The Mortal Kombat series created by Ed Boon and John Tobias managed to survive parental outrage over the violence, the destruction of arcades during the rise of at-home gaming, and even, remarkably, Annihilation (1997). Yet, even with its expansion of story and game mechanics over the years, the live action movies continue to struggle in ways that the animated features (or web shorts) have not. 2021’s Simon McQuoid-directed Mortal Kombat struggled with audiences despite incorporating several truly remarkable stunt sequences and fatalities by not including a tournament and introducing both an up-to-that-point game mechanic (arcana) and character (Lewis Tan’s Cole Young), creating unnecessary on-boarding for a series where talking can be the least interesting thing involved. A sequel was greenlit with McQuoid returning and it dispenses with arcana (and Cole Young) while incorporating a tournament, yet it still fails to capture the energy and excitement of the long-running game series simply because it keeps trying to give the audience what it thinks it wants. This failure of perspective results in a few moments of clever game mechanic adaptation/inclusion and little else. Now out on home video, McQuoid’s Mortal Kombat II can be explored through approximately 28 minutes across five featurettes, allowing those who delight in this iteration to delve further in while the rest of us can wait another turn.
For a spoiler-free exploration of Mortal Kombat II, head over to the initial theatrical release review from EoM Founder Douglas Davidson. Moving forward, specific details regarding the film will be discussed.
Despite preventing Shang Tsung (Chin Han) from cheating Outworld into a victory ahead of the 10th Mortal Kombat tournament between the brutal invading realm and Earthrealm, the protectors of Earthrealm prepare all the same to confront their adversaries. With their ranks lessoned, Elder God Lord Raiden (Tadanobu Asano) seeks out Johnny Cage (Karl Urban), a washed-up action star, as the next member to join Earthrealm’s champions, but, with no time for training, Cage must learn on the go. Things grow even more difficult as Raiden becomes incapacitated, leaving the champions without protections as they enter combat with the entire fate of Earthrealm on the line.
The following home release review is based on a 4K UHD retail edition provided by Warner Bros. Pictures Home Entertainment.
Like most films, a rewatch tends to reveal things to us thanks to the fog of expectation being lifted. In this case, Mortal Kombat II, which I was not keen on initially, remains the same. One can absolutely appreciate the way that characters are highlighted (blue and red) when entering/exiting a match as a subtle reference to the character selection screen; or the way Cage wobbles on his feet at the end of his match against Kitana (Adline Rudolph) in the way players do when the “FINISH HIM!” moment occurs at the end of a fight; or the way the Cage/Baraka (C.J. Bloomfield) sequence is a riff on a Friendship ending. All of these things (and other little things throughout) do suggest that McQuoid and returning screenwriter Jeremy Slater (Godzilla × Kong: The New Empire) possess a deep well of knowledge of the games in order to translate even the smallest things to audiences. But reference points do not a movie make, which is shown to a different degree through 2026’s The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. In fact, the bigger issue isn’t so much the utilization of reference points, but the improper use of them. For instance, Cage references the classic John Carpenter action fantasy Big Trouble in Little China (1986) when making fun of Raiden’s outfit, except The Three Storms from that film are a major reference point for Raiden. Presenting Cage as someone well-versed in cinema would absolutely make such a reference, but it grates against the very thing that inspired the game’s creation, creating a sensation of denigration where it shouldn’t. It certainly doesn’t help that this version of Cage is nothing like any other version of the character who lacks the signature self-centered brashness. The fact that the entirety of his plotline mirrors that of Cole Young’s from the previous film (minus the family) makes the inclusion of this version feel out of place, but also redundant. While not harping on the film that isn’t here, the fact that Cage references Big Trouble feels like a missed opportunity to use Cage like Jack Burton, that film’s protagonist, who talks a big game and is, mostly, useless regarding the success of the mission as his counterparts do the bulk of the work and with far more efficiency. Carpenter’s Jack is a white person’s version of a hero in a Hong Kong actioner, played with marvelous gusto by Kurt Russell (The Thing), who believes himself to be the center of the story regardless of what is happening around him. That’s who Cage is, modeled after Jean-Claude Van Damme (The Predator; No Retreat, No Surrender), he always thinks he’s the center of the story. Using him as the audience proxy and comic relief, especially when we already have Cole (as proxy) and Josh Lawson’s Kano (as comic relief), this version of Cage once more suffers from a sensation of (again) redundancy.
