I'm 31 years old, and I still get unreasonably excited when I hear that announcer say "reptile." This movie still holds up. We'll just pretend Annihilation doesn't exist.
Honestly I don't get why people think it is a bad movie. Maybe it's not Oscar worthy, but it was a good video game movie, and as James said, it delivered and we were incredibly satisfied about it. I still watch it 24 years later, and boy does it feel good.
I was just a kid when mortal kombat came out, loved it then and me and my parents still love it in 2020, im 33 yrs old lol. we watched blood sport (classic) then mortal kombat the other day and we all thought mortal kombat was the more entertaining movie (I love em both, but I think MK needs some cred, and a good re-boot)
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa's performance as Shang Tsung was one of the most memorable things of the film for me. I loved that he took up the role again in Mortal Kombat: Legacy
James Rolfe gets this movie in a way Doug Walker (nostalgia critic) never will. I was pretty disappointed when Walker talked about this movie and made some really nasty comments towards people who like and defend this movie. Like how he said you're not a Mortal Kombat fan if you like the movie, and calling people who defend the movie "fucking pussies". James gives a more fair and balanced review, and while he acknowledges that it hasn't aged well, he still gives it credit for what it did right at the time.
Personally, I thought the Cage Scorpion fight was better. Especially when they got to the Netherrealm. Doesn't hurt that they used Fear Factory during it and I have a strong leaning towards hard crunchy music.
You can't overlook the performances in this movie. Sure, most weren't great, but Cary Tagawa and Christopher Lambert were a lot of fun to watch, Linden Ashby absolutely nailed Johnny Cage, and Trevor Goddard literally shaped Kano's backstory and character with his performance..
MK is a great movie, I've probably seen it over 30 times since my childhood and I still enjoy it. The music, atmosphere, fighting and all that is top notch, acting ain't bad either so I don't understand all the hate.
+darth boner Not really, if everything is crap, making something that is still crap just not as crappy as the rest isn't an achievement. If a whole class gets a 2 in an exam except for the one guy who gets a 3, is it an achievement? And yes, I like the movie but it doesn't making any less bad. Starting by the fact Shang Tsung doesn't seem to know what flawless victory means.
The Mortal Kombat movie is such a guilty pleasure. I still love this movie. I remember when i was younger i loved it so much that i watched it every day for about a month. Don't know why i did that back then but i did. Mortal Kombat is the game that got me into fighting games as a child. Til this day it's my number one favorite fighting game franchise. Never could get into street fighter sadly. I was really into the whole fantasy and gore style of mortal kombat, So when i tried to play street fighter i couldn't get in to it. It was too dull for me.
Yeah I still like it too. I was obsessed with MK as a kid though and have permanent pictures of the universe burned into my head that probably fill in the the bad parts to a degree. I never liked the CGI Reptile and always thought they should have just used the ninja and did the creeping invisible thing with him so it would of looked more akin to the Predator morphing in and out. Even with some of the quirks it's still not only my favorite video game movie, but probably my favorite kung fu movie as well.
Even though im not much of a MK fan now of days however the MK movie is will my favorite video game to movie, movie. Like im a huge fan of warcraft and just blizzard overall. I did enjoy the warcraft movie but not like how i still enjoy the MK movie.
Excellent assessment. Agree 100% I love how the later games even changed up Kano by making him Australian to mirror the movie. It just works so perfectly.
Mortal Kombat '95 gets a "Nostalgia Hall Pass" for me too James (saw it when I was 18). It's an iconic '90s pop culture treasure. Speaking of iconic, whenever I play/hear the classico "Techno Syndrome" track from The Immortals, I immediately transport to summer of '95 and scream "MORTAL KOMBAT!!!" and start "air kicking & punching" :)
One of the cinema chains where I live has shown this movie a few times at their different locations as part of their series of classic and cult movies that they show year round (they choose movies different movies based on the highest number of suggestions they get from patrons). I am hoping that it comes to the cinema closest to me in the near future, since I missed out seeing Mortal Kombat in the cinemas back in 1995.
deadfox0091 What I mean is that the soundtrack in the movie didn't come from the movie but it *did* come from the immortials single that was eventually used in the movie.
Because he hasn't mentioned anything about the actual film and focused more on the music track which lead me to believe that he only liked it because of the theme song or he thinks that the best part of the film. I was just giving him more of an idea.
I love this movie. I remember BEGGING my Dad to take me to the movies to see it and luckily mothers intervention over rode his initial "No". And for the record he enjoyed it too. Takes me back every time!
Anyone here go to Mortal Kombat Live? My friend and I went when we were younger. It was a choreographed live show, with a bunch of lasers and they blasted that MK theme from this movie over and over again. It sounds like torture now, but my friend and I loved it when we were young.
