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Mortal Kombat (1995)
23 Plays14 days ago
This week on the Everything Actioncast, Zach and Chris battle for Earthrealm and discuss 1995's Mortal Kombat, which just turned 30.
One of the best video game adaptations ever made, Mortal Kombat finds Liu Kang (Robin Shou), Johnny Cage (Linden Ashby), and Sonya Blade (Bridgette Wilson) in the Mortal Kombat tournament hosted by the sorcerer Shang Tsung (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa). If the warriors from Earth lose, the planet will be conquered by the forces of Outworld, under the rule of the emperor Shao Khan. The Earthrealm warriors have Raiden (Christopher Lambert) and Princess Kitana (Talisa Soto) on their side, but they'll have to face the deadly likes of Scorpion (Chris Casamassa), Sub-Zero (François Petit), and Goro (Kevin Michael Richardson) to win. Zach and Chris discuss the movie's incredible theme song "Techno Syndrome", what the exact rules of the tournament are, the awkward Kitana/Liu Kang "fight", why Raiden isn't having Earth warriors training to prepare for the next tournament after losing 9 in a row, and more.
You can watch Mortal Kombat on HBO Max. Next week, we're heading into the apocalypse with Turbo Kid as the recent cult favorite celebrates its 10th anniversary.
We want to hear your comments and feedback. Send them all to contact@everythingaction.com. Also, let us know your suggestions for movies for us to discuss.
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Transcript
Introduction and Weekly Topic
00:00:03
Speaker
Welcome to the Everything Action Cast, the official podcast of EverythingAction.com.
00:00:18
Speaker
Hello and welcome to the Everything Action Cast podcast week of August 18th,
Mortal Kombat's 30th Anniversary Celebration
00:00:22
Speaker
2025. I'm your host, Zach. And my co-host, Chris. And this week we are defending Earthrealm and talking about Mortal Kombat!
00:00:33
Speaker
ah celebrating its 30th anniversary this week came out in August 1995 you know that song or that that song featured every 90's like instrument and like electric like keyboard sound in that sound in that song so it's hard to do all the the notes for that one I mean, just right off the bat, like I love like the first second of this movie, they start playing that song. It's not even the movie yet, it's like the new Lion Cinema logo, it's just like, they're already playing the song. Not to cut you off on introducing the concept, but that's what the movie did. It just like i it just instantly starts like that. There's no warm-up or kind of like the typical credit for the company. It just kicks off on fire and music.
00:01:23
Speaker
they're Well, I mean, They had to have known. They're like, this song is one of the most hype songs of all time. Like, we need to play this as much as possible in this movie. And you will. Although, re-watching it, like, they didn't play as much as I thought. I remember it being, like, just, like, constantly playing. And they play like, three times, which is, like, quite a bit.
00:01:43
Speaker
But it's not, like, you know, like I remember being, like, every fight scene or, like, almost every fight scene was, like, the Mortal Kombat theme starts playing.
Mortal Kombat Movie Analysis
00:01:51
Speaker
You know, I think if you watch this and Annihilation back to back, it will feel like that.
00:01:57
Speaker
But I mean, I think it tastefully does the song well, because like, yeah, like I'm not sure about you, but like, do you remember this song being played for commercials for like the games and all that? I don't remember that. I just remember like this version became the definite like soundtrack song of it being everywhere.
00:02:21
Speaker
I mean, definitely, like, the Mortal Kombat... I feel like youre like you're legally obligated like, you say Mortal Kombat, you have to like scream it like a song. And then... like were or just mentioning Mortal Kombat, like, people i think ah immediately start thinking of this of, like, techno syndrome.
00:02:35
Speaker
Yeah. Oh, no, I bought the CD for this movie. Yeah, which is which I think it was, like, the fastest-selling, like, EDM album of all time.
00:02:46
Speaker
Like, it went platinum. Is it Techno Syndrome or the soundtracks of this movie? The song is called Techno Syndrome. It's like the official name for it.
00:02:57
Speaker
but Because like that soundtrack, not every song in that soundtrack is a banger. I'll tell you that. No, yeah. There's a lot of wind instrument songs happening.
00:03:09
Speaker
It's like, yeah, it's like, well, I think the Immortals who did Techno Syndrome, they did all they did. They did, honestly, um yeah I think they did the inside soundtrack. But yeah, they did like a theme for like each character.
00:03:23
Speaker
But yeah, i don't think I don't think any of them are as good as Techno Syndrome. You're right. It's because like like I listened to that CD to get my money's worth out of it.
00:03:36
Speaker
So I've got love-hate with that. I'm happy I own it, but the problem is that I don't listen 90% of the tracks on it. Nope. A lot of flutes and pan... like just Just like background noise. So it's it's nice in a movie, but it's not like, oh man, get rid of my drive. we put on the katana theme.
00:03:57
Speaker
The peach. that's That's more like pure moods. It is. It is like a pure moods thing. And and again, it's great when you need a little downshift, but when you want to watch this movie and you're like, oh man, awesome kung fu. like You're going to have some non-stop action.
00:04:16
Speaker
like They like just never nail that in a Mortal Kombat thing so far.
00:04:22
Speaker
But at least in this movie, like, it gets to that. Once, like, everything kicks off once you get on that island of Shang-Shan's island. Yeah. And this, I mean, this is still one of the best video game movies of all time, just because it, like, does pretty much what you want it to do, which is just have a tournament.
00:04:38
Speaker
Like, a bunch of characters come to an island to fight in a tournament. Yep. And it it doesn't waste a lot on background of like how you get there or like why this happens or or just like what the economy is on Sengsheng Island. yeah It's just check it out.
00:04:55
Speaker
Otherworldly magic. They're not even on Earth, maybe. We don't know.
00:05:02
Speaker
but like, Whatever port that in Hong Kong that allows this magic boat to show up, they're fine with it. Yep. You know, it's sort of this crazy thing where even in the 90s, you still to register a boat.
00:05:15
Speaker
You just can't come to dock. But we'll get into that. We'll get into the crazy, like, um the setup that happens so quick and you forget about it, like, for a while.
00:05:27
Speaker
hmm.
Director Paul W.S. Anderson's Career Review
00:05:29
Speaker
I just want to mention, like this is also the first big movie for Paul W.S. Anderson, and who made a small movie before this called Shopping that was like an action crime movie. which I think it was also like Jude Law's kind of big debut in that movie.
00:05:45
Speaker
But then after that, Paul W.S. Anderson was just like very hit-or-miss filmography, like Mortal Kombat, and then Event Horizon, Soldier, Resident Evil, Alien vs. Predator,
00:05:58
Speaker
I think most recently yeah they've got their place. Like, I feel like he knows how to make like a good like. Oh, sorry, not good. Good. stupid He knows how to make a decent concept movie.
00:06:11
Speaker
It's like a very either it's complex and you know how to like dumb it down so that. It's just like approachable, like you don't need to know a lot about the lore, but the things he adapts are people that like love the lore.
00:06:25
Speaker
But I feel like Mortal Kombat, no one really was about the lore at the time. So this was just like ah an easy one to just pick up. And like I said, why it's a good video game movie, it's because the video game itself has like a page, maybe two paragraphs of like plot.
00:06:43
Speaker
And then that's it. The concept is a bunch of fighters. Some of them are ninjas. Some of them are... Like regular people, as sorcerers, and then occasionally there's just like a monster that you have to fight. Like, totally a good setup. Classical structure.
00:07:03
Speaker
I think, um... like the gi It's like the game is like magical, enter the dragon, and then that's the they mean this is the big movie, it's like magical, enter the dragon, basically. Yeah.
00:07:14
Speaker
So this is basically enter the... Like, right. It is enter the dragon. Good set. Good explanation. um But the funny thing is that like since Mortal Kombat was based on ah like a failed Jean-Claude Van Damme project, and then like you think do you think the hero would have been Johnny Cage? And they went, nah, like let's make it Liu Kang.
00:07:39
Speaker
And then... Weren't they originally going to make a Bloodsport game? Yeah. That was the whole day thing, and then they're like, well, Jean-Claude Van Damme is going to it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so they just like, okay, well, we got like a stunt guy that sort of looks like JCVD.
