Following the blockbuster knockout of 2021’s Mortal Kombat, director Simon McQuoid returns with a full-throttle sequel that embraces the franchise’s mythic scale and arcade-fuelled insanity with absolute confidence. This is no restrained follow-up.

Mortal Kombat II lives by the motto of “go big or go home,” and McQuoid throws absolutely everything into the fight pit. The result is a wildly entertaining martial arts spectacle that feels ripped straight out of the golden age of hyper-violent action cinema, turbocharged with supernatural chaos and dripping with fan-service mayhem.

This time, the fan favourite champions, now joined by Johnny Cage (Karl Urban) himself, are pitted against one another in the ultimate, no-holds-barred, gory battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders.

Enter the Kombat

This time around, the stakes are nothing less than the survival of Earthrealm itself, and with the official Mortal Kombat tournament finally underway, a whole new generation of warriors steps into the arena. Long-time fans are going to lose their minds over the expanded mythology and deeper dive into the franchise’s decades of lore, with McQuoid and his creative team embracing the epic fantasy side of Mortal Kombat just as enthusiastically as the brutal combat.

From towering Outworld battlefields to the hellish nightmare landscapes of the Netherrealm, Mortal Kombat II feels enormous in scale. Every location pulses with heavy metal energy thanks to striking production design, whip-crack cinematography and a visual style that fully commits to bringing the iconic video game universe to savage life on the big screen. And when the fights begin? Absolute carnage.

Karl Urban Steals the Show as Johnny Cage

Leading this new era of kombatants is Karl Urban as fan-favourite loudmouth Johnny Cage, and Urban absolutely tears the roof off the film. Introduced as a washed-up B-movie action star desperately clinging to the remnants of his fame, Cage initially stumbles into the conflict more concerned with reviving his career than saving reality itself.

But as the blood starts spilling and the punches start landing, Johnny Cage rediscovers the warrior buried beneath the ego, and Urban makes every second of that journey wildly entertaining.

What makes Urban’s performance so much fun is how sharply it contrasts with his ruthless alpha-male swagger as Billy Butcher. Here, Cage is cocky, insecure, ridiculous and strangely lovable all at once, and Urban fully leans into the character’s snarky charm and chaotic energy. The one-liners hit hard, the action hits harder, and by the film’s climax, Cage firmly earns his place as the MVP of the tournament.

Warriors, Tyrants and Fatalities

The supporting cast comes out swinging just as hard. Adeline Rudolph makes a commanding impression as Princess Kitana, whose battle against her tyrannical stepfather Shao Kahn becomes one of the film’s emotional and physical centrepieces. Rudolph brings both fierceness and vulnerability to the role, turning Kitana into a true warrior queen willing to sacrifice everything for her people.

Jessica McNamee once again proves herself a powerhouse as Sonya Blade, now stepping confidently into a leadership role alongside Lord Raiden, played with stoic coolness by Tadanobu Asano. Meanwhile, Josh Lawson absolutely detonates across the screen as Kano, delivering scene-stealing comedy and unfiltered chaos with every appearance.

Then there’s the monster himself. Martyn Ford is a terrifying force of nature as Shao Kahn, radiating pure domination with every thunderous step. Massive, brutal and utterly merciless, Ford transforms Shao Kahn into a genuinely intimidating villain whose presence hangs over the film like an incoming apocalypse.

Fatalities Dialled Up to Eleven

If the first film flirted with the franchise’s signature gore, Mortal Kombat II dives headfirst into the blood-soaked deep end.

The action sequences are gloriously excessive, packed with shattered bones, exploding skulls and fatalities so outrageously over-the-top that audiences will either recoil in horror or cheer like maniacs. For diehard Mortal Kombat fans, this is pure cinematic bliss.

Ludi Lin once again commands attention as Liu Kang, fully stepping into his role as Earthrealm’s greatest champion. His dragon fatality sequence is the kind of crowd-erupting moment that reminds audiences exactly why this franchise has endured for decades.

But the film’s biggest showstoppers arrive in two utterly berserk fight sequences.