I used to own the Mortal Kombat : The Journey Begins animated movie on VHS, around the time the MK movie came out. There was actually an ad for the MK Live tour at the beginning of the video, and I remember wanting to see it SO bad. I never did though, lol
Taking the time out to say, thank you AVGN for giving mortal kombat a fair reviews. Yes a lot of people covered it, but everyone of them is comparing it to TODAYS standards. Good review and Nerd considered everything.
What do you mean "today's standards"? Video game movies have NOT gotten better since the 90s. If anything they've gotten WORSE. Hell, I'm going to go even further and say that the entertainment industry as a whole is far worse nowadays than it was in the 90s (and early-mid 00s).
Honestly, I think the movie aged pretty well. I appreciate how James understands that the context in which it came out is important to it, however IMO, it still holds up as a decent action flick. Also, the fact that it stuck to its guns and was a good adaptation of the game is incredibly relevant. When I watch it, I actually feel like I'm watching the game.
James MK was good for the very reasons you mentioned, it wasn't ashamed of its source material, it gave us great fights, the plot was simple and straightforward, I don't think it looked that cheap at all, with the exception of some bad CG here and there and the lack of blood, there was a lot to enjoy in this movie, it's just a fun fantasy martial arts film, and as far as the modern video game movies go, nothing's improved as far as Hollywood adaptations go, in fact they're probably worse.
Agreed on every point. And I'd take the Mario Brothers, Double Dragon, and Street Fighter movies over the crap of the last decade. Tekken. Any Uwe Boll flick. The Resident Evil movies, made by the same director as this (what the hell happened to him?) And video game movies have so much CGI crammed into them, like most flicks these days, what's even the point? They just end up looking like a video game cutscene as a result, so why not just play a game?
But he also mentions it hasn't aged well. The problem is how they over simplified the game's story. Today we see the movie just for sake of it. We never watch the movie to learn the game's story.
Mortal Kombat the movie was my introduction to real badass heavy metal, which is why the Johnny Cage, Scorpion fight was my favorite. Fear Factory's "Zero Signal" blew my mind. It was only after I bought the MK movie soundtrack did I get into Fear Factory all the more.
when james full on said "its not good but its entertaining" i was probably more happy then i have in recent months, finally! someone seeing why i love this movie!
I remember when I saw it in theatre when I was about 13 and as soon as the movie started with the loud techno music I was in awe. I still remember that moment and loved the movie ever since.
Same with 2 of my friends at the time, and it really got us pumped as well. looking back at the movie having watched it about a year ago now at how bad it really is, but at the time damn it was awesome.
This movie is a guilty pleasure of mine and I still watch it every other year. Emmy or Oscar award winning script or acting you will not find here, but it is action pack from start to finish with only one or two insignificant slow scenes.
I'm 5 years younger than you, and when I was 10, and after playing the video games in the arcades all summer the years before the movie came out, this movie was the greatest thing to happen to my young self. Your review was spot on and very well said
I think the fight Johnny Cage has with Scorpion is the best part of the film. I love how Scorpion stomps on Johnny's head when he's on the ground. It's a realistic touch not seen in most film fights.
I remember the hype among teens and kids when this movie came out. I loved it. And that "Test Your Might" song was amazing. I heard it many times in a laser tag arena in the late 90s.
The effects might be outdated and some cheesy acting here and there, but that aside I thought the movie was pretty good. It also had great practical effects (Goro) and - most importantly - good fight scenes! A remake of this with better costumes and modern CGI could be a real banger!
Warner Brothers has new Mortal Kombat movie on the way for next year. It is going to be rated R and show the graphic violence the video game series is know for.
I used to take karate when this movie came out, and the master sensei's son played Scorpion in the movie. I think his name was Lou Cassamassa. I also got to see Scorpion's spear when they were still making the movie, since my mom's boyfriend at the time worked at an effects studio in Hollywood.
I feel the exact same way. It hasnt aged well, but back then it was magic. Late 95 to the summer of 96 was a great time for me and this movie is a part of it. The other parts being the Dallas Cowboys winning Super Bowl XXX, the Chicago Bulls winning 72 games and then the world title, watching Dumb and Dumber on VHS, playing Mortal Kombat 3 on SNES and also that Coolio song "Gangsta's Paradise". Everything was great back then. Then the 2000s happened and everything went to crap.
I wish he'd review more movies, movies of any genre. He's better than most at reviews and I think his transition would be relatively easy. This review was spot on.
For me it was perfect in my teenage years. It portayed the video game I loved perfectly, there were lot of cool moves, and they directed it that I could follow and understand everything going on in the action, seeing all the cool coreography. Nowadays in action movies a lot of things are lost for me because of the camera movements. My only problem with this movie back then was that it focused too much around Liu Kang, a character I don't care about, but he's the main hero, so it's not much we can change.
Definitely a piece of Movie History. The Official Motion Picture Soundtrack released was great too - KMFDM, Orbital, g/z/r, Fear Factory, Napalm Death, Type O'Negative. Unforgettable part of my childhood...