00:07:53
Speaker
And then he can do some of the stunts. And they just went with that. So there's a beauty in like failed projects. But I kind of want to know if that we live in a world where um Mortal Kombat was called like Johnny Cage Kombat or something.
00:08:10
Speaker
Yep. Johnny Kombat. Well, apparently apparently Chuck Levin Dan was out for the role of John Cage in this movie, too, and then he turned it down to do a Street Fighter, which I know, I think we both also love, but definitely is like did not nail the source material as good as this one. and No, no. In fact, we gave a panel about adaptations, and we kind of do mention that, yeah, like, you just, they went with this angle of, like, G.I. Joe, and even then,
00:08:42
Speaker
it people love it for its own unique take on it. and least But at least Mortal Kombat, it doesn't do that much uniqueness. It's like very true to the source.
00:08:54
Speaker
Yes. there's There's this, like you said about Enter the Dragon, like a very coherent structure. Simple. Simple structure. that or Similar structure, but um but i'm not not just to that. I'm saying like to like ah like a journey, like I know want what the right term Hero's journey?
00:09:14
Speaker
Not besides hero's journey, but like a fighter's journey. Like, you work your way up to the final boss who isn't some dude in a chair, then they just, like, kick in the head. You know, like, it's an actual, like, the final boss is competent.
00:09:26
Speaker
Yep. You know, like, it's a close fight. You know, I'm trying to think like, there has to be a term where, like, it's, besides equal footing, but it's a movie where, like, the big bad is just not only going, oh, fuck, I didn't expect you to, like, make it here.
In-Depth Plot and Character Discussion
00:09:40
Speaker
You like, He was like, all right, like, I'm prepared to take you on. But the worst thing about that, though, is that the first thing the bad guy does for his own destruction is piss Liu Kang off by killing his brother.
00:09:54
Speaker
Yep. It's like, why? Why? Your plan falters on that. If you just didn't kill Chan, you wouldn't have to invite Liu.
00:10:08
Speaker
so I don't want to get into that. but and what That wasn't even like a tournament, though. That was just like a random fight. He's like, I'm going to do this to piss you off. Like, I'm just going kill this random guy. So, I mean, okay, so here's two things about that.
00:10:21
Speaker
So did that fight actually happen at the Shaolin monk temple? I think, because his grandfather like, yeah, this is where he found his body. okay. Because we don't see it, though, right?
00:10:31
Speaker
No, we we just get that incredible scene of Kari or Yuki Katawa just being like, Your neck, your soul was neck your soul is mine, next. Like Liu Kang. Just like straight down the barrel of the camera. but right but that ah Great opening, but it's confusing because it looks like at the time like a Gap commercial or like one of those pre-energy drink sodas where it's like a surge thing gonna happen.
00:10:56
Speaker
So, okay, Liu Kang is already like just having this trippy dream. so But like it none of that happens, right? like you don't You don't just get like kill vision. Because think he, the brother's already dead, and he's just, like, confirming that, like, what he thinks happened.
00:11:12
Speaker
Well, yeah he gets he gets that great telegram, brother dead, return home, grandpa. like But, you know, he already has the telegram. yeah He just reflects on it again. It's not like it slips under his door.
00:11:24
Speaker
Like, he, like, looks at the note. So that happened at some point. Yeah, he's he's just, like, having nightmares in his weird green room that I... Like, what light is that that's in his room? Where was he living in America that, like, a neon green... Like, he he lives by, like, a Subway sandwich shop, like... Like Mountain Dew side?
00:11:42
Speaker
Yeah, like a Mountain Dew factory, like... Or, like, a bottling plant, like a Heineken bottling... You know i mean? Like, it's very weird to see neon green, not flash, either, so... I don't know where he's living.
00:11:55
Speaker
But... Uh... So, like that's point like, okay, so another thing you have to think about is that, like, Raiden had to watch that fight, and since that wasn't a sanctioned fight, that was just, like, an execution Raiden was just part of. Like, he just like, huh, that's sad. Like, you know what mean? Like, he... Is Raiden allowed to interfere for that?
00:12:18
Speaker
Is that part of... Or maybe it's, like, Raiden's plan is to, like, let Chan get killed so Lua will come out of, like, hiding?
00:12:27
Speaker
Maybe, yeah, because it's like, because like, Mortal Kombat's held once a generation, so that wasn't that wasn't like the last Mortal Kombat tournament. That was just like a random... Shakespeare just showed up one day and was like, Chan, I fight you, Chan Kang, I fight you!
00:12:42
Speaker
Yeah, his name would have been Chan Kang, and then... ah the monks would have had, like, known that. Like, hey, that's Shang's son. He's coming here. Why is, you know, like, for all we know, that was, like, broad daylight.
00:12:55
Speaker
And the the real vision was that, there was a whole bunch of monks just hanging out watching this. And then, and don't know, once once he died, one the grandfather would run out and sent a telegram.
00:13:08
Speaker
Yeah, because it's it is like there's so many rules regarding Mortal Kombat. You have to win the ten tournaments. You can't fight outside like the scheduled rounds. and but we see You see, you can't.
00:13:20
Speaker
yeah yeah They've got rules once you're on the island when the tournament actually starts, but I guess like before the tournament, it's okay. Mm-hmm. So if that were true, wouldn't Raiden just kill like almost everyone else on the Shang Tsung side with thunder powers? and then but what That's like the entire premise of the of the first reboot movie. were like and That was all before the tournament. They're like, we're got let's kill everyone before the tournament and we'll win automatically by default.
00:13:46
Speaker
Yeah, and I mean, it sucks, but that's sort of like the concept where it's like, okay, we didn't break the rules because they're at like they only applied to this. I guess like like, Shang Tsung really got it under that deadline, where he's like, if I kill Shang, that's one guy less to deal with.
00:14:05
Speaker
But Shang wasn't exactly, like, a great fighter. you know, it wasn't, like, on the same level as Liu. Yeah.
00:14:15
Speaker
So that's yeah that, yeah, that's weird. That's not and kind of unexplained part of the movie, but... Don't worry, they'll bring it up only and up by the end. Like, it just happened so quick, and that that's the only reason to get Liu Kang out of, like, America.
00:14:28
Speaker
Yeah, that's his motivation. You got Sonya Blade, who is after Kano, who... But then, that whole thing is just because Shang Tsung is, like, horny for Sonya, and just so like wants to come to the island.
00:14:42
Speaker
But I don't know if that was, um... He only teamed up with Kano, so Sonya will show up. Yeah. So that's it. like It wasn't like... Sonya is like the ah key to a plan. She's not a... Like a bargaining chip or something.
00:15:01
Speaker
Yeah, there isn't something like Shang Tsung has to marry a mortal to like do something or like unlock something. it's just To win the combat. yeah so To marry. None of that! Yeah, just That Veronica Vaughn is one piece of ass.
00:15:17
Speaker
Yeah. Sang-sun is also a man of culture and likes like certain women. so I get that. It's like, I want to get those... When she kills Kano, wrapping her legs around his neck, Shakespeare's like, oh yes, that'll be Misu.
00:15:38
Speaker
But not too tight, no, no, no. it's also It's also weird that everyone kind of like gets ah like it's don't it's like the same invitation or way to get to the island. Because because Johnny gets like a formal invitation from Shang Tsung disguised as his karate master.
00:15:56
Speaker
Who is assumed that is dead. Maybe, yeah Is that what mean, Shang Tsung? Yeah, ah he has to absorb the soul in order to become them.
00:16:07
Speaker
So it's assuming that like Master Boyle's dead. Yeah.
00:16:14
Speaker
But yeah, like, but like, yeah, like, like, lose, like, temple has like a, I don't, they have like a standing invitation to the tournament or something. So then lose like, I'll be our champion. And then somebody is just tricked on board.
00:16:25
Speaker
And then, yeah, Johnny gets like a formal written invitation scroll to come to the tournament.
00:16:32
Speaker
But it's weird. That means that like Johnny Cage is such a like real life formidable fighter. That he gets invited. You figure Sang-Shun wouldn't want that soul, because it's like too much publicity, or like has he absorbed other movie stars before?