Speaking of unnecessary elements, while it’s always great to see fan-favorites return, such as Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion and Joe Taslim as Bi-Han, such inclusion works best when it’s a natural evolution and not because we just haven’t seen them. More specifically, while the script does provide an excellent reason to go to Netherrealm and, therefore, create the need for Hanzo to return (as a guide for Cage and Kano), the choice to incorporate Bi-Han is less effective for one singular reason — he’s no longer Sub-Zero as a resident of Netherrealm, he’s Noob Saibot. If that doesn’t mean anything to you, it still won’t after you see the film because it’s not explained in any way shape or form. It’s a reference point for the gamers in the audience, but it’s not for anyone else, making it a reference point with zero weight. It’s like seeing Mr. Game & Watch appear in the aforementioned Galaxy Movie, something that will only mean something to a select few and is basically meaningless within the context of the film. The use of Bi Han in the film is fine and makes sense, it’s the transformation that is left to be desired. This may seem like a killjoy thing to address, but when so much time is spent on making sure the audience knows who Jade is, her allegiances, and when she’s going to switch sides (versus letting context reign), the absence of context stands out. Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), after getting stabbed by Shao Khan (Martyn Ford), the leader of Outworld, makes a statement of his fate and then flies away — is he dead from the fatal blow? Transported elsewhere? Transcending this world for another? Whatever has occurred, it’s strangely nebulous and, frustratingly, against character as he would never leave behind friends in battle (which he appears to do, if he’s not dead). Going further, it certainly doesn’t help that the great wizard Quan Chi (returning actor Damon Herriman in a different role) is reduced to a punchline when, those who play the games know, that (a) Quan Chi is not to be underestimated and (b) the MacGuffin of the film is a tool of fallen Elder God Shinnok, for whom Quan Chi has worked and, based on the inclusion of Shinnok’s amulet, will again. Thus, the whole of Mortal Kombat II functions a lot like the previous outing in that it sets up a next adventure which will include reviving (without the Revenant aspect) all the fallen comrades thus far.
There are a myriad of reasons that the film can be fun for folks, but I find myself noticing the lack of consistency in their hair rather than getting wrapped up in the adventure and that’s where it loses me.
This being a home release, it’s worth noting that the 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and digital editions include five featurettes, running roughly 28 minutes, that explore different aspects of making the film. For those interested in the lore built within the art direction and set design, the almost six-minute “Building the Realms of Mortal Kombat” is where you want to start as production designer Yohei Taneda (Kill Bill films; Kokuho) explains his process of starting with sketches and his approach to the different environments before it transitions to returning art director Loretta Cosgrove (Relic) and how she adapted and expanded his concepts. The over six-minutes “Mortal Kombat II: Evolving the Saga” and nearly six-minute “Mortal Kombat II: Choose Your Fighter” both dive into the shift from 2021’s entry, the expansion of the roster, and bringing back fallen characters. Both of these also provide details on the set and production designs, helping fans of both films better understand the lengths McQuoid and the production team went to in order incorporate as many in-camera materials as possible. For details on the stunt work and fatalities, head over to the over six-minute “Klose Quarters Kombat;” whereas, if you’re interested in a little fluffing of the legacy of the series, head over to the three-minute “A “Boon” to Gamers Everywhere.”
One notable supplemental material is the inclusion an ASL version via MoviesAnywhere and Apple iTunes that is not available on the 4K UHD disc edition.
The 4K UHD presentation is an odd one. The colors are vivid, the details sharp, and the sound is incredibly well designed (Kung Lao’s hat spinning around the room, is a great example); however, the bitrate is terribly varied. This doesn’t translate into any sort of noticeable distortion in the presentation (in either video or audio), but it’s weird how the bitrate might start in the 70s/80s (fairly standard for a mass market 4K UHD), drop into the 30s (below the max for a Blu-ray), and then jump into the 100s (which is closer for the max on a 4K UHD). Ordinarily, releases from WBHE, like the recently-released They Will Kill You, hold fairly steady with expected dips and jumps, but I haven’t seen something so dynamic in a long time on a 4K UHD home release. One might expect that the bitrate would be low considering the almost 30 minutes of 4K UHD bonus features on the disc which take up space, but even those discs have a steady bitrate. The film looks and sounds great, so there’s nothing obvious in the presentation that would warrant warning off general viewers or Mortal Kombat fans from snagging this edition, it’s just a detail that the more technically-minded would want to know before purchasing.
If Mortal Kombat II is your jam, I’m extraordinarily jealous, not out of some need to enjoy what others enjoy, moreso because there’s a solid chance that you’ve yet to experience other titles that will give you all you could want from an action perspective *and* a compelling story in the process. Films from 2026 alone include The Furious, Motor City, They Will Kill You, Normal, Pretty Lethal, Blades of the Guardians: Wind Rises in the Desert, The Wrecking Crew, Blazing Fists, The Forbidden City, Ghost Killer, and so many more. Speaking as someone who loves the ‘95 Mortal Kombat, who’s watched all kinds of low-rent, low-grade titles and loved them (this reviewer grew up on Van Damme, Steven Seagal, and Arnold Schwarzenegger titles), one can enjoy variety without denigrating any single one of them. The point, if you will, is while Mortal Kombat II is available to own on home video, free for you to screen as frequently as you want, check out the titles you don’t know because you may find yourself expanding your horizons to get even more of that which delights you.
Mortal Kombat II Special Features:
- Mortal Kombat II: Evolving the Saga (6:34)
- Building the Realms of Mortal Kombat (5:51)
- Mortal Kombat II: Choose Your Fighter (5:53)
- Klose Quarters Kombat (6:35)
- A “Boon” to Gamers Everywhere (3:11)
- Mortal Kombat II (with ASL) – digital-only
Available on digital June 9th, 2026.
Available on HBO Max July 24th, 2026.
Available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD July 28th, 2026.
For more information, head to the official Warner Bros. Pictures Mortal Kombat II webpage.
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Categories: Home Release, Recommendation
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