The first is a savage four-way deathmatch in the Netherrealm between Johnny Cage, Kano, Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion and Bi-Han/Noob Saibot, played with lethal intensity by Hiroyuki Sanada and Joe Taslim. It’s an all-out infernal warzone of chains, blades and supernatural brutality.

The second is the climactic showdown between Kitana and Shao Kahn: a brutal, emotionally charged clash that explodes with operatic violence and delivers one of the most crowd-pleasing finales the franchise has ever seen.

Final Verdict: FLAWLESS VICTORY

Big, loud, savage and completely unapologetic, this sequel embraces everything fans love about the franchise and cranks it to maximum volume. Simon McQuoid has crafted a gloriously chaotic martial arts blockbuster that balances mythic fantasy, outrageous violence and heavy metal spectacle with infectious enthusiasm.

Whether you’re a lifelong kombat veteran or simply looking for the wildest cinematic adrenaline rush imaginable, Mortal Kombat II delivers a viciously entertaining ride that hits like a spinning roundhouse kick to the face.

Image: Warner Brothers Pictures

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Now director Simon McQuoid is back to bring even more craziness to the big screen with the must-watch sequel Mortal Kombat II as he expands the world of Outworld, and a whole host of new characters, including fan favourites Johnny Cage and Kitana, are along for the ride. And if this new trailer is promising anything, it’s a pure spectacle of uncontrollable craziness! And we’re so down for it.

Watch the all-new trailer for Mortal Kombat II below:

Here’s the official synopsis:

This time, the fan favourite champions, now joined by Johnny Cage (Karl Urban) himself, are pitted against one another in the ultimate, no-holds-barred, gory battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders.

Not only does this new trailer promise to deliver on a whole new level of ultra-violence, but it also introduces fan favourite character, Johnny Cage, who is being portrayed by New Zealand-born actor and Hollywood star Karl Urban in a pitch-perfect performance as a washed-up, has-been 1990s action hero who is called upon by Lord Raiden and the defenders of Earthrealm to put it all on the line and step up as a Champion. And that’s where the fun kicks off.

It’s clear from the trailer that Urban is having a blast as Cage, and he’s bringing all the nuances of this legendary grade-A Hollywood douchebag, pretty-boy, action star to the big screen, while also showing off some killer martial arts moves, all while finally stepping up to be the hero he pretended to be.

While Urban is definitely the main draw card of Mortal Kombat II, McQuoid and his team have also delved deeper into the world of Outworld and are bringing fan favourite characters such as Katana, played here by Adeline Rudolph, along with seeing the return of Jessica McNamee’s Sonya Blade, Josh Lawson’s Kano and Hiroyuki Sanada Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion, and teasing out the introduction of the feared nightmare of the infamous Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford).

 

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Mortal Kombat II is promising more characters, more action, even more gore and some pretty gnarly fatalities, and we’ll be there when it arrives in cinemas on October 23.

Image: Warner Brothers Pictures

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A washed-up mixed martial arts fighter named Cole Young is unaware of his hidden lineage or why he is being hunted down by Sub-Zero of the Lin-Kuei clan of assassins. Concerned for the safety of his family, he seeks out a clique of fighters that were chosen to defend Earthrealm in a high-stakes battle against the forces of Outworld.

Australian director Simon McQuoid makes his directorial debut with this all-new adaptation of Mortal Kombat and he sure picked one hell of a property for his first film. Whether you’re a longtime acolyte of the cult video game and its roster of outlandishly cool characters, or this is your first time venturing into the deadly battle between Earthrealm and Outworld, you’re served one hell of a fun film thanks to McQuoid’s direction. McQuoid understands his subject matter intimately and produces a compelling film of high-energy martial-arts action which is sure to amp up audiences and provides one very fun time at the movies.