00:16:51
Speaker
Or he wouldn't... like what what what Why would Sang-Shun want like who's described as like one of the best martial artists in the world show up and give like Art Thrill like a chance?
00:17:02
Speaker
Find a bunch of jabronis, and just like... Yeah. Like, here's your... I'm inviting all these bums from Earthrealm to fight us. Because that makes sense. It's like, okay, okay. So it's also kind of weird because Earthrealm has lost this Tormant fight for like... Nine times.
00:17:20
Speaker
Nine generations. So I'm assuming generation is what? Like, ten years? Hundred years? Yeah, something like that, yeah. I don't know. Like, I don't know what they consider a generation. Usually people think generation is like ten.
00:17:32
Speaker
So ninety years, right? You figure by year five of your losing streak, you should train or let people know Mortal Kombat's a thing for Earthrealm. Because if you lose all ten, it just gets to become Outworld's, like, prison.
00:17:49
Speaker
You know, like... Wastelands. Wastelands. So, wouldn't you want, like, the fighters to be aware? Because everyone in Outworld is ready to fight. Like, they understand the rules. they're all They're all like, okay, we can't wait for our turn. Like, we've got champions. We've got, like, we've been training.
00:18:04
Speaker
yeah that um just seems go digious We've got ninjas. I mean, sometimes we've demonized them. Sometimes they're from Earthrealm that come to Outworld and we give them powers. You know, it changes sometimes.
00:18:16
Speaker
But they're way more ah informed than Earthrealm. Earthrealm is three people who just figured out they got like they're in a real tournament and everyone else in that boat is a criminal or like just like the nicest kickboxer.
00:18:33
Speaker
Oh, like Johnny's friend Art, who's just there? it's that's It's funny, like, Art is like... um like The new one basically made like the art character the main character.
00:18:45
Speaker
like Cole Young is like... He would have just been like ah like a random dude in the first one. He would have been. And only when they really upped the like why you are now a chosen one or why do you wield power.
00:18:59
Speaker
Which, I mean, I kind of like it in this movie. Power isn't a thing. It's mostly like, it's mostly just the evil team. And even in the evil team, ah like, the the the the champion guy doesn't have projectiles or anything that's like on fire.
00:19:18
Speaker
You know, like, Goro is just a big monster with multiple arms and is probably strong. He's probably like, you know, We don't even know like he's the strongest of his people, but supposedly he is, right? Because he's supposed to be this, like, cop. Yeah, he's the general of, like, the armies. so Right.
00:19:34
Speaker
So, like, to us, it's like, you're superhuman, but like to them, it's like, no, we're just regular people. like from our Our people are this freaking strong. So it's like, oh okay. um But, you know, like, magic isn't a real, but I get, like, I mean, some magic's real, but Earthrealm has dick.
00:19:55
Speaker
Honestly, it makes sense why they were able to win like nine times already. Yeah. is Rated to like not allowed to like tell people? Or like, like hey, more comics coming up. I'm going to gather like a bunch of the best fighters. And we're were're trained for like you know five years to get ready for this tournament.
00:20:13
Speaker
So in the movies, I mean, in the games, he was. Yeah. I think in the games, it explains that like everyone who is... like traditional Earthrealm defenders, they're like prepared for this.
00:20:27
Speaker
At least Liu Kang is. He comes from temple that worships Raiden, and and then in the game version, he is like not... Like the movie, where Liu Kang has been training, he's focused, he's just like, alright, I gotta honor Earth.
00:20:43
Speaker
or My ancestor, Kung Lao. Kung Lao, right, right. and then Because that's like Kung Lao was trained, you just can't just show up. But... I think that that's why the oddball of, like, Johnny Cage is funny, because he's like, well, I heard this thing was cool, and I wanted to go, and that's it.
00:21:00
Speaker
I gotta prove I'm a real deal. not not enough I'm not phony. Right, right. See, like, didn't mind that. So I would like if he sort of knows about Mortal Kombat, and then, like, Or, like, he he sort of gets involved, like, unwillingly, not tricked like this. Like, in a sense where it's like, oh, like, I heard about this awesome secret tournament. Let me get in on it. If I win it, like, I'll show, like, you ever want to tell the world that, like, I'm actually really good.
00:21:28
Speaker
But he legit goes to this tournament thinking, like, this is just, like, a spa thing. It's super, like like, chill. I should bring, like, I don't know how many sets of clothes he needs to bring, you know? Like, for Or bags of luggage.
00:21:42
Speaker
Oh, he's got like... He's got like a dozen bags of suitcases. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So... but That's why I'm like... This movie version... i understand he is basically his character... The character from Enter the Dragon... Where it's like a con artist guy. What was his name?
00:22:04
Speaker
Like the... like the one played by John Saxon John Saxon one. Yeah. Yeah. Where it's like, he kind of Roper where like Roper thought this was more like, eh, I'll see what I can do. I'm not, I don't really plan to win. I'm just there for like, um, to like pay off debts, you know, like, but I, I don't think he's there to like, cause I also, i ah I also think, um, and enter the dragon, it wasn't a torment to the death. It was just like, whoever can be like good fighters.
00:22:37
Speaker
so But they could die, possibly. They could die if they really lose the fight badly. Or it's like, whoever they fight just wants to murder them. But it's not like a requirement that you have to fight to the death. Yeah.
Fight Scenes and Cinematic Style
00:22:48
Speaker
I think in Mortal Kombat, it is like, everyone fights to the death.
00:22:53
Speaker
Right? Right? I don't know. mean, kind of. I don't know what happens to that Liu Kang-Katana fight, because she kind of just gives up, and then Shang-Shan's like, eh, enough, whatever, this is stupid.
00:23:06
Speaker
Okay, okay, so I wanted to get into that too, because that is another like questionable thing. um But before that, ah we'll get into the whole Shang-Shan welcomes everyone to this magic island with a ah fantastic feast.
00:23:19
Speaker
So... so I get it. Everyone in this tournament is not a good guy. I mean, a few of them are. Let's count Art is in there.
00:23:29
Speaker
Or maybe he has debt. We don't know. like Maybe he's running away from something. yeah But everyone there legit is like not talking to each other. like I guess Raiden didn't have time to talk to all the regular human people.
00:23:42
Speaker
But Mortal Kombat seems like if Earthrealm is defending itself, why are other humans fighting other humans?
00:23:53
Speaker
right Wouldn't you start questioning that? like I get Kano's part of the Sang-Sung team, so he doesn't count. But is that assuming that some of the people in that dining hall are the Sang-Sung team?
00:24:05
Speaker
Yeah, because the first guy Liu Kang fights, is he like one of those hooded Sang-Sung henchmen, or is he is he like another like martial arts guy they just brought in?
00:24:16
Speaker
See, that has to be another martial artist, because like a henchman is a henchman. like You're just part of the maintenance of the island. So... you're not allowed to enter the tournament, because unless you, like, renounce the hooded thing, but... it doesn't make any sense.
00:24:32
Speaker
Because, like, the guard... There's a scene later where, like, when all three of the main characters are, like, snooping around, and then the guards chase them. Yep. That's not moral combat. That's, like, the guards defending the the ground. So, like, that is that's not against the rules.
00:24:50
Speaker
Which... That's our second, uh, Tecto Syndrome. But, okay. ah Let's go back to that like intro, because it's it's pretty cool. I remember as a kid, it was like really awesome to see just the set design. It's very memorable.
00:25:06
Speaker
Oh my god, yeah the sets in this movie are awesome. all all All the crazy statues and like... I mean, yeah, it's so many different locations for fights.
00:25:19
Speaker
they're like like it's never It's not the same. they Well, they used the beach like a little a couple times, but like after that, it's like there's all yeah it's like totally unique, crazy different areas. i don't think any of them are specific from the game, but they had the vibes of the game, which is... but you I mean, it's thats it's not like the pit or anything in the game, but...
00:25:39
Speaker
I'm thinking this is based on the first game. Because I think around now, like, the second game came out. I think it did because there's, like, in the credits it says, like, go play World Combat 2.
00:25:51
Speaker
But, like, they just didn't have time, because I imagine this took a little while to figure out. But, yeah, like, none of the sets remind you of the ah movie.
