Mortal Kombat II

Gus Keller
5 hours ago
1 min read

Mortal Kombat II is a mess. Despite a simple premise, pointless characters and lore convolute its plot. Cliche contrivances litter the story. Dialogue is either obvious exposition or broad humor. It has desensitized stakes as well as constant predictability. Attempts at drama are forced, clashing with the cartoonish camp around them. Weak motivations lead to arbitrary arcs, apathetic tragedies, and dull relationships. There are no themes because this is pure commercialism. Though its acting glimpses skill (Urban's charm plus Sanada's gravitas), the performances are largely emotionless (wooden, bland, or farcical). Consequently, Mortal Kombat II is disengaging nonsense.

Mortal Kombat II has inept technicals. Never committing to a tone or style, its direction immediately devolves into generic slop. Murky contrast, drab colors, and unclear spacing result in frustrating cinematography. The editing's rushed pacing, aimless structure, and clumsy set pieces generate no momentum. Genre elements establish a competent soundscape. Despite the famous closing needle drop, its music is a mediocre nonfactor throughout. The production design feels tacky, glossy, and boring. Its cast provides diversity but almost everyone is replaceable. Overrelying on CGI, the effects create uncanny, cheap-looking violence. Overall, Mortal Kombat II offers little value.

Writing: 1/10

Direction: 1/10

Cinematography: 3/10

Acting: 3/10

Editing: 3/10

Sound: 7/10

Score/Soundtrack: 4/10

Production Design: 3/10

Casting: 4/10

Effects: 4/10

Overall Score: 3.3/10

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