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{{short description|1995 film by Paul W. S. Anderson}}
{{Infobox film
|
| image = Mortal Kombat poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| alt =
| director = [[Paul W. S. Anderson]]
| producer
| writer = Kevin Droney
| based_on = {{based on|''[[Mortal Kombat]]''|[[Ed Boon]]|[[John Tobias]]}}
| starring = {{plainlist|
* [[Linden Ashby]]
* [[Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa]]
* [[Robin Shou]]
* [[Bridgette Wilson]]
* [[Talisa Soto]]
* [[Christopher Lambert]]
}}<!--per poster block-->
| music = [[George S. Clinton]]
| cinematography = [[John R. Leonetti]]
| editing = Martin Hunter
| studio = [[Threshold Entertainment]]<!--per poster block--><br>[[New Line Cinema]]
| distributor = New Line Cinema
| released = {{Film date|1995|8|18}}
| runtime = 101 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget = $20 million<ref name="numbers">{{cite web |title=Mortal Kombat (1995) - Financial Information |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Mortal-Kombat#tab=summary |website=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]] }}</ref>
| gross = $122.2 million<ref name=BOM/>
}}
'''''Mortal Kombat''''' is a 1995 American [[Martial arts film|martial arts]] [[fantasy film]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/mortal-kombat-v134992|publisher=AllMovie|title=Mortal Kombat|last=Blaise|first=Judd|access-date=2017-09-12}}</ref> directed by [[Paul W. S. Anderson]]. Based on the [[Mortal Kombat|video game franchise of the same name]], it is the first installment in the [[Mortal Kombat (film series)|''Mortal Kombat'' film series]]. Starring [[Linden Ashby]], [[Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa]], [[Robin Shou]], [[Bridgette Wilson]], [[Talisa Soto]], and [[Christopher Lambert]], the film follows a group of heroes who participate in the eponymous Mortal Kombat tournament to protect Earth from being conquered by malevolent forces. Its story primarily adapts the [[Mortal Kombat (1992 video game)|original 1992 game]], while also using elements from the game ''[[Mortal Kombat II]]'' (1993).
The film premiered in the United States on August 18, 1995. It received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the martial art sequences, atmosphere, and production values, but criticized the performances, script, and toned-down violence from the games. Despite the mixed critical response, the film was well-received by fans of the series. It was also a commercial success, grossing $122.2 million on a $20 million budget.
''Mortal Kombat'' was followed by a 1997 sequel, ''[[Mortal Kombat Annihilation]]'', along with two television series: the animated sequel ''[[Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm]]'' (1996) and the live-action prequel ''[[Mortal Kombat: Conquest]]'' (1998–1999). The follow-ups were unable to match the original film's success, and the series was [[reboot (fiction)|rebooted]] with a [[Mortal Kombat (2021 film)|2021 film]].
==Plot==
<!-- Per WP:FILMPLOT, plot summaries are 400 to 700 words only. -->
<!-- Do not identify the character of the Outworld Emperor as Shao Kahn, as he is never addressed by name at any point in the film.-->
<!-- Do not change "Rayden" to "Raiden", as the character's name is spelled "Rayden" in the film.-->
Mortal Kombat is a martial arts tournament that is held once every generation between representatives of the realms of Earth and the otherworldly dimension of Outworld. If Outworld achieves ten consecutive victories, the [[Shao Kahn|Outworld Emperor]] will invade and conquer the Earthrealm. They have already won nine times. [[Shaolin Kung Fu|Shaolin monk]] [[Liu Kang]], movie star [[Johnny Cage]], and special forces officer [[Sonya Blade]] are chosen by [[Raiden (Mortal Kombat)|Rayden]], the god of thunder and defender of Earthrealm, to prevent Outworld from winning their tenth straight tournament. Liu seeks revenge against the tournament host [[Shang Tsung]] for killing his brother Chan and taking his soul; Sonya is lured onto the ship headed for Shang Tsung's island by crime boss [[Kano (Mortal Kombat)|Kano]], who murdered her partner; Johnny seeks to debunk media claims that his martial arts skills are faked.
Tsung orders the creature [[Reptile (Mortal Kombat)|Reptile]] to prevent [[Kitana|Princess Kitana]], the Emperor's adopted daughter, from allying with the Earth warriors. Liu, Johnny, and Sonya advance to the final rounds of the tournament, with Sonya killing Kano, Johnny killing [[Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)|Scorpion]], and Liu killing [[Sub-Zero (Mortal Kombat)|Sub-Zero]].
One of Johnny's peers, Art Lean, is defeated by the reigning tournament champion, Prince [[Goro (Mortal Kombat)|Goro]], and has his soul taken by Shang Tsung. Hoping to protect Liu and Sonya, Johnny challenges Goro.
Johnny uses guile and the element of surprise to defeat Goro. Now desperate, Tsung takes Sonya hostage and takes her to Outworld. Knowing that his powers are ineffective there, Rayden sends Liu and Johnny into Outworld to rescue Sonya and challenge Tsung. In Outworld, Liu is attacked by Reptile but gains the upper hand and kills him. Kitana meets up with Johnny and Liu. She reveals to them that her home was a beautiful and peaceful place until the Emperor came from a third realm and brought Outworld to ruin after winning ten consecutive Mortal Kombat tournaments there. He then adopted Kitana and took the throne for himself. Not wanting the Emperor to succeed in taking over Earthrealm, Kitana helps them infiltrate Shang Tsung's fortress, disguised in the robes of his followers.
