Mortal Kombat

A martial arts action-adventure with wondrous special effects and witty production design, it effectively combines supernatural terror, a mythical slay-the-dragon, save-the-princess odyssey and even a spiritual quest for self-knowledge. [21 Aug 1995 Pg. F3]

But where others have sunk in the mire of imitation, director Paul Anderson and writer Kevin Droney effect a viable balance between exquisitely choreographed action and ironic visual and verbal counterpoint.

Expect lots of earsplitting music, garish visuals and badly staged martial arts action.

A mix of martial-arts and special-effects magic, the film serves its nonstop confrontations either straight up or with a twist (as when they involve Kombatants with special powers, like Sub-Zero, Reptile and Scorpion).

Just like the popular (and more graphically violent) video game it's spun from, kung-fooy and kartoony Kombat shoves plot and personality aside to focus on action cloaked in mystic mumbo-jumbo and gloomy mock-gothic graphics. [21 Aug 1995 Pg. 03.D]

Mortal Kombat the movie has everything a teenage boy could want: snakes that jut out of a villain's palms, acrobatic kung- fu fighting and a couple of battling babes. Everything, that is, but an interesting plot, decent dialogue and compelling acting

The bright spot of Paul W.S. Anderson’s film is the villains.

Amazing overall aesthetic, interesting story & characters not a whole lot to hate on to be honest. Me, for my part enjoyed it.

Mortal Kombat still holds the dubious honor of being the least terrible video game adaptation that Hollywood has ever produced. While being far from a "good" movie, it at least understands what it is and has fun with it. Some solid set pieces and martial arts action round out the package, though it is Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa's charismatic performance as the villain and an impressive animatronic creature named Goro that steal the show.

Despite how cheesy the movie is, I'll say this is a better video game adaptation by far. The soundtrack is action-pumping, the characters seems more dry and cheesy but in a iconic way, and the fight scenes were cool. I just wish this movie was rated R so we can the blood and guts we were craving for like in the video games. The special effects of this movie was pretty bad to look at in this film, probably didn't have enough budget for computer effects. Overall, is a cheesy movie that lived up to Mortal Kombat.

Close to no character development and I couldn't of cared less if any of the characters died. The special effects were bad even for the 90's and all of the characters couldn't compare to the game. Killer soundtrack though

just a very average movie, with kinda maybe cringe performances, and a very boring way to bring entertaintment, the effects are good for 1995, that's why a 2