Standing front and centre in this new adaptation of Mortal Kombat is revered actor and martial artist Joe Taslim as the infamous Bi-Han/Sub-Zero, and Taslim switches it up thanks to a full-on villainous performance. As Sub-Zero, Taslim is the ultimate assassin, a killer with no conscience and who desires nothing except to see the end of the Shirai Ryu clan and the triumph of the Lin Kuei clan. Taslim attacks the role with an intensity that will make you sit up and take notice. Light on his feet and casting a very big presence across Mortal Kombat, Taslim’s Sub-Zero is a villain you can cheer for and he definitely keeps the action on screen interesting thanks to powerfully honed combat skills that are delivered with ruthless speed and efficiency.

Facing off against Taslim’s Sub-Zero, is noted Japanese performer Hiroyuki Sanada who takes on the role of Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion and who is the mortal enemy of Sub-Zero. Sanada has a long list of very impressive credits both in terms of his native Japanese cinema, and large scale Hollywood productions, and he brings an incredible gravitas and emotion to the character of Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion. He’s also fairly proficient with a katana and when he finally gets to go mano-o-mano with Sub-Zero prepare to sit up in your seat because you’ll be wide-eyed with excitement thanks to this deadly showdown.

Stepping into the ring for Mortal Kombat is rising star Lewis Tan as Cole Young, the chief protagonist of Mortal Kombat and this character clearly signifies Tan’s turn as an action star to take serious notice of. As the everyman of the picture Cole is a character who has run his whole life from destiny and responsibility, but who fearing for his families safety has to accept his inner power and must then rise to the occasion. Like both Taslim and Sanada, Tan gets the chance to show off his serious talent for the martial arts here, and as Cole builds and builds in his strength as a character, the action gets bigger and bigger and leads to one giant fight with one colossal foe!

Backing up Tan in a key supporting role is Jessica McNamee as noted fan favourite Mortal Kombat character Sonya Blade, and this girl definitely can fight. As a former Special Forces soldier, Blade is a seriously capable opponent and McNamee gets the chance to put the hurt on the bad guys in the best way possible. McNamee is one of the film’s strongest additions and gives credence to the film’s lore and mythos and owns the screen as this tough girl who knows how to throw a punch, and knows how to throw them hard. McNamee’s Sonya definitely has some moves in the ring and her performance reminds me of a young Hilary Swank, and I believe we’re going to see a lot more of her down the road.

But when it comes to scene stealers in Mortal Kombat the winner is unanimously Josh Lawson as Australian criminal ratbag Kano and he owns every single scene he’s in. Whether it’s his slimy attempts to antagonise his fellow champions, or his quippy one-liners, Lawson’s performance as Kano is just flat out AMAZING and you’ll be in hysterics the whole way through thanks to his presence. Lawson gives Mortal Kombat a great sense of levity that stops the film from being overly serious, and his pithy dialogue cuts just as sharp as his bowie knife and it’s a lot of fun to watch him work.

Finally wrapping everything together is Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden, Thunder God and protector of Earthrealm and who also happens to be my favourite Mortal Kombat character of all time. Asano is an utterly excellent choice as Raiden and gives this regal god a strong sense of power and authority and it’s an absolute joy to watch him work on screen. Shaping the events of Mortal Kombat from behind-the-scenes, Asano portrays Raiden as a chess grandmaster who is always five moves ahead, and when he brings the thunder the lightening strikes and there can be no mistake as to who the big boss is here.

From heart-ripping chest action to an assortment of brutally gory fatalities, Mortal Kombat lives up to the legacy of its name and delivers plenty of gnarly on-screen martial arts action. McQuoid and his team hold nothing back in terms of the extreme nature of the combat of Mortal Kombat and this makes the film that much more immersive and intense as a cinematic experience. As an audience member, I guarantee that you’ll have a blast from beginning to end with this one, and if you’re looking for action that delivers one hell of a spine-shattering punch then you’ll certainly find it here.

Mortal Kombat makes for a very fun cinematic cocktail thanks to an assortment of crazy characters, in-your-face action and world-ending battles and is a very special treat that we’ve long been waiting for. It’s unapologetically crazy in the best way possible and audiences will soak up its extreme cool from beginning to end. And the fatalities are guaranteed!

Image: Warner Brothers Pictures

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