Kitana berates Tsung for his treachery to the Emperor, distracting him while Liu and Johnny free Sonya. Tsung challenges Johnny but is counter-challenged by Liu. During the battle, Liu faces not only Shang Tsung but also the souls he took in past tournaments. Tsung morphs into Chan to confuse Liu. Accepting that he is not responsible for Chan's death allows Liu to see through the charade. Liu Kang fires an energy bolt at Tsung, knocking him off a landing on a bed of spikes. Tsung's death releases all of the captive souls, including Chan's. Before ascending to the afterlife, Chan tells Liu that he will remain with him in spirit until they are reunited.
The Earth warriors return to Earthrealm, where a victory celebration is taking place at Liu's Shaolin temple with Rayden waiting for them. The jubilation stops when the Emperor appears and declares he has come for the heroes' souls. Rayden and the warriors take up fighting stances.
==Cast==
* [[Christopher Lambert]] as [[Raiden (Mortal Kombat)|Lord Rayden]]: The god of thunder and protector of Earthrealm who guides the warriors on their journey. He desires to aid the heroes in defending Earthrealm, but as he himself is not mortal, he is not permitted to participate in the tournament and may only advise them and act to prevent cheating. [[Sean Connery]] was offered the role, but turned it down.<ref name="HolRepoKick"/>
* [[Robin Shou]] as [[Liu Kang]]: A former Shaolin monk, who enters the tournament to avenge his brother's death. He is among the first who notice Kitana's sympathy towards Earthrealm. As in most of the games in the ''Mortal Kombat'' series, Liu Kang is the main protagonist. This was Shou's second American film, as his first American role was in 1990, the made-for-television film ''[[Forbidden Nights]]''. Shou also served as an additional fight choreographer.
* [[Linden Ashby]] as [[Johnny Cage]]: A [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] superstar who enters the tournament to prove to the world that his martial arts skills are legitimate. Ashby trained in [[karate]], [[tae kwon do]], and [[kung fu]] especially for this film.
* [[Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa]] as [[Shang Tsung]]: A powerful sorcerer and the host of the tournament. Tagawa was the filmmakers' first and only choice for the role; he was instantly selected after he came to his audition in costume and read his lines while standing on a chair.<ref name="MKBook">{{cite book|title=Goldman, Michael. ''Mortal Kombat: the Movie.'' Prima Lifestyles, 1995; ISBN 0-7615-0082-0|date=1995-08-16|isbn=0761500820|last1=Goldman|first1=Michael R.}}</ref> Tagawa was allowed to play a younger version of Shang Tsung in order to avoid the excessive makeup that would have been required to duplicate the character's aged appearance in the first game.<ref>''Mortal Kombat'' Official Movie Magazine. [[Starlog|Starlog Group, Inc.]], 1995</ref>
* [[Bridgette Wilson]] as [[Sonya Blade]]: An American [[United States Army Special Forces|Special Forces]] officer pursuing Kano after he kills her partner. Wilson, who was jokingly nicknamed "RoboBabe" during production by director [[Paul W. S. Anderson]],<ref name="MKBook" /> performed all her own stunts, including fight scenes.<ref>{{cite web |last=Jacks |first=Kelso |title=Why Mortal Kombat Recast Cameron Diaz as Sonya Blade |url=https://screenrant.com/mortal-kombat-movie-sonya-blade-cameron-diaz-recast/ |website=[[Screen Rant]] |access-date=8 August 2021 |date=March 29, 2020}}</ref>
* [[Talisa Soto]] as [[Kitana]]: The Outworld emperor's adopted daughter who decides to help the Earth warriors. She is attracted to Liu Kang, who reciprocates and takes her advice to go further. Soto had previously appeared alongside Tagawa in ''[[Licence to Kill]]''.
* [[Trevor Goddard]] as [[Kano (Mortal Kombat)|Kano]]: An underworld crime boss who joins forces with Shang Tsung. Goddard portrayed the character as [[Cockney]] English, but due to his accent being misinterpreted, later games would change Kano from being an expatriate American to Australian.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tran |first1=Edmond |title=Mortal Kombat 11's Kano Can Teach You A Ton About Australia |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-11s-kano-can-teach-you-a-ton-about-a/1100-6466837/ |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=22 May 2021 |date=12 December 2019}}</ref>
* Chris Casamassa as [[Scorpion (Mortal Kombat)|Scorpion]]: An undead warrior under Shang Tsung's control. ''Mortal Kombat'' co-creator [[Ed Boon]] voiced the character.
* François Petit as [[Sub-Zero (Mortal Kombat)|Sub-Zero]]: A cryomancer warrior under Shang Tsung's control.
* Keith Cooke as [[Reptile (Mortal Kombat)|Reptile]]: A creature who serves Shang Tsung. Cooke portrayed the character's human form, while his lizard form was [[computer-generated imagery|computer generated]].<ref name="MKBook" /> Reptile's vocal effects were provided by [[Frank Welker]].