00:26:02
Speaker
Or, like, the movie doesn't really borrow on that. Uh... But I do like that grand hall because it's like it it does the job of like everything. It's where you eat.
00:26:13
Speaker
It's where they have meetings. It's where they they set up like a lot of the plot happens like of like secrets being exchanged is going through those hallways. Yep. But the first like showcase of of how real shit is is when like Sub-Zero shows up and it's like, all right, we're going to give you a demonstration of like who you're going against.
00:26:34
Speaker
And then all the henchmen just throw throw the tables away. But in that, like do the henchmen know that Sub-Zero's real? Because it seems like that one guy that they like put up against Sub-Zero is such a like like, oh no, that's Billy. like We're going to sacrifice Billy to like go fight Sub-Zero. Don't one tell him like what Sub-Zero's capable of. Don't mention any of the ice or that you know the Lin Kuei have like magic.
00:27:03
Speaker
Yeah, did did he think he was actually going to win, or was he like just a willing human sacrifice? Like, I'm willing to give my life to show off the the power of Sub-Zero for the great Shang Tsung. Yeah, but that's where I always drew a question, because it's awesome but like to see but I always had like, wait, did that that guy give up?
00:27:24
Speaker
Did he know that like it was like a one-sided fight, at least, because he didn't have the power of water? um Well, well he does he does a whole i mean he does a whole routine before he starts fighting Sub-Zero. So it's like he kind of seems like he's psyching himself up. Like, yeah, maybe if I beat Sub-Zero, I can fight the tournament.
00:27:41
Speaker
Maybe. Maybe you're right, where it's like, if you can fight Sub-Zero and win, you get to do whatever. But, so... Another thing is, like, so since Sub-Zero is, I guess, another fighter for Sang-Sun in this case, have the other people fought Sub-Zero up until this point? Like, you know, like, later in the movie, it goes by quick how fast that Sub-Zero fight comes up.
00:28:07
Speaker
But, like, you don't see anyone else fight Sub-Zero or, like, an aftermath of Sub-Zero, like, destroying someone, and then there's, like, someone with a broom, like, sweeping up the parts. Yeah, because because it's like Liu Kang's third round of the tournament. He fought like... but random he felt like ah Was it it like the machine from WMC Masters? Yeah, he did. He fought him.
00:28:27
Speaker
and then he fights... He quote-unquote fights Katana, and then that's like his third fight is like Sub-Zero. That happens like right after Katana. So, like... Liu Kang just fighting all day.
00:28:40
Speaker
ah Okay, but... So... like Because I feel like Sub-Zero just sort of was waiting. And in the game, Sub-Zero is like... Usually, like, the fifth boss.
00:28:52
Speaker
but Like, higher character to fight, I think. I could be wrong, because I kind of forgot, like, the playing in whatever order. I don't know if it's like, sometimes he's the first person you fight in Mortal Kombat.
00:29:04
Speaker
But... In in what term, like, his lethability, like... you people feared Sub-Zero for a while just because he had that like freeze move. But here, like you you kind of like found a shortcut if just threw water at him, which is something Katana just tells in front of Sang-san within like like throwing distance. Because that fight was such a not fight. you know It was like this meet-cute thing.
00:29:31
Speaker
And... um like even even Liu Kang was confused. He's like, what? What's going on, huh? Yeah, because because he doesn't even, like, get her on the ground and, like, do like ah do you yield or anything. it's just like He kind of, like, wrapped her up.
00:29:45
Speaker
Like, he did, like, a police hold on her. And then Shang Tsung was like, eh, enough, whatever. like so was that a no contest? I don't...
00:29:56
Speaker
So... Yeah, did they yeah like, Katana didn't even make it look good. like no loss it was just like... Oh, I lost. Whoops.
00:30:07
Speaker
I guess this is a misfight. Yeah.
00:30:12
Speaker
then Sheik says, yeah, alright, fine, you'll fight Sub-Zero now. Yeah, well, now he she told you the secret to Sub-Zero was to throw water at him, assholes. Use the element that gives life.
00:30:25
Speaker
That turns out a giant icicle that kills Sub-Zero. Which, i guess Sub-Zero's never thought about when someone threw like his ice ball back at him like with water. He's like, is this what it's felt like?
00:30:39
Speaker
Is this what I've been doing to people? i thought I'd just been putting them to sleep.
00:30:47
Speaker
It's also weird that Sub-Zero gets killed by his own icicle, and it's not like he does the thing where Sub-Zero can just um dodge. guess he can't yeah I guess he can see he het make ice, but he can't control ice, because that's like that but isolat the icicle flies at him like a missile, and then that's like he can't stop it.
00:31:04
Speaker
I guess he can't stop it, but he doesn't even move. He just goes, oh shit. hes he's i guess he's busy like making his like ice field. like He's generating that ice force field. Hmm, hmm.
00:31:16
Speaker
Okay, not not to skip movies, but if they... It's something where in the Mortal Kombat reboot, no one tried to throw water at him. No. He could have still been weak against water. Maybe that'd be the second one. Maybe they like October's ah sequel will do that.
00:31:34
Speaker
Someone throws and he's like, that doesn't work. Why would you think that worked? ah carl car We'll throw a cup of water at him.
00:31:43
Speaker
So, yeah, like, and another thing to mention is that Liu Kang does most of the fighting in this movie. It is just the Liu Kang movie because, what, five fights maybe i think he's in?
00:31:54
Speaker
yeah i think we we see so sondia fights I think we see fight one person. She fights Kato, and that's it, basically. Yeah, she's just done. Johnny fights Scorpion, which is, like, probably one of the best fights in the movie, because they end up in, like, another realm whatever they go to. Yeah.
00:32:13
Speaker
And then he fights Goro. Yeah, he fights Goro, yeah.
00:32:18
Speaker
But I think Sang-Shan originally wanted to fight Johnny. Yes. Because he's like, ah, I could just pick... I could beat this guy. Maybe that's what it was. like He just wanted like Johnny Cage there to easily win the tournament, but if that was the case, why would you invite Liu Kang?
00:32:37
Speaker
Like, you don't have to bring him on the boat. You provided that transportation.
00:32:46
Speaker
Is it like some sort of bylaw where it's like, all right, in order to fight them, you have to send the boat. You have to do all this. The Temple of Light like automatically gets always he always gets to send somebody.
00:32:57
Speaker
for so It's like theyre they have a grandfather in the Mortal Kombat tournament. like all right I know this is an old system, but because they come here, like we always get them.
00:33:12
Speaker
Occasionally, i get to sacrifice one of their brothers once in a while in some tournament fight. Yep. Pre-tournament fight. yeah Yeah, an exposition fight.
00:33:24
Speaker
That's how we hype up the the the fight tournament. We appease the gods. That was like it was like his promotional tour. like He shows up like, hey, you guys ready for Mortal Kombat?
00:33:35
Speaker
like Kills Chan like, yeah, I'll see you in like a week. yeah Legit, I'll see you when Liu Kang gets from America to whatever, like, Shaolin Monk, and then to Hong Kong.
00:33:49
Speaker
That will be quick.
00:33:53
Speaker
And Johnny had to go from Los Angeles to Hong Kong. It was just like 16 hours or so. And then luckily for Sony, Sony was already in Hong Kong, right? Yeah.
00:34:04
Speaker
Because that's where Kano was hiding out. at that was she Because the nightclub that Kano was in looked awfully American. Yeah, that's the weird part. it's likes because it It says Hong Kong when it's like the like the title that comes up.
00:34:18
Speaker
But it's definitely like, it feels like yeah like an American or like an Eastern European, like a German, like heavy metal club. Yep. Yep. I was gonna say that too. yeah it's like strike customers Yeah. It's like, where in Hong Kong do they have this? Like, this is 1995. Like, They love, they love heavy metal In Hong Kong. In China.
00:34:40
Speaker
but like okay yeah In Hong Kong, in 1985, they were still playing... like They just got into R&B. like You know what I mean? like they're not They weren't like ahead of the curve of hipster Hong Kong people listening to Rammstein.
00:34:56
Speaker
Or whoever it was. If they said like Germany, that would make more sense. Or something. It's slightly closer, I guess, but...
