Mortal Kombat (2021)

[Kitten Champion]

That's a non-trivial if. Tom Cruise was contracted for the entire Dark Universe franchise, after all.

Yeah, it's a common practice in the industry generally. I've seen fans use the meta-knowledge of a television/movie actor's contract as proof positive that this or that character will return from death/being written off, but it's really not a reliable indicator of anything in terms of how - or if - they're going to be used within that production. It's just how actors and studios typically make contracts at the end of the day.

[Traab]

Yeah, it's a common practice in the industry generally. I've seen fans use the meta-knowledge of a television/movie actor's contract as proof positive that this or that character will return from death/being written off, but it's really not a reliable indicator of anything in terms of how - or if - they're going to be used within that production. It's just how actors and studios typically make contracts at the end of the day.

Its kind of like reserving a table ahead of time. If I understand it correctly, its contracting the actor to make sure his schedule is clear for if the next movie happens. It would have sucked if Ian McKellen did the first two lotr movies but then was busy working on another project for the third. Yes that sort of thing does happen where actors get replaced (hi rhodey and bruce banner) for various reasons, but its generally to be avoided when possible.

[Talakeal]

Yeah, it's a common practice in the industry generally. I've seen fans use the meta-knowledge of a television/movie actor's contract as proof positive that this or that character will return from death/being written off, but it's really not a reliable indicator of anything in terms of how - or if - they're going to be used within that production. It's just how actors and studios typically make contracts at the end of the day.

The entire cast of Rogue One was also contracted for sequels .

[Blackhawk748]

Yeah but the problem there is if the movie will be projected to make enough to make the next two worth filming.

I think it made enough to warrant a number two, but number three is up in the air.

[Starbuck_II]

The entire cast of Rogue One was also contracted for sequels .

But didn't they die?

[Psyren]

But didn't they die?

thatsthejoke.jpeg

[Bohandas]

I haven't seen this yet. Tell me, did the soundtrack manage to work in any of the songs from the Mortal Kombat album by The Immortals like they did in the last movie?

[Talakeal]

I haven't seen this yet. Tell me, did the soundtrack manage to work in any of the songs from the Mortal Kombat album by The Immortals like they did in the last movie?

Unfortunately no.

They do play the main Mortal Kombat theme at one point, but it is a new version rather than the classic industrial / techno.

[Blackhawk748]

Unfortunately no.

They do play the main Mortal Kombat theme at one point, but it is a new version rather than the classic industrial / techno.

And while I like the new one, I was hoping that at least the credits song would be the one we all know.

[Starbuck_II]

thatsthejoke.jpeg

Although, maybe in a flashback?
Like the sequel of Rogue One is Rogue Two doing another Special Ops.

Like maybe the new group new some of old ones.

[Psyren]

Pitch Meetings just summed up a LOT of my problems with this movie very efficiently:

[Corsair14]

I found it entertaining but it had some major lore issues. 1st scene was flipping awesome but the rest was kind of a let down from it and some things very very much "wait, didn't he die a few scenes ago?"

Goro and Kung Lau were wasted characters. These guys are amazing, the biggest champions of their respective worlds and these fights are going to be amazing...… and they are chumped out. We spent millions on special effects for this character so she is going to be a bada$$, and shes dead. We are running out of ideas, lets just have a bad guy whose entire personality is "RAHHH!" and he carries a hammer.

Compared to the 1st MK the acting was much better. Not near as stony with goofy facial expressions or as forced. Fight scenes were ok and better than the original in most cases. Special effects were on par with the original despite there being 25 years of tech advancement. Could be more my preference for practical effects than CG effects. As horrible an actress as she was in MK1 I do miss Bridgette Wilson as Sonya despite this new actress looking closer to the original game actress(who is 50 something now and still looks amazing)

Story was far better in the original as was the sound track.

If my sources can be believed, Sub-zero actor was signed for a 5 movie contract so whoever said this felt like a prequal might be on to something.

"I'm Lu Kang, I am searching the world for champions and I found you."-"Wait, you found us? We have been hiking in this desert for days to get to this temple that we already knew the location of." "Yeah but I found you, my mission is complete, Raiden never said I had to go past the front door."--"But we found you."-- "No No, don't get carried away in the details of a silly plot line, I have found you thus I have accomplished my god given mission. Lets go eat so we can taunt the Aussie at the dinner table."-- "Who is preparing the food?"--"Once again, silly details, obviously the catering company."

[Psyren]

Goro was indeed wasted.

Spoiler

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I don't mind Nitara getting offed (because why else would you have freaking Nitara in a MK movie but to die messily) but they clearly killed Goro off because keeping him around was too expensive for such a cheap production. All the money went to Goro and Sub-Zero, and Raiden really got the short end of the stick.

[J-H]

Yes that sort of thing does happen where actors get replaced (hi rhodey and bruce banner) for various reasons, but its generally to be avoided when possible.

Wait... well... now, 8 or 10 years later I understand why the Rhodey character suddenly looked like he had a bout with cancer or something in the later movies (lost weight, drawn/skinny face, no hair).

[PoeticallyPsyco]

I don't know why they didn't just make Scorpion the main character. He's probably the easiest to fit into a heroic narrative (which they did anyway for the movie) what with the murdered family and quest for revenge, and from there it would be relatively easy to expand into the lore more gradually, since Scorpion wouldn't need to know more than "Oh, Sub-Zero is in this tournament, you say?".

[Psyren]

I don't know why they didn't just make Scorpion the main character. He's probably the easiest to fit into a heroic narrative (which they did anyway for the movie) what with the murdered family and quest for revenge, and from there it would be relatively easy to expand into the lore more gradually, since Scorpion wouldn't need to know more than "Oh, Sub-Zero is in this tournament, you say?".

Exactly. Focus the story around Scorpion, and you have a character with universally sympathetic motivations, and who has neither has any experience with this new modern era nor knows anything about the tournament - perfect audience stand-in. Plus he's already known by the audience to be a badass fighter, so you can skip straight to unlocking his hell powers (I would ditch the goofy arcana thing entirely and just have Sonya and Jax use Special Forces sci-fi tech like they do in the games.)

[Giggling Ghast]

I'll note there is actually an animated movie called Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge. It basically tells the story of the first tournament but largely from Scorpion's perspective. I've joked that it should have been called "MK Legends: Scorpion Does Everything," and you'll see why if you watch the movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1vccr3yWBU

It's actually fairly decent, though it seriously under-uses Sub-Zero and Kano ... which is kind of the opposite of what happened in the live-action movie.

I’ll note that Bob Chipman gave it a 6/10 and the live action MK a 3/10.

[dehro]

Back, back, up, down, back, back, left, and hit the "Crikey" button.

that sounds like a lifehack.