* [[Sandy Helberg]] as the director of Cage's latest film. This part was originally intended as a cameo by [[Steven Spielberg]], but scheduling conflicts forced him to back out.<ref>{{cite web |author=K. Thor Jensen |url=http://www.ugo.com/movies/best-movie-ever-mortal-kombat-steven-spielberg |title=Steven Spielberg - Best Movie Ever: ''Mortal Kombat'' |publisher=UGO.com |date=2012-02-23 |access-date=2013-08-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020161604/http://www.ugo.com/movies/best-movie-ever-mortal-kombat-steven-spielberg |archive-date=2013-10-20 }}</ref>
* Kenneth Edwards as Art Lean: A martial artist and friend of Johnny Cage who competes in the tournament.
* [[Steven Ho (martial artist)|Steven Ho]] as Chan: Liu Kang's murdered younger brother.
* [[Peter Jason]] as Master Boyd: Johnny Cage's sensei.
[[Goro (Mortal Kombat)|Goro]]: The reigning Mortal Kombat champion, is physically portrayed by [[Tom Woodruff, Jr.]] and voiced by [[Kevin Michael Richardson]], both of whom were uncredited. Gregory McKinney appears as [[Jax (Mortal Kombat)|Jaxx]]. [[Frank Welker]] makes an uncredited appearance as the voice of the [[Shao Kahn|Outworld Emperor]], in addition to providing vocal effects for Goro and Reptile.
==
While ''[[Mortal Kombat II]]'' was in the [[playtest]] phase and the [[Mortal Kombat (1992 video game)|original ''Mortal Kombat'']] had still only been released in arcades, not for home consoles, movie producer [[Lawrence Kasanoff]] visited some friends at the game's publisher, [[Midway Games]], and played a ''Mortal Kombat'' unit that was in their offices. He saw cinematic possibilities in the concept and expressed interest in making a film based on the game, but Midway head Neil D. Nicastro disagreed that the game could be a successful film, particularly given the failure of past movie adaptations of video games. After months of negotiations, Kasanoff finally acquired a limited option on the ''Mortal Kombat'' film rights.<ref name=HolRepoKick/>
Though several top directors submitted pitches for the film, the producer chose an unknown director [[Paul W. S. Anderson]] after he saw a screening of his debut film, ''[[Shopping (1994 film)|Shopping]]'', which Larry felt showed he could take an innovative approach to the material.<ref name=HolRepoKick/> Anderson had no experience with visual effects but was enthusiastic about making a ''Mortal Kombat'' film, so he read every book he could find on visual effects and, in his words, "kind of bluffed my way in."<ref name=HolRepoKick/>
==
A relative unknown, [[Robin Shou]], was cast as the film's lead character Liu Kang. Shou was a [[Wushu (sport)|wushu]] champion turned Hong Kong stuntman, whose only prior credit in an American film was in the made-for-television feature [[Forbidden Nights|''Forbidden Nights'']]. Shou originally turned down the role, because he thought he'd be cast as a stereotypical Asian villain. It was only after his agent told him that Liu Kang was the film's hero that he reconsidered.
[[Cameron Diaz]] was originally cast as Sonya Blade, but dropped out due to a wrist injury and was replaced by [[Bridgette Wilson]].<ref name="HolRepoKick">{{cite web |date=August 18, 2015 |last=Couch |first=Aaron |title='Mortal Kombat': Untold Story of the Movie That "Kicked the Hell" Out of Everyone |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/mortal-kombat-movie-oral-history-815287 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |access-date=September 14, 2016 }}</ref> Wilson had accepted a role in ''[[Billy Madison]]'' after being passed up in the ''Mortal Kombat'' auditions in favor of Diaz, and so had to fly out to the set the morning after her last day filming ''Billy Madison''.<ref name="LooperWilson">{{cite web |last=G. |first=Alex |title=Why Hollywood Won't Cast Bridgette Wilson-Sampras |url=https://www.looper.com/213916/why-hollywood-wont-cast-bridgette-wilson-sampras/ |website=[[Looper (website)|Looper]] |access-date=8 August 2021 |date=June 1, 2020}}</ref>
[[Brandon Lee]] was originally cast as Johnny Cage, but he died before starting the filming.<ref name="MKBook" /> [[Jean-Claude Van Damme]], whose performance in [[Bloodsport (film)|''Bloodsport'']] inspired by the game character, was offered the part but turned it down due to being busy filming [[Street Fighter (1994 film)|''Street Fighter'']], also based on a fighting video game. Coincidentally, both films were shot in Thailand. Linden Ashby got the role in part due to his past martial arts experiences, having trained in karate and taekwondo.
The role of Rayden was first offered to [[Sean Connery]], who turned it down because he didn't want to perform a physically demanding role. [[Danny Glover]] was also considered.