Good breakdown of what made the film so good back then compared to now. I'd agree that Mortal Kombat probably doesn't hold up nowadays and isn't winning any awards, but I still feel it's the most solid video game adaptation we've had so far, right alongside Street Fighter. Prince of Persia COULD come close if not for the terrible way it's directed at times. Plus, this film, for the most part, just focused on Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, Sonya, and Raiden instead of throwing almost every character in like the Street Fighter film, much as I like it. Plus, this and Street Fighter are Oscar caliber compared to something like Street Fighter: Legend of Chun-Li.
Thanks for the review. It’s awesome hearing different perspectives on these things. I’ve basically had the same feel when I went to go see it with my friends, with my parents reluctance. I think most people who talk crap about things they don’t necessarily understand are just full of it. And while they do bring up issues, it was still a byproduct of the times and that’s at least something worth respecting.
To be totally accurate, the song wasn't "from" the movie. It was created for the Sega CD release of the original Mortal Kombat in 1993. If you put the Sega CD game disc in a regular CD player, you could hear that song along with a remix of it scattered through the CD.
I don't think it was specifically created for that either, it was just included in the game. I know Mortal Kombat The Album was advertised on MK1 or 2 attract screen. I remember seeing it in the arcade. The MK single was released but it was part of a full album of MK songs. Search for "MK The Album" you'll find a bunch of MK character songs. Really good and I enjoy it a lot.
And this whole fucken time thought you guys were talking about the best 2 tracks of the movie, ex pornstar's Traci Lords - Control and Orbital - Halcyon On & On.
Honestly, this is... not bad. It's not great, but not bad, either. I feel like Mortal Kombat and Sonic are the BEST video game movie adaptations you will ever watch IMO.
Great review James! I agree with everything you said. Oh, if you want to see another video game movie that is true to the source, check out Tashi Mike's "Ace Attorney" movie based on the Phoenix Wright games. He did an AMAZING job with source material that is pretty wacky.
Very good and fair review. I've always had a soft spot for the film. Not perfect lol, but it was/is fun and like you said pretty much delivered to its target audience at the time. Easily the best or at least in the conversation for best game adaptation
Agreed. This movie definitely didn't age well, but it was certainly a stepping stone for many later action movies. I didn't have much of a "crowd" to see it with at the time; I had a couple friends who were into it, but a lot of people in my age group at the time were ashamed to admit that they were that into video games. But I definitely loved it at the time, and shared the joy with those who did care. That soundtrack is still one of my favorite albums as well.
well said. a lot of action movies tried to do something similar. and not only after mortal kombat, but also before it. but mortal kombat has this unique, project-like feel in it. to say "it's only nostalgia", is like to say nothing.
The Matrix is a shining example of what was possible afterward, with everything done right. Plus, the Matrix also had an awesome soundtrack. I went and bought it right after seeing the movie.
Nah, it's still awesome. I even showed it a couple of years ago to people who never saw it and they said it's an awesome movie. 90s are the best movie era =)
I love this film. I actually rewatched it again last night since it's on amazon prime. It's so cheesy but fucking awesome at the same time. You can't beat the soundtrack as well.
Mike, you and James gotta fit your schedules around to sitting back and watching the First Three Hellraiser Movies. Or maybe just the first two. I definitely would wanna hear your guys' opinions on them.
This movie actually aged well. It could’ve been better but the casting was spot on, the fight scenes were good, the plot made sense, all the characters were there, the costumes were spot on. I saw this in theaters and it was great and every time it comes on TV I can’t help but watch it & the soundtrack was awesome.
I don't care what anyone says this movie is awesome. I was 7 years old when it came out and I watched the piss out of it. It was one of my favorites as a kid and still is even as an adult. I've seen it hundreds of times and I will never get tired of it. Annihilation on the other hand... Don't get me started.
Yeah, that old movie has a certain trash factor . In a good way. Atleast they tried to put the characters in it and get some sort of story together. Absolutely someting that has to be seen...
The original Street Fighter movie is bad in a good way, where you can watch it with your friends and have a good time. The Legend of Chun-li is just plain bad.
I watched this on Netflix last year and I too was surprised how much I loved it when I was younger. But by the time the movie finished, I still had respect for it. Very nostalgic.
I'm 31 years old, and I still get unreasonably excited when I hear that announcer say "reptile." This movie still holds up.
We'll just pretend Annihilation doesn't exist.
Oh yes, same here. I LOVED that part. Still do.
You are SO right!! :)
Gave me goosebumps as a kid and still does to this day!
reptile and the music starts pam pam pam para pam pam
I’m 35 and thought MK was the greatest movie ever when it came out. That said, it does NOT hold up at all, holy shit. This movie is horrible lol.
Honestly I don't get why people think it is a bad movie. Maybe it's not Oscar worthy, but it was a good video game movie, and as James said, it delivered and we were incredibly satisfied about it. I still watch it 24 years later, and boy does it feel good.