00:35:07
Speaker
It's still another crazy destination that like an American special agent unit was able to like go across the border.
00:35:17
Speaker
But also, speaking about that nightclub, Sunia Blade is just shoving people with their shotgun in there. I like how she shoots the shotgun and like no one reacts. Everyone's just this dancing behind herself.
00:35:28
Speaker
I'm guessing it's so loud they couldn't really hear the difference. Yeah. But I also
Character Roles and Decisions
00:35:34
Speaker
like that that shotgun was one of those like, oh, friendly put you down the ground shotguns that um thank God that the other henchmen, someone from the Black Dragon clan is wearing like a bulletproof vest.
00:35:48
Speaker
So no one died during that raid. The one guard that was there.
00:35:57
Speaker
And also, like, the cameo from Jax, who's not the Jax that shows up in the second movie. No, I mean, it's nice that they mention it, because I think in Mortal Kombat 2 by then, they were like, Jax, like, he was Sonya's partner. So they it sort of makes sense why he's there. And, like, I didn't mind it.
00:36:15
Speaker
Of course, like, I wasn't a Jax fan, because I didn't play him until way later, until Mortal Kombat 3. Because by then, I was like, all right, Jax is pretty cool.
00:36:25
Speaker
Well, apparently apparently they they were they wanted to cast Steve James, who was in all the American Ninja movies, but then he died of pancreatic cancer the year before the casting started. And then they were like Michael J. White, but then he starred in the, i think it was the TV movie, Tyson?
00:36:43
Speaker
In 1995? Holy crap. Yeah.
00:36:48
Speaker
But then Michael J. White played Jax in the Mortal Kombat Legacy web series, he didn't get to play Jax eventually.
00:36:58
Speaker
But that that yeah definitely would have been like, oh, we're casting Michael White here. It's a tiny role, but he'll be like back in a bigger role for the second one.
00:37:09
Speaker
I like the preview of it. you know It was like a nice way to um build up more of the world, incidentally. But I also feel like they did it because was a budget, and it would be hard to explain. Raiden's just alright, now the four of you!
00:37:22
Speaker
This is a good group. But then it's weird because, like, art's there. So, like, they have, like, the, you know, the random African-American karate guy. they They have, like, an actor that's, like, you guys have Jax. Like, Jax is a character in Mortal Kombat. You made up this, this like, side character.
00:37:38
Speaker
yeah and then And then you could have had, like, the during the Goro fight, like, him actually ripping, like, know, Jax's arms off. Although, movie's PG-10, so they probably wouldn't be able to do that.
00:37:49
Speaker
But it's... That's like the only it's like the only major criticism of this movie is that it's Peter Thien. you don't get the fatalities. Yeah, I feel like if it if it just had a little more like i guess rating systems to understand, by then the audience would be like for this violence. Because the video game caused a lot controversy and movies were way violent. you know like And just lean into it.
00:38:16
Speaker
Now it's like... like passive if you think how much violence there is in both of those genres now. And now now that that's like the best part of the the new series is they like go full hog on the fatalities.
00:38:32
Speaker
Like you're they're doing like ah like Mortal Kombat X and like that series like level but fatalities. Yeah, yeah. I mean... If there was more side characters where like they would get their heads crushed in and stuff, that would be cool. That's what saying. There a whole bunch of like side characters, but having side characters, just like people being thrown out in the Goro fight.
00:38:53
Speaker
that You kind of wanted to know who these people kind of were, but it's assumed that they all died. like They all got absorbed by saying something. it's It's weird, like, so, like, Earthrealms get, like, as many tries as they want to fight Goro.
00:39:07
Speaker
It's like, it seems like every Earthrealm other, like, random person who, like, fought Goro and lost, it's like, yeah I don't know, you guys have guys have ten tries left. think it's as many humans, or if the rule, if it's a real torment bracket, like,
00:39:24
Speaker
In the game, Goro was the final, like, semi-final boss. He's like the reigning champion. Right. So, like, you have beat him to get to Shang Tsung.
00:39:35
Speaker
So, I think, think basically, like, did every human fight everyone else? Or did they were they just like, your first fight is, like, Goro?
00:39:46
Speaker
Because, like, it feels like yeah Art was that. Art was like, alright, I'm ready for my first fight, yeah it's gonna great. And then just Goro's your first guy. Yeah.
00:39:56
Speaker
But Shang Tsung activates him going, alright, well, Scorpion's dead, Sub-Zero's dead.
00:40:03
Speaker
didn't understand the structure for Shang Tsung. He doesn't have, like, alright, I have eight guys, you have eight guys, and we'll figure it out best out of whoever, right? Yeah, they definitely need a big like tournament board up somewhere. Just be like, all right, Liu Kang advances to the next round.
00:40:18
Speaker
Yeah, that that would have been good. because Or a tower like they do in the Mortal Kombat games. Just some sort of thing to figure out where everyone ranks in this fight. Because we have no idea of escalations. But Katana kind of does. like She knows who Liu Kang fights next if he wins.
00:40:40
Speaker
Yeah. Because she's supposed to be fighting Outworld, but she's actually fighting for Earthrealm because she hates Outworld. Or like Shao Kahn and Sung. So does that mean maybe she fought other guys before?
00:40:54
Speaker
but she's she like killed a bunch of Earthrealm people until she got to Luke Kang. It's like, oh, now now we i'm on your I'm on your side now. mean, makes a sense. i killed like five I killed like five random guys before I dig get to this fight with you.
00:41:08
Speaker
I mean, it it makes sense where like she's sort of like stuck in the tournament. She's like, all right, but like I kill all these losers, then it just kind speeds up the tournament. Definitely. I wish there were more like like kind of bad guys on the earth team that Raiden's like, we only need them for numbers like the please don't talk to them.
00:41:30
Speaker
Yeah, this I mean, that's the new one to do and like Pocato on like the good guys team. and But that was like, alright, well, like, the new one did it because it was like, at least, like, these were the chosen human people to fight against them.
00:41:45
Speaker
And they also made sense. And was interesting to think, like, if you kill a person with a dragon like mark, you get you take get the dragon mark. Okay, I didn't like that. I did not. That's another discussion.
00:41:56
Speaker
But yeah I thought liked this tournament better, where it's just the Karate Kid structure. It's this group versus that group. But then like we're just confused about like what each group represents, because...
00:42:09
Speaker
like Raiden had 20 people he could have like trained ahead of time, but he's just like, only these three. And of the three, only one person he secretly is rooting for.
00:42:22
Speaker
He just walked around like random like dojos in like Los Angeles. He's like, hey, who wants to go to ah mysterious island and fight in a tournament?
00:42:31
Speaker
I got the transportation covered. You guys like boats. Room and board is concluded.
00:42:40
Speaker
So, I guess we'll jump into... Where
00:42:46
Speaker
are we? Well, Johnny makes the the deal to fight Goro with Shang Tsung, but then like gets tricked by Shang Tsung to be like, alright, but then I get to choose who I fight, and I get to choose where I get to fight. And Johnny's like, alright, that sounds fine. and That is a little weird.
00:43:04
Speaker
And also, like, I guess Johnny's just pissed because he doesn't want to fight anyone else but Goro? He wants to protect Sonya from, like, because they saw what happened our, he's like, I'm gonna, um I'll fight him, so, like, nothing happens to, like, you or, like, an and then... But then he does not think Luke can fight Goro?
00:43:25
Speaker
Yeah. And also, like, but and alsos I think it's also, like, you know, Johnny has his ego. wants to prove he's the best. I mean, he accidentally killed Scorpion. Yeah. So, and Scorpion is not supposed to be just some chump.
00:43:40
Speaker
But... It happens. And then, well, Scorpion's like a big fan, which I do like.
00:43:47
Speaker
Let's go back to the Scorpion fight. um Do you think Johnny, like, I know it's the signature, like, write your autograph and throw it thing, but do you think Scorpion actually, like, was a fan of Johnny? Probably not.
00:43:59
Speaker
He was like a brainwashed zombie.
00:44:05
Speaker
have brain Yeah, brainwashed, like, undead zombie skull monster that's so controlled.