[[Steve James (actor)|Steve James]] was originally cast to play Jaxx, but he died from [[pancreatic cancer]] a year before production on the film began.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chud.com/140242/chud-salutes-steve-james/ |title=CHUD Salutes… Steve James |publisher=CHUD|date= July 2, 2013|access-date=January 26, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130707003054/http://www.chud.com/140242/chud-salutes-steve-james/|archive-date=July 7, 2013}}</ref> [[Michael Jai White]] was slated to replace him, but dropped out in order to star in [[Tyson (1995 film)|''Tyson'']]. He would later play Jax in the web series [[Mortal Kombat: Legacy|''Mortal Kombat: Legacy'']].
== Production ==
=== Filming ===
[[File:01-วัดพระศรีสรรเพชญ์.jpg|alt=|thumb|[[Wat Phra Si Sanphet]] was used in the film's opening for a fight between Shang Tsung and Liu Kang's brother]]
[[File:WatChaiwatthanaram 2292 (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Wat Chaiwatthanaram]] was used as the backdrop for the Order of Light, the temple where Liu Kang was trained]]
Filming began in August 1994 and ended in December 1994. The Outworld exterior scenes were filmed at the abandoned [[Kaiser Steel]] mill (now the [[Auto Club Speedway]]) in [[Fontana, California]], while all of Goro's scenes were filmed in Los Angeles.
Shooting locations in Thailand were accessible only by boat, so cast, crew and equipment had to be transported on long canoe-style vessels. [[Location manager]] Gerrit Folsom constructed an outhouse in a secluded area near the set to alleviate the problem of repeated trips to and from the mainland. Filming locations in Thailand include the [[Wat Phra Si Sanphet]], [[Wat Chaiwatthanaram]] and [[Wat Ratchaburana, Ayutthaya|Wat Ratchaburana]] temples.
The arrival of Earth's contestants via boats, Liu Kang's meditation scene and the fight between Liu Kang and Kitana were filmed at the [[Railay Beach]] and the Phra Nang Beach, respectively. The bows of the boats were fitted with ornamental dragon-head carvings and used in the movie as the fighters' secondary transport to Shang Tsung's island from his personal [[Junk (ship)|junk]].<ref name="MKBook" />
{{Wide image|Phra Nang beach panorama edit.jpg|1000px|Railay beach was used as the backdrop for Earth's combatants when they arrive on Shang Tsung's island for the first time}}
At Anderson's encouragement, the actors ad-libbed much of the film's dialogue,<ref name="HolRepoKick" /> including the quips "Thank God I didn't ask him to park the car." and "Those were $500 sunglasses, asshole."<ref name="ShouVAshby">{{cite web |date=September 20, 2019 |title=Mortal Kombat Stars Play Mortal Kombat: Robin Shou vs. Linden Ashby! |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2VeFNWdrmA |access-date=5 August 2021 |website=[[YouTube]] |publisher=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref> Most of the cast had several weeks of training for the fight sequences prior to the filming, but due to the last-minute recasting of the Sonya Blade role, Bridgette Wilson had to do all her training on the set.<ref name="LooperWilson" /> The Sonya vs. Kano fight was one of the last scenes filmed so that Wilson would have enough time to train.<ref name="LooperWilson" />
Shou said that in the original script he "was supposed to fall in love with Talisa Soto [Kitana]. I was looking forward to it, but they thought we have so much action, we don't want to add romance to it. They cut it out."<ref>{{cite web |title=Robin Shou 6/6 | Asian American Personalities |url=http://goldsea.com/Personalities2/Shourobin/shourobin6.html |access-date=2013-08-25 |publisher=Goldsea}}</ref> Also scripted but not filmed were a short battle between Sonya and [[Jade (Mortal Kombat)|Jade]], another of Shang Tsung's servants, and a scene where Shang Tsung allowed the heroes a night to mourn the loss of Art Lean and bury him in the Garden of Statues, underneath the statue of [[Great Kung Lao|Kung Lao]]. The character of Reptile was originally omitted from the script but later added in response to [[focus group]]s being unimpressed with the film's early fight sequences.<ref name="Black Belt">{{cite journal |last=Reed |first=Dr. Craig D. |date=1998-01-01 |title=Mortal Kombat Annihilation - Behind the Scenes at the New Hollywood Blockbuster |journal=[[Black Belt (magazine)|Black Belt]] |publisher=Active Interest Media, Inc. |volume=36 |issue=1 |page=85 |issn=0277-3066}}</ref> The fight between Reptile and Liu Kang was filmed on a set in a hangar in [[Van Nuys Airport]].<ref>{{cite web |date=October 31, 2017 |title=Interview with Keith Cooke |url=https://kungfukingdom.com/interview-with-keith-cooke/ |access-date=8 August 2021 |website=Kung-Fu Kingdom}}</ref> Shou and Anderson noted that neither knew what Reptile's lizard form would look like until after filming, making the pre-fight sequence difficult to shoot.<ref>{{cite video |title=[[Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins]] |date=1996-05-21 |publisher=[[Turner Home Entertainment]] |location=''Behind the Scenes'' commentary}}</ref>
=== Fight scenes ===
The film's main fight and stunt coordinator was martial artist [[Pat E. Johnson]], whose previous credits had included [[Enter the Dragon|''Enter the Dragon'']], [[The Karate Kid|''The Karate Kid'']], and [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990 film)|''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'']]. Because of Robin Shou's past experiences as a Hong Kong stuntman, Johnson gave him free rein to incorporate his ideas into the choreography, and Shou would ultimately be credited as "Fight choreographer: additional sequences." One of Shou's innovations was the incorporation of [[Wire fu|wirework]], making ''Mortal Kombat'' one of the first Hollywood films to do so.