I was just a kid when mortal kombat came out, loved it then and me and my parents still love it in 2020, im 33 yrs old lol. we watched blood sport (classic) then mortal kombat the other day and we all thought mortal kombat was the more entertaining movie (I love em both, but I think MK needs some cred, and a good re-boot)
For me, it is a bad movie, but an awesome fan service and thats enough for me :)
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa's performance as Shang Tsung was one of the most memorable things of the film for me. I loved that he took up the role again in Mortal Kombat: Legacy
Later he appear in MK11
James Rolfe gets this movie in a way Doug Walker (nostalgia critic) never will. I was pretty disappointed when Walker talked about this movie and made some really nasty comments towards people who like and defend this movie. Like how he said you're not a Mortal Kombat fan if you like the movie, and calling people who defend the movie "fucking pussies".
James gives a more fair and balanced review, and while he acknowledges that it hasn't aged well, he still gives it credit for what it did right at the time.
My thoughts exactly. For a guy who says "If you like it, like it." that was REALLY douchey.
Doug Walker is very overrated even as a TH-cam critic.
@11bg00 The fuck? He did not said that. Stop lying.
Look at the Real Thoughts on Last Action Hero. It's right at the beginning.
11bg00 Doug has always been awful
Let's all admit! When Liu Kang fights with Reptile, it was an awesome fight scene!
Best fight scene in the movie. And Juno Reactor w/Traci Lords as background music? Awesomesauce.
And who could forget the pun of using the voice from the game to say "Reptile"?
Personally, I thought the Cage Scorpion fight was better. Especially when they got to the Netherrealm. Doesn't hurt that they used Fear Factory during it and I have a strong leaning towards hard crunchy music.
Dat Traci Lords tune doe
Giles Saint-Loup I also enjoyed Jonny's improvising in the scorpion fight. When he saw weapons lying around and the shield he was like fuck this guy!
Great movie. But the sequel is basically unwatchable!
Thread Racer I think the same
It felt like it had the quality level of a power rangers episode lol
@@Ascendedninja6 I completely agree. It's not good but fun in that Saturday morning 90s cartoon way.
Sequel is so shitty that it's awesome in some way
Agreed
You can't overlook the performances in this movie. Sure, most weren't great, but Cary Tagawa and Christopher Lambert were a lot of fun to watch, Linden Ashby absolutely nailed Johnny Cage, and Trevor Goddard literally shaped Kano's backstory and character with his performance..
And you can't overlook the kickass soundtrack which still scores people's gym workouts worldwide.
I don't care I still love this movie.
The Johnny Cage vs Scorpion fight scene. Hands down best fight scene in the whole movie.
I was all about Johnny Cage as a teenager.
No bro, liu x reptile was the best IMO
Nope, Liu vs Reptile
Reptile was something special.
Liu Kang vs Reptile was the best fight in the film
This is the best video game to movie adaption ever.
Not much of an achievement.
MK is a great movie, I've probably seen it over 30 times since my childhood and I still enjoy it.
The music, atmosphere, fighting and all that is top notch, acting ain't bad either so I don't understand all the hate.
+darth boner Not really, if everything is crap, making something that is still crap just not as crappy as the rest isn't an achievement.
If a whole class gets a 2 in an exam except for the one guy who gets a 3, is it an achievement?
And yes, I like the movie but it doesn't making any less bad. Starting by the fact Shang Tsung doesn't seem to know what flawless victory means.
No, Street Fighter II The Animated Movie is.
That's not saying much. Some garbage smells better than other garbage.
Robin Shou made a good Liu Kang.
I remember we all wanted him to play Goku later on! Very charismatic!
There's something magical about this movie, I love it, and in my opinion it's the most underrated video game movie of all time!
The Mortal Kombat movie is such a guilty pleasure. I still love this movie. I remember when i was younger i loved it so much that i watched it every day for about a month. Don't know why i did that back then but i did. Mortal Kombat is the game that got me into fighting games as a child. Til this day it's my number one favorite fighting game franchise. Never could get into street fighter sadly. I was really into the whole fantasy and gore style of mortal kombat, So when i tried to play street fighter i couldn't get in to it. It was too dull for me.
Yeah I still like it too. I was obsessed with MK as a kid though and have permanent pictures of the universe burned into my head that probably fill in the the bad parts to a degree. I never liked the CGI Reptile and always thought they should have just used the ninja and did the creeping invisible thing with him so it would of looked more akin to the Predator morphing in and out. Even with some of the quirks it's still not only my favorite video game movie, but probably my favorite kung fu movie as well.
Even though im not much of a MK fan now of days however the MK movie is will my favorite video game to movie, movie. Like im a huge fan of warcraft and just blizzard overall. I did enjoy the warcraft movie but not like how i still enjoy the MK movie.
MOOOOORTAAALLLL KOMMMMBATTTT!