00:44:12
Speaker
I did like ah for for the effects and the skull and all that. Like it hasn't aged well, but it's definitely like a Harryhausen kind of like. Yeah.
00:44:22
Speaker
Thing. The only thing I really hate is Scorpion's chain. The fact that it's like a live alien sentient thing. Yeah, that definitely. Yeah, this is we're in that we're in that ah tough era of like CG is starting to come in, but it looks awful.
00:44:39
Speaker
hmm. like ah yeah Like, yeah, Scorpion's harpoon. It's like the creature looks terrible. Reptile looks absolutely awful.
00:44:50
Speaker
Reptile looks like ah like he escaped from PS1 game or something. Yeah, it was like they were making, like, gags. and Yeah, want evil gags.
00:45:01
Speaker
But I also like that for Reptile's fight... ah See, I was confused. This fight, and then Mortal Kombat, like, the the annihilation. Does Reptile come back?
00:45:16
Speaker
um I mean, they throw in, like, they cause they add, like, the robot ninjas. They've got, like, the new Sub-Zero. but But doesn't, like, Reptile encompass, like, a body?
00:45:29
Speaker
That's in this one. Jesus Christ, I'm, like, forgetting things. I just saw this movie recently. Yeah, they... They basically bring in every other ninja in the second one, because Rain shows up, and Smoke, and Ermac, and Oopsai Bot.
00:45:45
Speaker
Smoke was in Mortal Kombat Annihilation? Yeah. don't know if he did, but I think he just kind of showed up at the end when they had all the like, like Mataro and all the, they're all on the cliff being like, haha, it's the final battle!
00:45:59
Speaker
we got Smoke's here! yeah Everyone's here!
00:46:08
Speaker
But yeah, rep yeah in this one, Reptile, like, yeah it's like, Liu Kang throws him into a statue and then he turns into a ninja. Yeah, it's the same ninja that like, everyone else, which is always weird, I think, that, like, I get it, in the game, it was a limitation of, like, palette swaps to kind of save on character stuff.
00:46:28
Speaker
But then the humanized version of them, was just like, oh no, it's like the default, like, ninja look, whenever. So, like, even though there's supposed different schools of ninja... Like the Lin Kuei and then the Shai Ru, whatever it was, Scorpion was.
00:46:42
Speaker
Yeah. And, you know, like, you didn't know that. It was like the same, like, they're different cult, different clans, different, like, totally different ideologies, but just, like, different color.
00:46:53
Speaker
I mean, they're all they're all different, like, stuntmen actors and under the suits. yeah, the suits all, it's it's basically like, they like it did, like, make a bunch of a suits, just dye them all different colors. Yep.
00:47:05
Speaker
It's also funny, like, Reptile... Keith Cook plays Reptile, and then he played Sub-Zero in the second one.
00:47:13
Speaker
mean, he's not bad. We've definitely seen a Cynthia Rothrock movie where he gets to play, like, like a biker guy. but Oh, yeah.
00:47:25
Speaker
So, he can sort of act.
00:47:30
Speaker
And then, like... ah like Chris Casamasa's Scorpion, who I think was just... They just hired him to be like... um Do something smaller in the movie, and they're like oh, this guy can actually fight. Make him Scorpion.
00:47:43
Speaker
I remember history, you're correct. He was also in... Kiss of the Dragon. and And... Was he also in Die Hard? Like, one of the... Die Hard, like, forever?
00:47:56
Speaker
I don't think so. He was also a WMAC master. Ah. ah Which is like, I mean, but yeah, there's there's so many like, but they came out like the month after this came out.
00:48:11
Speaker
It's just like, it's so obviously inspired by Mortal Kombat.
00:48:18
Speaker
It couldn't be as worse as I think like WCW had a character named like Sub-Zero. We wore that mask.
00:48:27
Speaker
Yeah, Mortal Kombat's influence was ah all over the place.
00:48:33
Speaker
Especially at the and after this movie came out, like even more so, because that you had like the cartoon and the prequel show, and then... yeah i think i think definitely like it was like the Mortal Kombat Conquest was like super tied into WCW, because like I think aired like like after WCW, like Monday Night Nitro, and they started like crossing over, like like wrestlers started showing up in Mortal Kombat Conquest.
00:48:57
Speaker
And is that like part of this movie, or it's totally separate now? I think it's like sort of like a prequel to like these movies, but also the games.
00:49:11
Speaker
But yeah you know it's like it's like however many said like hundreds of years before what we see in like in the the movies and the games. Because it's about the original Kung Lao.
00:49:32
Speaker
Which, ah it's it's it's on HBO Max, if people want watch you the insane Mortal Kombat prequel show. And also, Mortal Kombat, this movie is on Max. think I think most most everything Mortal Kombat is on HBO Max except for like Defenders the Realm.
00:49:49
Speaker
Yeah, I feel like Warner was trying to like get all their like properties in one There's gotta be some should be some like licensing thing, because that was like a USA show, so whoever owns it, I think M.A.C. Universal owns USA, so they must they must have some sort of like partial rights to defenders of the realm. Even
00:50:14
Speaker
though, like, War Bros owns like most of Mortal Kombat.
00:50:26
Speaker
But yeah, there was so many so many knockoffs and so many like just like stuff that followed this movie because it was it was so successful. Right. ah But back back to the plot. so yeah yes so Yeah. the The Johnny Goro fight ah is ridiculous because we get the iconic nut punch.
00:50:50
Speaker
You get like the classic line of like those are $500 sunglasses, asshole. Yeah.
00:50:57
Speaker
And the way Johnny defeats Goro is kind of it's like ridiculous, where like he like lures him outside to like a cliff and just punches him off a cliff.
00:51:07
Speaker
Which, like no one no one thought of that. It's like, oh, lure Goro outside. of's like Have him trip off a cliff.
00:51:16
Speaker
well cause He's so top-heavy. Yeah. Well, okay, so, one, like, the girl puppet is very impressive at the time, just because it is, like, very practical, and, and you know, like, if they didn't show a lot of, like, the feet, so you don't see, like, Goro from, like, the the ankle down, you see him mostly just from the torso up.
00:51:38
Speaker
Yeah. So, it actually building a model to bring outside, and ah the tournament taking place like outside was kind of cool like in this mountaintop but here's the thing um who's keeping track who's winning these fights is it like whoever like comes back is the winner or does like someone tell Sang-Suns like oh no they're dead or whatever Because it seems like Shang Tsung wants to... ah He's stealing a soul whoever loses. right he's also And he's also like yo saying fatality or flawless victory to people to end the fights. But then Goro just falls off the mountain into...
00:52:19
Speaker
you nothingness. that and then they're like, alright. and well Well, actually, like I guess Shakespeare realized Garl lost because then he like kidnaps Sonya and like goes to the Outworld.
00:52:32
Speaker
Because Johnny hears Sonya scream and and that's when he runs in and is like, oh, ah no, he's got her. But but that's the thing. it's like So he negates on the tournament rules because at that point, I guess the tournament's off.
00:52:47
Speaker
Well, it's like, it's I guess it's like the final round, which, which because of the deal they made, Shang Tsung gets to determine like where the final round is and who he fights.
00:52:59
Speaker
But then it's like, I want to fight Johnny, and Liu Kang's like, no, I challenge you to Mortal Kombat. And it's like, oh no, Raiden, that's why Raiden's just like, well... He challenged you. It's like, you mean you could have done that, like, at any point during in this movie?
00:53:15
Speaker
I think he I think Luke could have. but then it's like, well, you can't you can't you can't challenge him right away because you lose. You're not ready to fight him, like, immediately. Well, Luke didn't, like, train anymore.
00:53:30
Speaker
Like, he was just fighting other people. And it wasn't like he unlocked a new skill.
00:53:37
Speaker
He said he he'd accept that he was like the chosen one.
00:53:43
Speaker
Because that was he was afraid of his destiny. Because he has to go through like the three challenges in that last fight. It's like, face your enemy. of Face yourself. Face
00:53:57
Speaker
in a a faceci your fear. Like these Indiana Jones style challenges. Yeah.
00:54:07
Speaker
I mean, he was totally about it. And then, um I mean, he didn't throw an ice bucket at Shang Tsung, where it's like, that that worked for me once.