Despite the intensity of the fight scenes coupled with the actors performing most of their own stunts, the only notable reported injury at the time was a bruised kidney Ashby suffered while shooting Cage's fight scene with Scorpion.<ref name=MKBook /> Scorpion's [[stunt double]] violently collided with a steel bar in the same scene,<ref name=ShouVAshby/> but as with most [[stunt person]] injuries, it was not widely reported in the media. Wilson [[Dislocated shoulder|dislocated her shoulder]], but found she had no problems once it was put back in place and continued with the filming.<ref name=LooperWilson/> Robin Shou fractured two ribs while being thrown into a pillar in the fight scene between Liu Kang and Reptile, but kept quiet about it for fear that the production would be shut down. He told only Keith Cooke, the actor who plays Reptile, asking him not to hit him on the right side of his rib cage, and finished the scene before going to the hospital.<ref name=HolRepoKick/>
=== Special effects ===
Goro was portrayed by an elaborate $1 million [[animatronic]] created by [[Tom Woodruff Jr.]] and Alec Gillis of [[Amalgamated Dynamics]] and operated by 13 to 16 puppeteers.<ref name="HolRepoKick" /> This advanced construct proved a continuous source of problems on the set; Goro frequently broke down, and the person operating Goro from inside could only do so for two minutes at a time due to lack of oxygen.<ref name="ShouVAshby" /> Though Anderson did his best to [[Blocking (stage)|block]] and shoot Goro in a way that worked around the animatronic's limitations,<ref name="HolRepoKick" /> ultimately Goro's screen time had to be severely reduced from what was originally planned.<ref name="ShouVAshby" />
=== MPAA rating ===
Because they wanted the film to have a [[PG-13]] rating while staying as close as possible to the video game, the producers talked extensively with the rating board to learn the precise limitations of the rating and attempted to creatively optimize the amount of violence and foul language in the film within those limitations. For instance, they learned that the PG-13 rating forbids onscreen death, but only of human characters, so they had all the deaths of non-humans take place onscreen.<ref name="HolRepoKick" />
==Music==
{{main|Mortal Kombat (1995 soundtrack)|Mortal Kombat (1995 score)}}
The film's [[Mortal Kombat (1995 score)|score album]] was composed by [[George S. Clinton]], released by [[Rykodisc]] on October 11, 1995. The film's [[Mortal Kombat (1995 soundtrack)|soundtrack album]] was released by [[TVT Records]] on August 15, 1995. The soundtrack album went [[RIAA certification|platinum]]<ref name="RIAA_Certificate">{{cite web|title=Search Results for Mortal Kombat|publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]]|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=mortal+kombat|access-date=April 12, 2017}}</ref> in less than a year reaching No. 10 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mortal-kombat-original-soundtrack-mw0000180330/awards |title=Mortal Kombat [Original Soundtrack] |website=[[Allmusic]] |access-date=May 26, 2013}}</ref>
Clinton's score incorporates [[Electronic music|electronic]] and percussive instrumentation, with heavy use of East Asian musical sources. Describing his approach to scoring the film, Clinton said{{quote|For the first test screening they had put a temporary score under it that was mainly traditional orchestral action music, and it became clear that the target audience, which was used to hearing techno music blasting during gameplay, was not happy with that approach. So that gave me the opportunity to come up with an approach I called “Techno-Taiko-Orcho.” My score would have a techno core with a layer of Asian ethnic instruments (Taiko drums, shakuhachi, Tuvan throat singer) surrounded by an orchestra. But not just a regular orchestra, a Testosterone Orchestra. No treble clef instruments (no flutes, clarinets, trumpets, violins, etc.). Just 18 violas, 14 celli, six basses, and lots of low brass — and percussion. It was massive. When music supervisors John Houlihan and Sharon Boyle introduced me to guitar wizard Buckethead, I knew he would become a major element in my score as well.<ref>{{cite web |last=Couch|first=Aaron |title='Mortal Kombat': Untold Story of the Movie That "Kicked the Hell" Out of Everyone |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/mortal-kombat-movie-oral-history-815287 |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=August 18, 2015|access-date=September 14, 2016}}</ref>}}The score features additional guitar work by [[Buckethead]] and drums by [[Bryan Mantia|Brain]].
The film features the title track "Mortal Kombat (Techno-Syndrome)", which had been written by Belgian music duo [[The Immortals (band)|The Immortals]] for [[Mortal Kombat: The Album|''Mortal Kombat: The Album'']]. Its use in the film cemented its status as the "Mortal Kombat theme."<ref name="vulture">{{cite news |last=Grebey |first=James |date=April 21, 2021 |title=The Team Behind the Mortal Kombat Theme Song Had No Idea They'd Created a Knockout |url=https://www.vulture.com/2021/04/the-mortal-kombat-theme-song-creators-on-their-knockout-hit.html |work=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]]}}</ref>
== Release ==
{{Anchor|Release}}
The film was originally scheduled for a May 1995 U.S. release but was pushed back to August. According to Kasanoff, this was because [[New Line Cinema]]'s executives felt the film had the potential to be a summer hit.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=May 1995 |title=MK: The Movie Delayed Until August |url=https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20070%20%28May%201995%29/page/n25/mode/1up |magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]] |publisher=Sendai Publishing |page=27 |via=[[Internet Archive]] |issue=70}}</ref> It was released on October 20 in the United Kingdom, and on December 26 in Australia.