DUDU DUDU DUDU DUDU DU DUDUDU
TEST YOUR MIGHT
+Romess1
My thoughts exactly! ^^
I still loved it just because I loved the dam game so much
DO DO DO DO DODO DO DO DO DO DODO
Excellent assessment. Agree 100%
I love how the later games even changed up Kano by making him Australian to mirror the movie. It just works so perfectly.
greatest line in movie history
Bison: For you, the day Bison graced your village was the most important day of your life. But for me, it was Tuesday.
Best line in movie history " give my regards to king tut asshole"
R.I.P. Raul Julia. Truly a man of Shakespearean talent. 🌹
That Veronica Vaughn is one piece of ace.
I know from experience...
no you don't
R.I.P. Chris Farley
Well.....not me personally, but a guy I know - him and her GOT IT ON, WOOOWEEEE!!
I was thinking that exact thing when I scrolled down and saw this comment lol
Mortal Kombat '95 gets a "Nostalgia Hall Pass" for me too James (saw it when I was 18). It's an iconic '90s pop culture treasure.
Speaking of iconic, whenever I play/hear the classico "Techno Syndrome" track from The Immortals, I immediately transport to summer of '95 and scream "MORTAL KOMBAT!!!" and start "air kicking & punching" :)
One of the cinema chains where I live has shown this movie a few times at their different locations as part of their series of classic and cult movies that they show year round (they choose movies different movies based on the highest number of suggestions they get from patrons). I am hoping that it comes to the cinema closest to me in the near future, since I missed out seeing Mortal Kombat in the cinemas back in 1995.
Man what a time to be alive in 95’ which was a great year dam I miss the 90’s
“GET OVER HERE”
yep. the second one was the one that sucked.
hola :v
Que haces aquí fred?!?!?!?
Yep, Different Raiden. Johnny should've been killed in 1.
They should of kept the original director, they messed up.
that silly scene where they travel through the middle of the planet. yea.
Mortal Kombat was pretty cool... I remember renting it from the video store. That music track... amazing...
The soundtrack didn't come from the movie. It was made by the immortials and originally released as a single.
Junior Blitz but it WAS in the film so your info is unnecessary. Cool story.
deadfox0091 What I mean is that the soundtrack in the movie didn't come from the movie but it *did* come from the immortials single that was eventually used in the movie.
Junior Blitz so what does any of that have to do with TBones comment. That's my point.
Because he hasn't mentioned anything about the actual film and focused more on the music track which lead me to believe that he only liked it because of the theme song or he thinks that the best part of the film. I was just giving him more of an idea.
I love this movie. I remember BEGGING my Dad to take me to the movies to see it and luckily mothers intervention over rode his initial "No". And for the record he enjoyed it too. Takes me back every time!
Anyone here go to Mortal Kombat Live?
My friend and I went when we were younger. It was a choreographed live show, with a bunch of lasers and they blasted that MK theme from this movie over and over again. It sounds like torture now, but my friend and I loved it when we were young.
I used to own the Mortal Kombat : The Journey Begins animated movie on VHS, around the time the MK movie came out. There was actually an ad for the MK Live tour at the beginning of the video, and I remember wanting to see it SO bad. I never did though, lol
I wanted to go so bad. I never got the chance to.
Taking the time out to say, thank you AVGN for giving mortal kombat a fair reviews.
Yes a lot of people covered it, but everyone of them is comparing it to TODAYS standards.
Good review and Nerd considered everything.
What do you mean "today's standards"? Video game movies have NOT gotten better since the 90s. If anything they've gotten WORSE. Hell, I'm going to go even further and say that the entertainment industry as a whole is far worse nowadays than it was in the 90s (and early-mid 00s).
"They compare it to TODAYS standards." I guess good movies didn't exist back in the 90s
Honestly, I think the movie aged pretty well. I appreciate how James understands that the context in which it came out is important to it, however IMO, it still holds up as a decent action flick. Also, the fact that it stuck to its guns and was a good adaptation of the game is incredibly relevant. When I watch it, I actually feel like I'm watching the game.
James MK was good for the very reasons you mentioned, it wasn't ashamed of its source material, it gave us great fights, the plot was simple and straightforward, I don't think it looked that cheap at all, with the exception of some bad CG here and there and the lack of blood, there was a lot to enjoy in this movie, it's just a fun fantasy martial arts film, and as far as the modern video game movies go, nothing's improved as far as Hollywood adaptations go, in fact they're probably worse.
Silent Hill wasn't that bad.
Lord Baktor Agreed. I think Silent Hill was one of the best video game adaptations I've seen.
Agreed on every point. And I'd take the Mario Brothers, Double Dragon, and Street Fighter movies over the crap of the last decade. Tekken. Any Uwe Boll flick. The Resident Evil movies, made by the same director as this (what the hell happened to him?) And video game movies have so much CGI crammed into them, like most flicks these days, what's even the point? They just end up looking like a video game cutscene as a result, so why not just play a game?
Assassins creed wasn't that bad
But he also mentions it hasn't aged well. The problem is how they over simplified the game's story. Today we see the movie just for sake of it. We never watch the movie to learn the game's story.