00:54:19
Speaker
What else are you afraid of? yeah What else works?
00:54:25
Speaker
It's crazy that Shang Tsung turns into his brother, and they like that almost tricks Liu Kang. It's like, no, you're dead. and he's like, yeah, I'm dead. but I'm your brother.
00:54:38
Speaker
And he's like and then like you he's like, no, you're Shang Tsung. He's like, oh, yep, you're right. And then he's fighting again. Yeah, like it's such a weird distraction where it's like, remember, you let me die. And it's like i guess
00:54:52
Speaker
like, I guess? Who do you think it is, Liu Kang? There's no one else in this... like You saw Shang Tsung run up here, and now it's not with your brother's up here. like Who do you think it is?
00:55:02
Speaker
He's like, oh, I'm your brother. I came back for you.
00:55:07
Speaker
The fight's over, just give up. Yeah. Let me just ah position you at the edge of this, like, this balcony. Pit. And I'll throw you in this spike pit.
00:55:19
Speaker
So do you think, like, that was, like, a trigger? Was there some henchmen in the back just, like, waiting and sort of, like, looking for the sign to flip the spikes?
00:55:29
Speaker
Yeah, Shanks I were just like, if I run up the stairs, throw the switch for the spikes. Yeah. That's our patented, like, tournament move where if I'm losing the fight, we go to the stairs.
00:55:43
Speaker
but it but And that's that's, like, after he ah summons, like, the all those random warriors. Yeah, they break. They have like ah a fight break. Yeah, because he's because he's he's kind of losing.
00:55:55
Speaker
Then he's kind like, well, let me send these warriors to fight you, Liu Kang. It's like a random samurai guy, like ah like a Samoan guy. It's like all these random dudes show up.
00:56:08
Speaker
And they'll get like one hit KO'd. And these are like epic warriors from the past, and they just like get knocked out. Mm-hmm. Okay, so, speaking about WC Masters, like, this is blatantly like a WC Master move, where it's like, having a fight, and then randomly, like, distraction people show up, and they have to fight that move. Or ninjas show up, yeah.
00:56:34
Speaker
but Yeah, this isn't even like ninjas. This is like Deadliest Warrior, where just like a bunch of like random warriors from history show up to fight Liu Kang.
00:56:46
Speaker
But that yeah see be then, Meanwhile, like like, Johnny and Kitana and Sonya are watching for the sidelines because they can't be involved, I guess.
00:56:57
Speaker
that even Not even like like when Luke takes that number, he's like, should we help him? It's like, nah, it's fine, it's fine, he's got it. Yeah, it they kind of just give up. They're like, we'll just hang out, we'll figure out who wins.
00:57:11
Speaker
Right? It's not like... um
00:57:15
Speaker
It's not like they get to fight whoever... like If Liu Kang
Final Battle and Sequel Setup
00:57:21
Speaker
loses, then they get to like take their turn. Is the tournament over when... like Yeah, this like this this fight is for... like every This is to determine the winner.
00:57:35
Speaker
So it doesn't... I mean, epic and in tone, but... Yeah, the other two just kind of wait. And it's like... Are... are are they allowed to interfere? Because I feel like they're already off the books.
00:57:47
Speaker
So it just could have been the three of them kicking Shang Tsung's ass. I mean, feel like if Shang Tsung is able to like summon like ah a group of warriors to help him, like Katana and like Johnny and Tony will be able to jump in and fight too.
00:58:03
Speaker
and then And then have Liu Kang go back and fight Shang Tsung again.
00:58:11
Speaker
yeah theyre yeah, they're just just're hanging out the entire time.
00:58:16
Speaker
and then Yeah, it's unfortunate, because, like, Sonya does one fight and gets kidnapped. Johnny, he does a decent fight, but, like, like, Linda Ashby, there could have been more with him.
00:58:33
Speaker
Although, I mean, every like he's he's he's like, he's a perfect Johnny Cage, though. He's so good.
00:58:39
Speaker
All of his, like, one-liners and, like, asshole behavior. Yeah.
00:58:45
Speaker
Yeah, and I think like Linda Ashby in real life doesn't act like that. He's probably like a different guy. And and he actually like he actually like has some like martial arts skills, too.
00:59:02
Speaker
But... Yeah, ah the movie kind of wraps up right after that. like Apparently, they all get back to whatever Chalon Temple there is. and like We gotta mention, Liu Kang does do like a fireball.
00:59:15
Speaker
some hotleer that No one no one like comments on or mentions. He finishes off Shang Tsung with a fireball or some sort of like silent of energy blast. glass on Yeah.
00:59:27
Speaker
It's not like there's a distance, he just like gets up and close and punches him off. but So that's the only time that that effect happens, and I guess it's to show you that he is like the chosen one, but we understood that fact already.
00:59:40
Speaker
Yeah. He does do like the bicycle kick before that too, to like, rip tile. Yeah, and I guess that's fine. It's just... it's cool.
00:59:52
Speaker
And obviously obviously the second one they like yo get all the the animality stuff, which is just like say horribly insane. Especially like the way they use CG to showcase that in the second one.
01:00:10
Speaker
Oh yeah. Where it's like horrible horrible looking CGI dragons fighting each other.
01:00:21
Speaker
But yeah, this one, ze yeah but this one Fireball, like yeah Kill Shank Sung, all the all the yeah like souls that he's captured fly up in a giant beam of light. Yeah, the soul tornado.
01:00:34
Speaker
Always a classic. It's kind like, ah what was it was it? I think it was like Nightmare on Elm Street 5, I think, has a similar thing where it's like, because there was like all the like spirit souls that like Freddy killed are like inside of him, and they all like burst out and like,
01:00:50
Speaker
fly up in a beam of light.
01:00:55
Speaker
Was that New Warriors? or I think it was Dream Child. It's the one where he's in the mind of the baby.
01:01:07
Speaker
um but yeah, Liu Kang's brother is like, hey, thanks. It's it's actually me now. It's not Shang Tsung.
01:01:17
Speaker
It's like, hey, Liu. I'll see you later. forgive you. Bye.
01:01:23
Speaker
Yeah, that that um closure thing is just enough because Liu Kang does not mention it at all in the next movie. It's like, hey, Liu, I don't blame you for leaving and then making me the chosen one when I was blatantly not ready.
01:01:40
Speaker
um ah is Is his brother like a creation of just the movie? like i don't I don't think Chan Kang is like a character in the games. Yeah, it's just for the movie. It's just that yeah emotional beat so he doesn't become like generic person.
01:01:52
Speaker
um So is that just, like, blade Bruce Lee? Well, I think, uh... There's ah another Bruce Lee movie where he tries to save his sister, but in Enter the Dragon, he enters the torment A, to stop the evil guy, but to B, get revenge for his sister's, like, murder.
01:02:15
Speaker
So, again, it's just like Enter the Dragon again.
01:02:19
Speaker
Because, like, uh... the hench the lead henchman in Into into the Dragon, the tall white guy with the beard, like he murdered Bruce Lee's sister.
01:02:34
Speaker
We should watch Into the Dragon again. You forgot that plot point. It's been a while since seen it. But, I mean, that's but it's where, like, Mortal Kombat is drawing, like, a lot of its, like, it's pulling, like, every Blue Sleepy movie, every, like, ninja movie, like, that so that's, like, where they're pulling, like, all their stuff from.
01:02:52
Speaker
Oh, yeah. It's, little bit of everything from, like, all that stuff.
01:02:59
Speaker
But, yeah, they they get to, like, everyone's celebrating at the end, though, and then it's the big, like, cliffhanger sequel setup where Shao Kahn bursts out of, like, the top of the temple is, like, your souls are mine, pathetic... pathetic here things.
01:03:16
Speaker
I see you in the sequel in like a year or two. Actually, I think it was like a year right after that. i feel yeah I feel like they rammed it through. like It was like 97, so it was two years. I guess they didn't really
Mortal Kombat's Legacy and Impact
01:03:29
Speaker
ram it through, it was pretty fast.
01:03:34
Speaker
Also, like, clearly, um it was kind of like a Thanos and at at the end of Avengers thing, where, like, they didn't have anyone cast as Shao Kahn yet. It's just, like, a random... Like, heavily... Like, heavily... see like ah but like, makeup.