==Reception==
===Box office===
''Mortal Kombat'' opened on August 18, 1995, and was #1 at the box office for the weekend with $23.2 million, nearly eight times the opening amount of the only other new release that weekend, ''[[The Baby-Sitters Club (film)|The Baby-Sitters Club]]''. At the time, it was the second-highest August opening after 1993's ''[[The Fugitive (1993 film)|The Fugitive]]''. The film enjoyed a three-week stint at number one,<ref name="BOM">{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mortalkombat.htm |title=''Mortal Kombat'' (1995) |website= [[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=2013-08-25}}</ref> grossing {{US$|73 million|long=no}} domestically in the United States.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Mortal Kombat Annihilation!|date=May 1997|url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_094_May_1997/page/n38|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=104|pages=37}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Game of the film: Mortal Kombat Annihilation |magazine=[[Sega Saturn Magazine]] |date=16 July 1997 |issue=22 (August 1997) |page=17 |url=https://archive.org/details/Official_Sega_Saturn_Magazine_022/page/n16}}</ref> It also earned $51.7 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $124.7 million. The film became the highest-grossing adaptation of a video game before being surpassed by ''[[Pokémon: The First Movie]]'' in 1998.
===Critical response===
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], {{RT data|score}} of {{RT data|count}} critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}. The site's critics consensus reads, "Despite an effective otherworldly atmosphere and appropriately cheesy visuals, ''Mortal Kombat'' suffers from its poorly constructed plot, laughable dialogue, and subpar acting."<ref>{{cite Rotten Tomatoes|id=mortal_kombat|title=Mortal Kombat |type=m|access-date={{RT data|access date}}}}{{RT data|edit}}</ref> [[Metacritic]] gave the film a weighted average score of 60 out 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref>{{cite Metacritic|id=mortal-kombat |title=Mortal Kombat |type=m |access-date=April 15, 2022}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.<ref name="CinemaScore">{{cite web |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/ |title=CinemaScore |publisher=[[CinemaScore]] |access-date=April 15, 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220413083139/https://www.cinemascore.com/ |archive-date=April 13, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Reviewers praised its atmosphere, fighting sequences, production values, and visuals. However, its PG-13 rating and to a lesser extent, the performances and writing were criticized. [[Lisa Schwarzbaum]] of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' called ''Mortal Kombat'' "a contentedly empty-headed extended advertisement for the joy of joypads (filmed in cheesily ornate cinema de [[Cinema of Hong Kong|Hong Kong style]])" and too noted how it "is notably free of blood and gore."<ref>{{cite web |author=Lisa Schwarzbaum on Sep 15, 1995 |url=https://ew.com/article/1995/09/15/movie-review-mortal-kombat/ |title=Movie Review: 'Mortal Kombat' Review |publisher=EW.com |date=1995-09-15 |access-date=2014-05-04 |archive-date=2014-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140504154318/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,298694,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Stephen Holden]] of the ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' said "''Mortal Kombat'' might be described as mythological [[junk food]]. Although there is talk of the three kombatants' having to face their deepest fears to prevail, the action is so frenetic and the dialogue so minimal that the allegory is weightless."<ref>{{cite web |last=Holden |first=Stephen |url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=990CE0D9113EF93AA2575BC0A963958260 |title=Movie Review - Mortal Kombat - FILM REVIEW; Into the Vortex to Save the Earth |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=1995-08-19 |access-date=2014-05-04 |archive-date=2014-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140504155451/http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=990CE0D9113EF93AA2575BC0A963958260 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Roger Ebert]] said he was "right in the middle" and noted that the fans might be disappointed by the film's killings being much less brutal than the notoriously violent ''Mortal Kombat'' video games.<ref name=AttMov>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOOsqHRJqog |title=Mortal Kombat: The Movie - Siskel and Ebert: At The Movies Preview |publisher=YouTube |date=2013-07-13 |access-date=2014-05-04}}</ref> Marc Savlov from the ''[[The Austin Chronicle|Austin Chronicle]]'' mentioned that, "It's the cinematic equivalent of cotton candy and [[Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots]], but you may recall, you loved that stuff as a kid. I know I did," giving it a 2.5/5 star rating.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/1995-08-25/mortal-kombat/|title=Movie Review: Mortal Kombat|website=www.austinchronicle.com |access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref> Laura Evenson from ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' mentioned "Mortal Kombat the movie has everything a teenage boy could want: snakes that jut out of a villain's palms, acrobatic kung- fu fighting and a couple of battling babes. Everything, that is, but an interesting plot, decent dialogue, and compelling acting" and concluded that it will likely become a cult classic.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Kombat-Just-for-Kicks-Game-s-fans-will-3026016.php|title='Kombat' -- Just for Kicks / Game's fans will like campy film version|date=19 August 1995}}</ref>
