 1080 releases that had their own standalone 4K releases):

Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation have been restored by Arrow Films. Both films are presented in their original 1.85:1 aspect ratio with 5.1 and stereo audio, and are presented in 4K resolution in HDR and Dolby Vision.

The original 35mm camera negatives were scanned at 4K / 16 bit resolution at Warner Brothers Motion Picture Imaging. The films were restored in 4K resolution and color graded at Duplitech.

The stereo and 5.1 audio mixes for Mortal Kombat were remastered by Þorsteinn Gíslason.

The new restoration of Mortal Kombat has been approved by Director Paul W.S. Anderson.

The new restoration of Mortal Kombat: Annihilation has been approved by Director John R. Leonetti.

Ken found both pluses and (maybe mostly) minuses in the now pretty old 1080 presentation from Warner Brothers, but all of the issues Ken raised in his review have been significantly improved in both the 1080 and 4K options Arrow is offering. While the second film is probably hobbled even more by VFX that have not aged particularly well, some of this film's special effects, notably composited moments like the opening dream sequence, can be pretty shoddy looking (the clouds in particular in that opening vignette can almost look like they're banding as color values change). Maybe surprisingly, then, Goro comes off relatively well throughout, and while probably noticeably more nuanced in Arrow's 4K HDR presentation, this 1080 SDR version has some Hellboy adjacent oranges and rusty reds that are repeatedly very evocative. Oranges also get significant screen time in one of the major battle scenes at around the 45 minute mark. Detail levels can be pretty dependent on lighting regimens aside and apart from any fluctuations seen in VFX moments. In that regard, some of the cloistered interior moments in a variety of locations like some parts of the Outworld don't offer great shadow detail, though outdoor material, like virtually all of the island set scenes, are fantastic looking here, if maybe even more spectacular in 4K. Those brightly lit outdoor scenes show off precise detail levels, notably in any number textures on fabrics like Lord Raiden's woven shawl, and especially a generally very nicely suffused palette. Several notable sequences have been bathed in an almost cobalt blue hue. Grain is admittedly quite heavy and at times yellowed and clumpy, but is generally quite tight looking, with some slack granted for opticals.

Note: I recommend those interested in this release to parse the many other screenshots available in both the "Kollection" reviews (1080 and 4K), as well as the standalone reviews of both films in 4K and 1080 as I have attempted to reproduce some of the screenshots Ken uploaded to accompany his reviews. Those who take time to do this will see numerous differences, including color temperature, grain resolution and brightness values.

Mortal Kombat Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Ken was probably even less enthusiastic about the old Warner 1080 disc's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track than he was about the video side of things, but again as with the improvements cited above in that department, the track on this disc is substantially more balanced and better presented than the one Ken described, though there are still a few passing minor issues. This is still quite often very front centered, something that seems to be endemic to the original mix given some of Ken's comments, but there are definitely very clear moments of engagement of the side and rear channels, typically in some of the effects sequences, and there are even some fun panning effects, including with the goofy opening theme music. It's more than obvious that large swaths of the film were post looped, and that may have introduced at least some of the ambience and amplitude variations that Ken noted and which are still at least somewhat in evidence here. Dialogue (such as it is) is rendered without any major issues aside from minor shifts in the mix. Optional English subtitles are available.

Mortal Kombat Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentaries

Commentary by Paul W.S. Anderson




Commentary by Dave Baxter

• Cage Match (HD; 16:13) is a 2026 interview with actor Linden Ashby.


• Leveling Up (HD; 16:16) is a 2026 interview with cinematographer John R. Leonetti.


• Quarters to Millions (HD; 18:16) is a 2026 interview with producer Lawrence Kasanoff.


• The Heavyweight (HD; 15:43) is a 2026 interview with designer and suit performer (i.e., Goro).


• A Journey Behind the Scenes (HD; 15:10) is a promotional featurette from 1995 featuring quite a few interviews with cast and crew.


• Behind the Scenes (HD; 12:46) offers more candid footage.


• On Set Soundbites

Paul W.S. Anderson (HD; 00:39)




Linden Ashby (HD; 00:28)




Robin Shou (HD; 00:16)




Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (HD; 00:47)




Bridgette Wilson (HD; 00:48)

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Christopher Lambert (HD; 00:37)

• Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:49)


• TV Spots (HD; 3:50)


• Image Gallery (HD)

This is another nicely packaged Limited Edition from Arrow, with an O ring slipcover enclosing a slipbox which itself encloses two keepcases, a booklet and a double sided foldout poster. The keepcases feature reversible sleeves, and the Mortal Kombat: Annihilation keepcases holds a second double sided foldout poster. The collectors' booklet is perfect bound and contains essays by Simon Ward and John Torrani.

Mortal Kombat Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The first Mortal Kombat film may not be any great masterpiece, but when stacked up against the largely lamentable sequel included in this set, it's actually quite enjoyable. Technical merits show improvement from the old Warner release, and as usual Arrow has aggregated some enjoyable on disc supplements and also provided handsome packaging and fun non disc swag for any fans interested in making a purchase.