Mortal Kombat
Stream
Rent & Buy
For nine generations an evil sorcerer has been victorious in hand-to-hand battle against his mortal enemies. If he wins a tenth Mortal Kombat tournament, desolation and evil will reign over the multiverse forever. To save Earth, three warriors must overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, their own inner demons, and superhuman foes.
What critics thought
Critics in 1995 were sharply divided: the film's atmospheric production design, choreographed fight sequences, and campy visual style drew genuine admiration, while its watered-down PG-13 violence, thin dialogue, and negligible plot drew equal scorn. Audiences, however, embraced it far more warmly than critics did, and the gap between those two reactions has only widened over time as the film found its cult following.
“Mortal Kombat might be described as mythological junk food. Although there is talk of the three kombatants' having to face their deepest fears to prevail, the action is so frenetic and the dialogue so minimal that the allegory is weightless.”
Stephen Holden·The New York Times
“By the time the big, world-saving bout comes around, it's hard not to wish that Shung Tsu [sic] would settle the fate of mankind by asking Liu Kang what the capital of Venezuela is... rather than engaging him in yet another round of supernaturally assisted dirty fighting”
Kim Newman·Empire
Genres
Action, Fantasy
Cast & Crew
Paul W. S. AndersonDirector
Robin ShouLiu Kang
Cary-Hiroyuki TagawaShang Tsung
Linden AshbyJohnny Cage
Bridgette WilsonSonya Blade
Christopher LambertLord Raiden
Talisa SotoKitana
Trevor GoddardKano
Chris CasamassaScorpion
Keith CookeReptile
Kenneth EdwardsArt Lean
George S. ClintonComposer
John R. LeonettiCinematographyFrom the studio
Mortal Kombat
For nine generations an evil sorcerer has been victorious in hand-to-hand battle against his mortal enemies. If he wins a tenth Mortal Kombat tournament, desolation and evil will reign over the multiverse forever. To save Earth, three warriors must overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, their own inner demons, and superhuman foes.
What critics thought
Critics in 1995 were sharply divided: the film's atmospheric production design, choreographed fight sequences, and campy visual style drew genuine admiration, while its watered-down PG-13 violence, thin dialogue, and negligible plot drew equal scorn. Audiences, however, embraced it far more warmly than critics did, and the gap between those two reactions has only widened over time as the film found its cult following.
“Mortal Kombat might be described as mythological junk food. Although there is talk of the three kombatants' having to face their deepest fears to prevail, the action is so frenetic and the dialogue so minimal that the allegory is weightless.”
Stephen Holden·The New York Times
“By the time the big, world-saving bout comes around, it's hard not to wish that Shung Tsu [sic] would settle the fate of mankind by asking Liu Kang what the capital of Venezuela is... rather than engaging him in yet another round of supernaturally assisted dirty fighting”
Kim Newman·Empire
Genres
Action, Fantasy
Cast & Crew
Paul W. S. AndersonDirectorRobin ShouLiu KangCary-Hiroyuki TagawaShang TsungLinden AshbyJohnny CageBridgette WilsonSonya BladeChristopher LambertLord RaidenTalisa SotoKitanaTrevor GoddardKanoChris CasamassaScorpionKeith CookeReptileKenneth EdwardsArt LeanGeorge S. ClintonComposerJohn R. LeonettiCinematographyFrom the studio
Stream
Rent & Buy