Christopher Lambert's laugh is my favorite part of this movie.
David Hoffnung enough!
Ha ha ha ha ha....Sorry.
The Citizen Kane of video game movies.
Citizen Kano.
Both of these are underrated comments
best analogy ever
Street fighter 2 the animation
Sonic The Hedgehog enters the chat
I enjoyed the mortal kombat movie. Scorpion scene was the best.
Mortal Kombat the movie was my introduction to real badass heavy metal, which is why the Johnny Cage, Scorpion fight was my favorite. Fear Factory's "Zero Signal" blew my mind. It was only after I bought the MK movie soundtrack did I get into Fear Factory all the more.
Karlyle Cummings I'll have to check that out.
me too \m/
Man your so right i love that fight my favorite part in it is scorpion "get down here"😂😂
YEah, I totally agree. Demanufacture and I think Obsolete just came out soon after. Fear Factory was the shit back in the 90's.
fear factory is techno rock...def not heavy metal
"GET DOWN HERE!!!"
i knew scorpion said that! everyone else cant hear it lol i love that... "get down here!"
*WELCOME*
SUCKERS!
when james full on said "its not good but its entertaining" i was probably more happy then i have in recent months, finally! someone seeing why i love this movie!
Who can forget when reptile appeared..... siiiiiiiiick
Alun Farr i forgot
I was disappointed that he was shown as a tiny lizard. A guy with a reptilian face under a human face mask wasn't possible?
I remember feeling like he was underrepresented. Probably just because I was a Reptile mark. I wanted to see more.
I remember when I saw it in theatre when I was about 13 and as soon as the movie started with the loud techno music I was in awe. I still remember that moment and loved the movie ever since.
I seen Mortal Kombat in the theatre as well. The music kinda pumped me up
yeah maybe a bit more then kinda LOL
Mark Clipper Wow, how morbid hahahahaha !
Same with 2 of my friends at the time, and it really got us pumped as well. looking back at the movie having watched it about a year ago now at how bad it really is, but at the time damn it was awesome.
Kathy McCrory same here
This movie is a guilty pleasure of mine and I still watch it every other year. Emmy or Oscar award winning script or acting you will not find here, but it is action pack from start to finish with only one or two insignificant slow scenes.
sonya and kintana were so hot
Carl Weathers Bridgette Wilson is married to Pete Sampras, former tennis player since 2000.
I'd bang Kitana.
bridgette wilson 20 years later can still sit on my face.
Wired fetish
@@オネットネス-w1j m8 u HAVE a BIG problem I think U should go to a doctor
The movie was better if you grew up playing it, because you knew what the stakes were and expected most of our only heroes to die. Great movie!
Mortal kombat movie still kicks ass today
I'm 5 years younger than you, and when I was 10, and after playing the video games in the arcades all summer the years before the movie came out, this movie was the greatest thing to happen to my young self. Your review was spot on and very well said
I loved this movie back then. It was mind blowing and fun. I probably saw it over 100 times on VHS.
this movie is the best, it's not bad at all
"it respected its material"
Honestly if more directors took that approach, these adaptations from animes and video games would be so much better.
I think the fight Johnny Cage has with Scorpion is the best part of the film. I love how Scorpion stomps on Johnny's head when he's on the ground. It's a realistic touch not seen in most film fights.
gilgamesh310 that fight between Johnny Cage and Scorpion is my favorite part in the movie.
Get the guy who made The Raid films to do a Rated R Mortal Kombat movie.
You sir, are a genius! Somebody get this guy a Nobel!
Agreed
I remember the hype among teens and kids when this movie came out. I loved it. And that "Test Your Might" song was amazing. I heard it many times in a laser tag arena in the late 90s.
When James said, "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation," I threw up a little in my mouth. :(
Good movie. You should review Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.
Intimidation this is a stupid question but if you haven't watch the nostalgia critic review of that movie I suggest giving it a watch lol
That's not a question.
seriously you want him review total garbage?
Intimidation what's to review? I damn near fell asleep watching that shit pickle in the theater.
Same thing happened to me with Jaws: The Revenge
The effects might be outdated and some cheesy acting here and there, but that aside I thought the movie was pretty good. It also had great practical effects (Goro) and - most importantly - good fight scenes!
A remake of this with better costumes and modern CGI could be a real banger!
Warner Brothers has new Mortal Kombat movie on the way for next year. It is going to be rated R and show the graphic violence the video game series is know for.
The Scorpion Harpoon was an amazing bit of CGI for its time, same with Reptile.
I still love it. Cult classic.
I really loved this movie as a child
And still have weakness for it nowadays!
I do too!
Exactly - it was good back in 1995, but you had to be there to experience it.
I used to take karate when this movie came out, and the master sensei's son played Scorpion in the movie. I think his name was Lou Cassamassa. I also got to see Scorpion's spear when they were still making the movie, since my mom's boyfriend at the time worked at an effects studio in Hollywood.
