I will start with the positive. The opening and closing scenes of this film are excellent!
Focusing on Scorpion and Sub-zero's story was a solid high point that showcased the best this film had to offer as far as acting performances, fight choreography and interesting plot premise.
Unfortunately, the 90+ minutes that occur between these 2 scenes are dull in comparison!
Immediately after the exhilarating opening scene, we get introduced to brand new character; Cole Young.
As a character, Cole is just blah! Boring. Un-interesting. A down-and-out underdog with no real purpose other than functioning as a major buzz-kill everytime he's on screen.
Basically - Cole sucks!!!
If the writers wanted to add a new character - at least make him interesting so the audience gives a s*!t about him!
I would love to say that Cole is the worst thing about this film but unfortunately the "bad" doesn't end with him.
Other MK faves are pointlessly inserted throughout the film just so the audience can say "hey, it's Kabal - there he is" or "ooh, no! Here comes Goro" but serve no real purpose outside of this!
Rayden and Shang Tsung literally could have been played by anyone!
They had NO personality whatsoever!
Rayden could barely speak english and delivered his dialogue like it was a dress rehearsal for an amature theatre production.
Shang Tsung was a generic TV villain straight out of Power Rangers!
No black contact lenses could make up for the lack of "menace" about him.
This film desperately needed Cary Tagawa back in the role of Shang Tsung - his charisma and menacing grimace was a stand-out of the 1995 original film.
Heck - his performance was so good that they bought him back for MK11!
Why not this film?!
Outside of Sub-zero and Scorpion - the only likeable character in this film is Kano!
He gets the best dialogue of all characters (I suspect much of it is improvised), had he not been in the film - that 90 minutes between the intro and ending would have been an absolute snore-fest!
I realise I'm sounding overly harsh here but the thing is - Im a long time MK fan.
I grew up with the original game trilogy, read the comics and watched the film's.
I'm an MK fan for life and this film was an insult to MK fans everywhere!
People say we need to turn our brain's off to enjoy these types of film's - but there's a difference between turning off your brain and having to get a labotomy to enjoy a movie!
Very dissapointing.
I hope that a sequel brings in a new team of (creative) writers, a more competent Director and that they kill off Cole within Act 1 as it would be a huge disservice having a non-canon plank of wood win the tournament!
Focusing on Scorpion and Sub-zero's story was a solid high point that showcased the best this film had to offer as far as acting performances, fight choreography and interesting plot premise.
Unfortunately, the 90+ minutes that occur between these 2 scenes are dull in comparison!
Immediately after the exhilarating opening scene, we get introduced to brand new character; Cole Young.
As a character, Cole is just blah! Boring. Un-interesting. A down-and-out underdog with no real purpose other than functioning as a major buzz-kill everytime he's on screen.
Basically - Cole sucks!!!
If the writers wanted to add a new character - at least make him interesting so the audience gives a s*!t about him!
I would love to say that Cole is the worst thing about this film but unfortunately the "bad" doesn't end with him.
Other MK faves are pointlessly inserted throughout the film just so the audience can say "hey, it's Kabal - there he is" or "ooh, no! Here comes Goro" but serve no real purpose outside of this!
Rayden and Shang Tsung literally could have been played by anyone!
They had NO personality whatsoever!
Rayden could barely speak english and delivered his dialogue like it was a dress rehearsal for an amature theatre production.
Shang Tsung was a generic TV villain straight out of Power Rangers!
No black contact lenses could make up for the lack of "menace" about him.
This film desperately needed Cary Tagawa back in the role of Shang Tsung - his charisma and menacing grimace was a stand-out of the 1995 original film.
Heck - his performance was so good that they bought him back for MK11!
Why not this film?!
Outside of Sub-zero and Scorpion - the only likeable character in this film is Kano!
He gets the best dialogue of all characters (I suspect much of it is improvised), had he not been in the film - that 90 minutes between the intro and ending would have been an absolute snore-fest!
I realise I'm sounding overly harsh here but the thing is - Im a long time MK fan.
I grew up with the original game trilogy, read the comics and watched the film's.
I'm an MK fan for life and this film was an insult to MK fans everywhere!
People say we need to turn our brain's off to enjoy these types of film's - but there's a difference between turning off your brain and having to get a labotomy to enjoy a movie!
Very dissapointing.
I hope that a sequel brings in a new team of (creative) writers, a more competent Director and that they kill off Cole within Act 1 as it would be a huge disservice having a non-canon plank of wood win the tournament!