Khaine Price

When it comes to mortal combat films, this is probably the most well-made one so far. But the overall story is completely lacking. The main character is a whiny punching bag (as shown by his Akana) whose only motivation is to protect his family. Jax and Sonya Blade are only as interesting as their military background, however, they are the Yin to the Yang of Liu Kang and Kung Lao. These two characters are arguably the most well presented characters in the film, and the dichotomy of the Eastern and Western representations of Earthrealm are definitely a great way to bring diversity and inclusion into the film. The cinematography of the film was fantastic, fighting scenes were intense, fun, and fluid. While the slower moments gave the audience time to enjoy the characters and how they all interact with one another. The film also has brilliant sound design, the fight scenes are impactful with every hit and the soundtrack was brilliantly composed to create a vast array of emotive responses. I honestly found that the combination of sound and screen made for an amazing viewing experience. With every good feature of this film: there are some definite issues. When it comes to the main character, I honestly found that they lack any sense of purpose until the end of the film, and even then, it felt like a half-hearted attempt at justifying his existence. In the end I wish the narrative would've focused on a different, and better established character. Would I have guessed that this film was a big-budget Hollywood film? Probably not. Would I have enjoyed it regardless? Yes. This is definitely a film that you can put on and comfortably enjoy in your own home as the cinema experience does very little to enhance the experience of the film, yet showing your local cinema some support after the last year and a half of hell is always a good idea.