[[Kevin Thomas (film critic)|Kevin Thomas]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' gave the film a glowing review, writing that "as impressive as the special effects are at every turn, even more crucial is Jonathan Carlson's superb, imaginative production design, which combines Thailand exteriors with vast sets that recall the barbaric grandeur of exotic old movie palaces and campy [[Maria Montez]] epics. [[John R. Leonetti]]'s glorious, shadowy camera work and George S. Clinton's driving, hard-edged score complete the task of bringing alive the perilous Outworld".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://articles.latimes.com/1995-08-21/entertainment/ca-37326_1_mortal-kombat|title=WEEKEND REVIEWS : Movies : High-Energy 'Kombat' Punches In With Panache|last=Thomas|first=Kevin|date=21 August 1995|via=LA Times}}</ref> [[Gene Siskel]] of the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' gave it a "thumbs up" rating on ''[[At the Movies (1986 TV program)|Siskel & Ebert]]'', calling it "the only halfway decent video game turned into a movie that I've seen" and "a lot of fun", saying he was positively surprised by its various high-quality production values, including the "often sensational" special effects, the exotic locations, and the cast of characters being "clearly drawn with appealing types".<ref name=AttMov/> Leonard Klady from ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' awarded the film a 3.5/5 stars, stating, "But where others have sunk in the mire of imitation, director Paul Anderson and writer Kevin Droney effect a viable balance between exquisitely choreographed action and ironic visual and verbal counterpoint".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/1995/film/reviews/mortal-kombat-2-1200442490/|title=Review: 'Mortal Kombat'|last=Klady|first=Leonard|date=21 August 1995|website=Variety}}</ref> [[Kim Newman]] from ''[[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]]'' magazine said, "By the time the big, world-saving bout comes around, it's hard not to wish that Shung Tsu {{sic}} would settle the fate of mankind by asking Liu Kang what the capital of Venezuela is... rather than engaging him in yet another round of supernaturally assisted dirty fighting," with a final rating of 3 stars out of 5.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/mortal-kombat/review/|title=Mortal Kombat|last=Newman|first=Kim|date=2000-01-01|website=Empire|language=en|access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref>
=== Legacy and re-evaluation ===
From the 1998 founding of [[Rotten Tomatoes]] until 2018, ''Mortal Kombat'' held the highest critical rating on the site of any video game adaptation.<ref name=CBR/><ref name=RTIsWrong/> Critical re-evaluations have been mixed but mostly positive due to the well-crafted action sequences, the cast performances, and the exotic set designs, and the film now is considered a [[cult classic]].<ref name=CBR>{{cite web |last=Lealos |first=Shawn S. |title=25 Years Later, Mortal Kombat Remains Cinema's Best Bizarre Video Game Adaptation |url=https://www.cbr.com/25-years-mortal-kombat-best-bizarre-video-game-adaptation/ |website=[[Comic Book Resources]] |access-date=8 August 2021 |date=August 18, 2020}}</ref><ref name="RTIsWrong">{{cite web |title=Rotten Tomatoes Is Wrong: About... Mortal Kombat |url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/rotten-tomatoes-is-wrong-about-mortal-kombat/ |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=7 August 2021 |date=September 24, 2020}}</ref><ref name=rantaged>{{cite web |date=July 30, 2020 |last=MacReady |first=Melody |title=Mortal Kombat 1995: 5 Things that Aged Like Fine Wine (& 5 Things that Aged Terribly) |url=https://screenrant.com/mortal-kombat-movie-aged-well-terribly/ |website=[[Screen Rant]] |access-date=8 August 2021 }}</ref><ref name="arrow">{{cite web |last=Vlcek |first=Lance |title=Mortal Kombat (1995) Christopher Lambert, Robin Shou - (The Black Sheep) |url=https://www.joblo.com/horror-movies/news/mortal-kombat-1995-christopher-lambert-robin-shou-the-black-sheep |website=[[JoBlo.com]] |via=Youtube.com |access-date=8 August 2021 |date=February 24, 2021}}</ref><ref name=collide>{{Cite web|url=https://collider.com/why-mortal-kombat-1995-is-a-good-video-game-movie/|title = Why 1995's 'Mortal Kombat' is the Rare Video Game Movie That Works|website =[[Collider (website)|Collider]] |date = 15 April 2021}}</ref> The video game series itself would take cues from the movie in its lore, such as the need for a realm to win ten straight tournaments before it can invade another, and the retconning of Kano (originally a Japanese-American character) as Australian following Trevor Goddard's performance.
