Mortal Kombat II review: This outdated franchise deserves a mercy killing

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A star rating of 2 out of 5.

The beginning of Mortal Kombat II is brutal and doesn’t hold back. The villain, Shao Kahn, quickly defeats King Jerrod, cruelly breaking his fingers with a broken sword before killing him. This horrific act happens right before the eyes of Jerrod’s daughter, Kitana. As newcomer Sonya Blade later explains, the title says it all: this is truly ‘Mortal Kombat’.

Based on the popular Mortal Kombat video game series, this new movie continues the story that began with the 2021 reboot, following a pair of less-successful films from the 1990s. The villain, Kahn, returns as he sets his sights on conquering Earthrealm.

As Kahn nears total victory, a mismatched group must unite to stop him. Led by Lord Raiden (Tadanobu Asano), the team includes Blade (Jessica McNamee), Cole Young (Lewis Tan), Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), and Jax (Mehcad Brooks), a soldier with powerful metal arms. This story continues the events of the 2021 film, offering a similar experience.

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A great addition to the sequel is Johnny Cage, played by Karl Urban. The New Zealand actor, known for his roles as Dr. McCoy in the recent Star Trek films and Billy Butcher in The Boys, is a natural fit for the part of this former action movie star. He brings his iconic catchphrase, “It’s showtime!” and a signature move: flipping people off before dramatically pushing his sunglasses up his nose.

The introduction is well-crafted, starting with a clip from his movie ‘Uncaged Fury,’ made by the same studio – New Line Cinema – that produced the ‘Mortal Kombat’ films. The scene cuts to fast-paced heavy metal as Cage dramatically leaps over a rocket fired at him. It’s a memorable entrance, clearly a playful nod to the over-the-top action heroes popular in direct-to-video movies of the 1990s – he even has a belt buckle with ‘Cage’ on it!

While Nicolas Cage is the main draw for this sequel, Josh Lawson as Kano, a wisecracking space rogue, provides stiff competition with his memorable one-liners. Kano, who has a laser beam eye, injects some much-needed energy into the film, delivering lines like “Voldermort’s nutsack” – directed at the villain Quan Chi (Damon Herriman). This is a refreshing contrast to the movie’s often-heavy dialogue, such as clichés like “strength is not a closed fist” and “discover the man you were meant to be”.

Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) is back, and understandably seeking revenge after being enslaved by Kahn and forced to fight in Outworld. The blue sash she took from her father might come in handy. However, don’t expect many surprises from Mortal Kombat II – it’s based on a game known for its over-the-top fighting and special moves, after all.

The movie has a few nice visual touches – the backgrounds during fights are particularly captivating – and an energetic score by Benjamin Wallfisch, especially during the credits with a remix of the game’s original music. However, director Simon McQuoid doesn’t do much to elevate this sequel beyond being simply adequate, especially considering how much better recent video game movies have become. While a third film is planned, this installment feels like it should be the last. As the game famously says, it’s time to “Finish it!”

Mortal Kombat II is released in cinemas on 8 May.

Authors

James Mottram

James Mottram is a London-based film critic, journalist, and author.

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2026-05-06 20:11