Actually I think Chris played Scorpion and Lou was his dad.
Ed Shannon Cool, what style? I practice Shotokan.
Ed Shannon spoiled
Everybody in school had a version of this story lmao
Ed Shannon You were so lucky.
I feel the exact same way. It hasnt aged well, but back then it was magic. Late 95 to the summer of 96 was a great time for me and this movie is a part of it. The other parts being the Dallas Cowboys winning Super Bowl XXX, the Chicago Bulls winning 72 games and then the world title, watching Dumb and Dumber on VHS, playing Mortal Kombat 3 on SNES and also that Coolio song "Gangsta's Paradise". Everything was great back then. Then the 2000s happened and everything went to crap.
This is my #1 Ultimate favorite guilty nostalgia pleasure movie. I saw this when I was 10 years old and LOVED IT and still do.
Saw this when I was 10, loved it then. Love it now!
Truly a cinematic masterpiece.
I wish he'd review more movies, movies of any genre. He's better than most at reviews and I think his transition would be relatively easy. This review was spot on.
Probably still the best video game movie.
BEST MOVIE EVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ulaghchi best soundtrack evveeeeevrrrr
+kamil douglas Made by the immortals. :-)
I love this movie!!!
This movie and it’s sequel sucked balls, but my god I love watching it! I can’t watch it consecutively but definitely once a year.
I loved it as a kid too. I remember it being so much better than it actually is but that nostalgia factor gives it a warm place in my heart
He's the Calmer Movie Theater Nerd.
For me it was perfect in my teenage years. It portayed the video game I loved perfectly, there were lot of cool moves, and they directed it that I could follow and understand everything going on in the action, seeing all the cool coreography. Nowadays in action movies a lot of things are lost for me because of the camera movements. My only problem with this movie back then was that it focused too much around Liu Kang, a character I don't care about, but he's the main hero, so it's not much we can change.
I loved this movie as a kid
Definitely a piece of Movie History. The Official Motion Picture Soundtrack released was great too - KMFDM, Orbital, g/z/r, Fear Factory, Napalm Death, Type O'Negative. Unforgettable part of my childhood...
Good breakdown of what made the film so good back then compared to now. I'd agree that Mortal Kombat probably doesn't hold up nowadays and isn't winning any awards, but I still feel it's the most solid video game adaptation we've had so far, right alongside Street Fighter. Prince of Persia COULD come close if not for the terrible way it's directed at times. Plus, this film, for the most part, just focused on Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, Sonya, and Raiden instead of throwing almost every character in like the Street Fighter film, much as I like it. Plus, this and Street Fighter are Oscar caliber compared to something like Street Fighter: Legend of Chun-Li.
Thanks for the review. It’s awesome hearing different perspectives on these things. I’ve basically had the same feel when I went to go see it with my friends, with my parents reluctance. I think most people who talk crap about things they don’t necessarily understand are just full of it. And while they do bring up issues, it was still a byproduct of the times and that’s at least something worth respecting.
I was watching a hockey game on tv the other day and they played the mortal kombat song
To be totally accurate, the song wasn't "from" the movie. It was created for the Sega CD release of the original Mortal Kombat in 1993. If you put the Sega CD game disc in a regular CD player, you could hear that song along with a remix of it scattered through the CD.
I don't think it was specifically created for that either, it was just included in the game. I know Mortal Kombat The Album was advertised on MK1 or 2 attract screen. I remember seeing it in the arcade. The MK single was released but it was part of a full album of MK songs. Search for "MK The Album" you'll find a bunch of MK character songs. Really good and I enjoy it a lot.
The more you know lol
The Immortals Techno Syndrome - written by Oliver Adams. - wikipedia
AnEternalEnigma This was originally released as a single in 1992 by the immortals. Look it up, you'll be surprised. ;-)
And this whole fucken time thought you guys were talking about the best 2 tracks of the movie, ex pornstar's Traci Lords - Control and Orbital - Halcyon On & On.
I remember being addicted to Reptile's fight song in my childhood. Good times
Loved this movie back in the day, and I still love it.
It was on tv in Hungary 2 weeks ago.
I accidantely found it afternoon and watched it.
It is still really enjoyable.
Honestly, this is... not bad. It's not great, but not bad, either. I feel like Mortal Kombat and Sonic are the BEST video game movie adaptations you will ever watch IMO.
I can still hear the theme song from this movie
I bought this on DVD 20 years later for 99 cents on amazon, don't regret it. It was actually pretty good.
You forgot Liu Kangs Bicycle kick.....
He throws a fireball to beat tsang sung
@@drew4564 The bicycle kick is how he beat Reptile.
Great review James! I agree with everything you said. Oh, if you want to see another video game movie that is true to the source, check out Tashi Mike's "Ace Attorney" movie based on the Phoenix Wright games. He did an AMAZING job with source material that is pretty wacky.
