CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.
There comes a time when the greatest fighters of every realm are summoned to compete in Mortal Kombat. With all involved dared to test their might against the competition, it’s a tournament that can get pretty fierce, and absolutely bloody. And now we’re about to see how absolutely nuts this latest incarnation is going to get, as director Simon McQuoid’s big directorial debut has just dropped its first trailer.
We’ve previously been shown looks at the various combatants and small snippets of footage to promote the simultaneous theatrical and HBO Max release of the film. As such, Mortal Kombat hasn’t been a totally alien concept to viewers waiting to get back into the ring. But now, it’s all come together with some absolutely mind-blowing results. While technically Lewis Tan's Cole Young is our way into the story of this new reboot, it's hard not to crown Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim) as the fighter that steals the show.
As if you needed any indication that this new Mortal Kombat is the R-rated fatality fans have been hoping for over decades, you only need to see how Mehcad Brooks’ Jackson “Jax” Briggs loses his arms at the hands of the ever cool Sub-Zero In fact, it’s easy to say that Zero steals the show, as his trademark ice-capades are absolutely stunning to see realized in such beautiful and bloody detail. Though that doesn’t take away from the roster of legacy fighters like Sonya Blade, Liu Kang, Kano, Kung Lao, and Raiden all revealed as part of the roster of Mortal Kombat’s big reboot.
Though as we see at the end of the Mortal Kombat trailer, it’s not only Sub Zero that’s getting in on the brutalities, as a montage of absolutely red-band action caps off this peek at this new era. And there’s already competition for Sub Zero being the runaway favorite in this movie. Yes, amputating a kombatant’s limb, freezing the resulting gush of blood, and stabbing them with their own frozen blood is a flex. But then again, so’s ripping your opponent’s heart out, and profanely proclaiming your own victory. Oh Kano, you’re O-Kano with us, bro!
Mortal Kombat has certainly come a long way from its 1995 cinematic adaptation, courtesy of director Paul W.S. Anderson. The cult classic would eventually produce a sequel in the abysmally panned Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, but did also lead to co-writer/director Kevin Tancharoen's fan film Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, as well as the web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy. Before this new film was greenlit, it looked like this was the way forward for the Midway gaming franchise’s cinematic future, especially when talent like Michael Jai White was landed to play one of the most iconic fighters from the series, Jax.
Mortal Kombat is undeniably back, and this slick update not only looks truer to the game that inspired it, it also looks like it's going to be a deliciously cold day in hell for all who partake in its game of death. April 16th is the day we’ll all get to choose our fighters, and see who comes out on top of the Mortal Kombat tournament, in theaters and on HBO Max. If you’re one of those audience members who’s more comfortable with watching the blood and guts fly in the comfort of your own home, you can check the film out by signing up for a subscription, with a nifty discount available when pre-paying a six month commitment. Oh, and if you’re bummed out that a specific fighter you’re looking forward to seeing isn’t spotted just yet, don’t worry: that’s what sequels are for.
This poll is no longer available.
