Mortal Kombat (2021) 4K Ultra HD & Blu-ray Review

THE MOVIE — 2¾/5

Plot Synopsis: Hunted by the fearsome warrior Sub-Zero (JOE TASLIM), MMA fighter Cole Young (LEWIS TAN) finds sanctuary at the temple of Lord Raiden (TADANOBU ASANO). Training with experienced fighters Liu Kang (LUDI LIN), Kung Lao (MAX HUANG) and the rogue mercenary Kano (JOSH LAWSON), Cole prepares to stand with Earth’s greatest champions to take on the enemies from Outworld in a high-stakes battle for the universe.

Quick Hit Review: Fluff entertainment at its most bland. The fighting is pretty forgettable but at least they utilized the R rating for some decent gore that honors the game, which I had played back in the 1990s; it had an almost taboo element going for it from what I recall, being so violent. The movie itself, and one could say this for many video game adaptations, might have the look but trying to put together some semblance of a story or character development never quite works. There are times it can work as a ludicrous entertainment, just look at 2001’s Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie or even the original 1995 Mortal Kombat, neither are very good but enjoyable nonetheless. Can’t really say the same of this incarnation.

Acting is at best so-so while the dialogue was pretty bad, so I can’t blame the actors too much, albeit Lewis Tan, doesn’t exactly have the charisma to be the lead. He is somewhat aided by an okay supporting cast, including Josh Lawson who seems to be the only one having a hell of a time as a villainous turncoat while the others in video game accurate costumes like Joe Taslim and Tadanobu Asano portraying Sub-Zero and Lord Raiden respectively, looked good and I suppose

Directed by Simon McQuoid in his feature debut (he has a background in directing commercials) can’t say I’ll remember Mortal Kombat 2021 but for what it is, it’s fine as a time-waster.

SPECIAL FEATURES – 3¼/5

This release comes with a semi-glossy slip cover. Inside is a redemption code for the Digital HD copy.

Deleted Scenes (4:13) — There are four scenes cut down or removed, nothing that adds a whole lot to the plot or characters.

From Game to Screen: The Making of Mortal Kombat (21:30) — Decent enough behind-the-scenes featurette with interviews by the cast and crew looking at the original game and translating it to feature film form.

Mortal Kombat: Fan Favorite Characters (16:51) — Set of 12 mini-featurettes breaking down the various characters.

Fight Koreography (9:05) — Featurette on the chorography on the fight sequences with behind-the-scenes footage.

Into the Krypt: Eggs of Mortal Kombat (4:11) looks at some of the Easter eggs in the film.

Anatomy of a Scene (11:57) breaks down seven fight sequences.

4K VIDEO – 4½/5, BLU-RAY VIDEO – 4½/5

Mortal Kombat rips out the heart of the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray, presented here in the original 2.39 widescreen aspect ratio. The 2160p and 1080p high-definition transfers, respectively, look rather good, if not top notch in comparison with other releases, specifically with the 4K disc. Still, detail is well defined and colors have some nice vibrancy especially when set against a darker backdrop, since a fair portion of this movie takes place in dark locations. I didn’t notice any significant instances of dust marks, aliasing or other blemishes.

AUDIO – 4¾/5

Both the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray discs come with a strong Dolby Atmos track, which comes to life during the numerous *FIGHT* sequences, utilizing every available channel. Meanwhile, dialogue does come through the center channel with clarity and the depth is noticeable for both the loud and quieter scenes.

OVERALL — 3¾/5

Overall, Mortal Kombat isn’t a terrible movie but kind of a typical one in the video game to film adaptation realm. I did appreciate the use of violence copying the video games but the story isn’t great and the acting to be average at best, however Josh Lawson does steal the show. This 4K UHD/Blu-ray combo pack comes with good video and audio transfers and a decent selection of bonus features.