Mortal Kombat is one of gaming’s great guilty pleasures. In arcades across North America, the gore you could dish out in a brawler had enthusiasts lining up for more. In the cinematic adaptation that continues in Mortal Kombat II, the lore leans into Robert E. Howard-style worldbuilding, mixing Bushidō-adjacent pulp fiction more than philosophy with enough mythology to make the stakes feel real. That blend is everywhere in the ongoing fight over who gets to claim the Earthrealm, with some cowboy diplomacy thrown into the mix.
This multiverse runs deep: there’s the Outworld and Netherworld, and the Realm of Order and Chaos, each with its own chosen champions. After the events of the first film, casual viewers may not remember enough to follow why Johnny Cage (Karl Urban) is being pulled into the conflict. The film opens with a flashback that introduces Emperor Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) as the primary antagonist. After defeating King Jerrod (Desmond Chiam) in Mortal Kombat, he claims the kingdom of Edenia for the Outworld and takes two unwilling prizes home with him. Queen Sindel (Ana Thu Nguyen) and Princess Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) don’t go quietly.
Fast forward to the present. Kitana is grown up, trained, and working her own agenda. The story then shifts to Cage, who is a washed-up actor returning to his roots. He’s participating in underground fights, and after the latest match, the heroes from the film appear to say he’s needed. The universe needs him fighting for truth, honour, and the Earthrealm. He naturally resists but is curious enough to investigate, and the next act doubles as a catch-up for anyone who missed the first film. Five years is a long time between instalments, after all.
When producer Todd Garner and writer Jeremy Slater took their time finding a story worth telling, pandemic or not, they finally got to production before a labour production stalled operations. That’s the reason behind the delay.
Despite the wait, there’s plenty to enjoy in those two hours. The action choreography is sharp, and Urban is clearly having a blast. The film takes a detour to explain why Cage traded MMA championships for Hollywood, including a loosey-goosey incident that essentially got him blacklisted. Now all he has is his looks and a fine-tuned sixth sense for dodging trouble. Urban commits fully to the role, and it shows. I’ll always have a soft spot for him as Judge Dredd and Bones McCoy, but he’s carved out something genuinely “all shook up” here.
Kitana is where the film stumbles. Her arc feels surface-level when it could have been the emotional core. Growing up under the guardianship of the man who conquered your homeland and murdered your father? That’s rich material. The film barely scratches it. With more time devoted to her inner conflict, Kitana could have led this movie instead of playing second fiddle to Cage. Johnny is charismatic and scene-stealing, but Kitana deserved the spotlight.
Mortal Kombat II is a live-action cartoon, and it wears that proudly. Showboating, violence, and just enough mythology to keep things moving. For fans of the games, it works. For casual viewers, the lore can pile up fast and turn what should be fun pulp into a confusing slog. For me, the lore is enough to hold my interest. The film is really about ascension and redemption, and both Cage and Kitana carry that weight in their own way. The trouble is one of them is hogging the stage while the other barely gets room to breathe. That imbalance keeps Mortal Kombat II from being something genuinely great instead of just good.
3 Stars out of 5
Mortal Kombat II Trailer
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