TotalMK there's an actual Ace Attorney anime movie that's really good too!
this is with live actors? I cant' see how you can fuck up Court scene its been done to death in film industry
TotalMK 大家好
I doubt that James consider Ace Attorney as a game.
It was just a plain good, fun, Eastern style action movie. I still enjoy it to this day. How can anybody not be pumped by the soundtrack?
"MORTAL KOMBAT!!!!!" hit the music.
Very good and fair review. I've always had a soft spot for the film. Not perfect lol, but it was/is fun and like you said pretty much delivered to its target audience at the time. Easily the best or at least in the conversation for best game adaptation
I still think Mortal Kombat is damn good, the sequel though, holy crap, is that bad!
Agreed. This movie definitely didn't age well, but it was certainly a stepping stone for many later action movies. I didn't have much of a "crowd" to see it with at the time; I had a couple friends who were into it, but a lot of people in my age group at the time were ashamed to admit that they were that into video games. But I definitely loved it at the time, and shared the joy with those who did care. That soundtrack is still one of my favorite albums as well.
well said. a lot of action movies tried to do something similar. and not only after mortal kombat, but also before it. but mortal kombat has this unique, project-like feel in it. to say "it's only nostalgia", is like to say nothing.
The Matrix is a shining example of what was possible afterward, with everything done right. Plus, the Matrix also had an awesome soundtrack. I went and bought it right after seeing the movie.
When "That song by The Immortals " or "The Mortal Kombat Theme" came on in the roller-rinks, IT WAS ON.
MORTAAAAL KOMBAAAAAT!
Let's not forget how fucking epic the soundtrack was!!!
Nah, it's still awesome. I even showed it a couple of years ago to people who never saw it and they said it's an awesome movie. 90s are the best movie era =)
They even had Fear Factory playing during the fight between Cage and Scorpion. Badass!
Shang Tsung was the best actor and he is the best ting about this movie
Cary Tagawa was and still is the best thing to happen to Mortal Kombat! EVER! ♥👌🙏
Shang Tsungs performance was oscar worthy.
Raiden was pretty awesome himself.
They did choose great actors who represented the characters from the game. Some of the special effects and the story needed some adjustments though.
I love this film. I actually rewatched it again last night since it's on amazon prime. It's so cheesy but fucking awesome at the same time. You can't beat the soundtrack as well.
I was 10 in 95 and still remember watching this in theaters...Loved it!
I'm glad your back AVGN
Kitana: "Mother, you're alive!"
Sindel: " Too bad YOU...........Will die."
Hah, that's from the sequel though.
+Brandon Flash
The delivery on the response was very William Shatnery.
Nevertheless you made my day :D
yeah, if you think this movie is bad, just dont watch the next one
Brandon Flash LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Brandon Flash 😂😂😂 yeah i remember that line.
definitely a top 10 movie for me. i loved it as a kid, i can still watch it now and enjoy every moment of it.
I reccomend "Street Fighter II: the Animated Movie".
Fuck yeah!
That's the best film adaptation of a game ever.
how about assassin's fist it's wicked awesome
AlexKuro1 yeah that was brilliant
Agree
Something about hearing Shao Kahn say "Reptile" right before the fight started always gave me goosebumps.
At least I think it was Kahn..
Definitely shao kahn
No one says someone's name without sounding badass
yep, I was 10 and this movie/game series was LEGENDARY to me and my friends.
i just know this movie has THE BEST music theme of ALL TIME.. NO movie can beat MK's music theme.
Mike, you and James gotta fit your schedules around to sitting back and watching the First Three Hellraiser Movies.
Or maybe just the first two. I definitely would wanna hear your guys' opinions on them.
He's already reviewed Hellraiser, it's on the Cinemassacre site.
This movie actually aged well. It could’ve been better but the casting was spot on, the fight scenes were good, the plot made sense, all the characters were there, the costumes were spot on. I saw this in theaters and it was great and every time it comes on TV I can’t help but watch it & the soundtrack was awesome.
I don't care what anyone says this movie is awesome. I was 7 years old when it came out and I watched the piss out of it. It was one of my favorites as a kid and still is even as an adult. I've seen it hundreds of times and I will never get tired of it. Annihilation on the other hand... Don't get me started.
The older Street fighter movie is better than the legend of Chun li garbage.
Yeah, that old movie has a certain trash factor . In a good way. Atleast they tried to put the characters in it and get some sort of story together. Absolutely someting that has to be seen...
ziljin definitely
ziljin definitely. Old sf is so off that it's almost interesting. I've watched it often.
Street Fighter the movie is a masterpiece compared to The Legend of Chun Li.
The original Street Fighter movie is bad in a good way, where you can watch it with your friends and have a good time. The Legend of Chun-li is just plain bad.
I watched this on Netflix last year and I too was surprised how much I loved it when I was younger. But by the time the movie finished, I still had respect for it. Very nostalgic.
This video made me longing for the music so much. Play the god damn theme music already 😋