Blu-Ray Review: Original ‘Mortal Kombat’ Hits HD Timed With New Game

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CHICAGO – The video game world of “Mortal Kombat” has been reinvigorated for a new generation through Warner’s excellent new release and the company wisely saw the opportunity to provide something for fans who need to put the controller down every once in a while but don’t want to leave the universe with Blu-ray releases for Paul Anderson’s “Mortal Kombat” and John R. Leonetti’s “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.”

HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Rating: 2.5/5.0
Blu-Ray Rating: 2.5/5.0

1995’s “Mortal Kombat” hasn’t aged particularly well but, then again, it was never that great to begin with. Fighting games, even ones with character backgrounds as potentially rich as Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, don’t exactly translate to the big screen and the cast of Paul Anderson’s action flick is lackluster at best. No offense meant to Bridgette Wilson or Christopher Lambert, but there’s a reason that “Mortal Kombat” wasn’t exactly a breakout hit. It played to the loyal fans of the game and never really moved beyond that. And the less said about the sequel, the better.

Mortal Kombat was released on Blu-Ray on April 19, 2011
Mortal Kombat was released on Blu-Ray on April 19, 2011
Photo credit: New Line Home Video

Having said that, it’s kind of neat to have the return of “Mortal Kombat” be a multi-pronged attack. If the game is coming back, why not play to fans of the movie as well? I’m always made happy by cross-platform synergy. Play the game, watch the movie, dream of your own very special fatalities.

Lord knows the Blu-ray won’t distract you from the game for long. While I’m happy about the synergy and understand why they didn’t want to spend too much time on a Special Edition for a movie that even Paul Anderson has forgotten, the nearly-complete lack of special features is pretty lame. This is as basic a Blu-ray as you’ll find this month without much more than an HD transfer, preview for the game you probably already own, and a silly animated adventure. Nothing about the making-of the film and nothing new other than a commercial. Oh well. Maybe next time “Mortal Kombat” makes a comeback, fans will get something truly special instead of something merely timely.

Special Features:
o Mortal Kombat The Video Game Trailer
o Tie-In Animated Adventure: Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins
o Theatrical Trailer

“Mortal Kombat” stars Linden Ashby, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Robin Shou, Bridgette Wilson, Talisa Soto, and Christopher Lambert. It was written by Kevin Droney and directed by Paul Anderson. It is rated PG-13 and was released on Blu-ray on April 19th, 2011.

HollywoodChicago.com content director Brian Tallerico

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

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