01:03:52
Speaker
im Just a random dude. Just some guy in the back. It's like, you want me Shao Kahn? Okay. Yeah. They didn't cast Brian Thompson yet. yeah they didn't know it would be, and then...
01:04:04
Speaker
Which is fine, because I feel like it's that, like, build they'll fix it in post. Mm-hmm.
01:04:19
Speaker
But yeah, um to me, this is one of those movies I grew up watching a lot, so I have a soft spot for it. I know some people who see it now probably are going to be like, oh, it's not as good as blah, blah, blah, or...
01:04:35
Speaker
they're going to say that the new moral comic movie is better and that's debatable. Yeah.
01:04:45
Speaker
I mean, i do appreciate the new one has fatalities. Like we said, like that, that element's definitely missing for this one, but I mean, character wise and just like old school martial arts fights and stuff. Like it's, this one is so, so much fun.
01:04:59
Speaker
And like the music, let me say like we said, like technical syndrome is just like one of the best song movie soundtrack songs of all time.
01:05:08
Speaker
Like the second the second is movie starts, you're just like, yes, more combat. Yeah, not messing around. But you have no idea what the thing like if this is the first time you're experiencing Mortal Kombat thing and you just see the intro and it's like on fire. Do you see dragon? Just like, what is a still about?
01:05:27
Speaker
And you're you hear guy just get like yelling names in the background. Yelling random people's names. ah Does they do that the intro? Or is that just the... I think it's just like the full like credits version. Is when they start going through the whole roster and like all the catchphrases.
01:05:44
Speaker
Okay, yeah, that's different. yeah The roster, the credits is different. But in the opening, I think it's just straight up it it just the Mortal Kombat. Yeah, you see all the Mortal Kombat and then it's just like the yeah instrumental...
01:06:02
Speaker
Yeah, because the full song, you get the whole, like, Liu Kang, Sub-Zero, Johnny Cage, Sonya, Jax. If you have never seen the game, you're like, I don't know who any of these people are.
01:06:16
Speaker
Fatality, flawless victory.
01:06:25
Speaker
Which, I do i do love like that... ah Shang Tsung is like just constantly saying flaws, victory, or fatality.
01:06:35
Speaker
You know, I think it's i think it's supposed to be... Isn't Shao Kahn the person saying that in the games, really? in the first game. That's Shang Tsung in the first game. Then it's Shao Kahn in the second game. Because they never got to Shao Kahn until like the second game. Then they're like, oh, we should do like Emperor.
01:06:55
Speaker
Friendship?
01:06:59
Speaker
Which I don't think we're ever going to see that in a movie yet. Well, the signed autograph ah like but when when they kill Scorpion, that's like a Johnny Cage friendship.
01:07:13
Speaker
Is it? Yeah. and No one says it, so it's like... You know, it's just like a floating autograph.
01:07:23
Speaker
And we haven't seen the babalities either. that would be funny if if they somehow get it in the movie and we're like how what
01:07:37
Speaker
was is there something fatalities babalities animalities friendships was there was there is there something else they added or animal yeah i said ah yeah animalities okay Friendships, babalities, fatalities. feel like there's some other weird thing they added like that was like ah something else.
01:07:57
Speaker
In 3, they added the... like I guess they could like off themselves. There wasn't a title for it, but it was like the character that loses could like do something to themselves to like get off the screen.
01:08:11
Speaker
like And then they do that in World of War or or a Deadly Alliance.
01:08:18
Speaker
Oh, Brutal... Brutalities, but bru haiess that was like Mortal Kombat vs. DC, because they the the DC character's gonna kill people, so they had brutalities.
01:08:35
Speaker
yeah that's the Yeah, like I said, that's the only thing that this movies but like this movie had, like, if there was a director's cut, like an uncut version that had like some some fatalities in it, this would be like the perfect movie.
01:08:52
Speaker
But hopefully, ah you know, got we got the first reboot. Hopefully that's the sequel with, ah you know, Carl Urban playing Johnny Cage. Hopefully that'll be like the a new gold standard for World Combat movies.
01:09:04
Speaker
Here's hoping. I have faith Carl Urban. Even though it's kind of weird having Johnny Cage be like Australian or like New Zealand, wherever Carl Urban's from. but dont i don't think he's do I don't think he's trying to do American accent. I think he's just him.
01:09:21
Speaker
I think it's Carl Urban.
01:09:25
Speaker
I think he's New Zealand. and
01:09:35
Speaker
But yeah, we'll see that we'll see that in October, and you can watch this one whenever you want on issue Max, or you know get a copy of it. i mean, if you don't have a copy it, I don't what you're doing. i think there's a... Is there a of this yet? I think there probably was, because it's their anniversary. I'm sure they probably put out like a special 4K of it or something.
01:10:00
Speaker
Surprise, you don't know that.
01:10:04
Speaker
The... The new one has a bunch of 4Ks, but yeah, i dont I don't know if the ah original, I think the original only on Blu-ray right now, so someone needs to get on that like the Nintendo 5 movie, get that get a 4K of that out there soon.
01:10:21
Speaker
Arrow or whoever does those. It'd be weird Vinegar Syndrome got the rights and they're like, Vinegar Syndrome? Yeah, that seems a little high profile for them.
01:10:33
Speaker
I know Arrow does lot of things like Demolition Man and some other 90s action movies.
01:10:42
Speaker
feel like it wouldn't be too hard for someone. like Warner owns this, so I don't see them... They're sitting on like an extra income for them to not up-res this. Yeah, considering it's a steelbook, pack. Yeah.
01:10:59
Speaker
get it out i'm all pack yeah why don' I don't know if people want but i also want more Annihilation. i guess Sometimes you're in the mood. It's like a bonus. like oh here's Also, here's more here's Annihilation.
01:11:12
Speaker
Just like duct tape to the package.
01:11:18
Speaker
It's like Jurassic Park one where it's like, oh, Jurassic Park 1 and Lost World and then also 3. Or like the Alien Quadrilogy where it's like, I guess I'll take Alien Resurrection with it.
01:11:35
Speaker
It's always like the one outlier.
01:11:43
Speaker
But ah yeah, Mortal Kombat, still great. Still still so tons of fun. It's you still one still won of the best video game movies all time. Just because it like
Preview of Next Episode: Turbo Kid
01:11:52
Speaker
and no and nails the tone and like the structure of the games and like didn't try to overcomplicate it like Street Fighter did with all these new crazy plot and like try to get million characters in it. like they It's a fighting game.
01:12:10
Speaker
we're doing a turn We're doing a Bruce Lee turner movie. That's what doing. And that's why it works so well.
01:12:19
Speaker
So, yes, I think that'll do it for this week on the podcast. Come back next week, we'll be talking about... um
01:12:28
Speaker
Oh, what are we talking about? Let me pull it up quick. but What are we talking about next week? ah We are talking about...
01:12:41
Speaker
Turbo Kid. Turbo Kid, yes. Because that's celebrating its 10th anniversary. So we'll be heading into the the wastelands. ah Talking about Turbo Kid. which Which I think, isn't the the game like officially finally come out?
01:12:56
Speaker
Or like something with the game? That's been in the development for a while. I forgot. like That game was just comes back and out in public once in a while. feel like the game came out like quietly like a year ago. And then it's like, okay, and but we're like doing a new edition of it.
01:13:11
Speaker
It might have been like maybe it was a PC and now it's on a console or it's coming to console or something. I know that like I remember seeing something recently about it. And it's
Closing Remarks and Social Media
01:13:19
Speaker
like real like a like reallight trials game. It's kind of like you're on a bike and you're kind of you have to like heavily physics based like platforming.
01:13:30
Speaker
But that came out like a couple years after the movie. But just maybe we'll talk about that a along with the all the stuff in the movie. um next week and head over to the site we all have your stuff there we got news reviews trailers um all kinds of stuff there head over check all the stuff out and yeah so for us I am Zach and we will see you next week for more for everything action head to www.everythingaction.com you can also find us on facebook at facebook.com slash everything dot action and follow us on x at evaction we're also on instagram and threads at everything dot action
01:14:09
Speaker
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