A 2020 editorial that discusses the work of Paul WS Anderson on Rotten Tomatoes said of ''Mortal Kombat'', "Critics were split at 47% on the Tomatometer, but audiences loved the electronic soundtrack, creative fight scenes, and diverse cast of committed actors who sacrificed multiple bruised ribs to bless us with some excellent brawls." The editorial attributed the film's box office success chiefly to its conscious playfulness, asserting that "Anderson and his talented crew knew what they were making, and they made it earnestly."<ref>{{cite web |last=Hofmeyer |first=Mark |title=Hear Us Out: Paul W. S. Anderson Has Been Crushing it for 25 Years |url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/hear-us-out-paul-w-s-anderson-has-been-crushing-it-for-25-years/ |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=7 August 2021 |date=August 18, 2020}}</ref> [[Bloody Disgusting]] commented that "thanks to the kinetic speed in which the actors are moving, the high-octane music, and ironically, the movement of the camera, each fight is given ample feeling and aggression", particularly praising the Scorpion/Johnny Cage and Liu Kang/Reptile fights.<ref name=Bloody>{{cite AV media |last=Pemental |first=Michael |title=Mortal Kombat: The PG-13 Brutality and Nostalgic Charm of the 1995 Original |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3653215/mortal-kombat-pg-13-brutality-nostalgic-charm-original-1995-movie/ |website=[[Bloody Disgusting]] |access-date=7 August 2021 |date=February 23, 2021}}</ref>
In 2020, Rotten Tomatoes discussed the film in the "Rotten Tomatoes Is Wrong" podcast series. Scott Johnson criticized the film as not being a faithful adaptation, citing, in particular, the absence of R-rated gore (which he felt was the only thing genuinely appealing about the game) and the presence of Reptile (who he erroneously said does not appear in the original game). Co-panelist Jacqueline Coley countered that an R rating would have blocked out the ''Mortal Kombat'' fan base, recounting how even with a PG-13 rating she could only see the film in theaters by sneaking in and noted that the most beloved video game films are not faithful adaptations but well-crafted cinema which capture the essence of the games. Mark Ellis agreed with Coley that ''Mortal Kombat'' succeeded in this respect, commenting in particular how it mimics the game's minimal plot by focusing on the tournament, creating an experience similar to watching [[March Madness]].<ref name=RTIsWrong/> [[JoBlo.com]] called ''Mortal Kombat'' "colorful, ambitious, and surprisingly funny; Anderson tied everything around a perfect cast led by the great Robin Shou."<ref name="arrow" /> ''[[Screen Rant]]'' referred to the choreography as "top notch", the locations as "amazing", the soundtrack as "pure perfection", and the cast as "dedicated and outstanding", but the [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] as cartoonish and "laughable", the violence as not true to the source material, the Goro animatronic as "not even that impressive by 1995 standards", and the portrayals of Scorpion and Sub-Zero as insulting and "completely wasted".<ref name=rantaged /> [[Comic Book Resources|CBR]] mentioned that ''Mortal Kombat'' is "an above-average martial arts classic that was high on fun and easily one of the most rewatchable video game movies, 25 years later".<ref name=CBR /> Bloody Disgusting said the film does an excellent job of paying tribute to its source material by including a large number of characters from the game without any of them feeling shoehorned in and by capturing the intense action feel of the game,<ref name=Bloody/> while ''[[Collider (website)|Collider]]'' stated that "The film knows how to walk the line between reverence and goofiness".<ref name=collide />
Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa's take on Shang Tsung is now regarded as the ideal portrayal of the sorcerer. JoBlo.com noted that every actor who has taken the role since has been compared to Tagawa, commenting that his delivery "has all the cadence and embellished style like he's on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]], but he holds himself physically like he's just casually laying down the law. Tagawa ''is'' Shang Tsung."<ref name="arrow" /> ''Screen Rant'' reported that while they felt all the main cast members were equally outstanding, Tagawa was "the best casting of the movie to many".<ref name=rantaged /> Christopher Lambert as Lord Rayden has also received positive coverage with JoBlo.com commenting that he "lent the production maturity and star power"<ref name="arrow" /> while CBR mentioned that he "steals every scene he appears, delivering ridiculous lines like, 'The fate of billions depends upon you,' before laughing and apologizing".<ref name=CBR />
''[[Mortal Kombat 11]]'' paid tribute to the first movie with numerous Easter eggs as well as bringing back Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa to play Shang Tsung in the "Aftermath" storyline.<ref>{{cite web|last=Tach |first=Dave |url=https://www.polygon.com/2019/3/22/18277719/mortal-kombat-11-dlc-shang-tsung-cary-hiroyuki-tagawa |title=Shang Tsung is Mortal Kombat 11's first DLC character |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |date=2019-03-22 |access-date=2019-04-03}}</ref> Subsequent downloadable content would feature voices and likeness from Christopher Lambert, Linden Ashby and Bridgette Wilson-Sampras as Raiden, Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, respectively.<ref>{{cite tweet |author=Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate |author-link=Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate |user=MortalKombat |number=1331266326183112704 |date=November 24, 2020 |title=Look familiar? The Klassic MK Movie Skin pack with voices and likenesses from the OG stars is available for separate purchase today! #MKUltimate https://t.co/38NxytBWm9 |language=en |access-date=July 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210702180103/https://twitter.com/MortalKombat/status/1331266326183112704 |archive-date=July 2, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>
==Other media==
===Sequel===
{{main article|Mortal Kombat Annihilation}}
A sequel entitled ''[[Mortal Kombat Annihilation]]'' was released in 1997. It was directed by John R. Leonetti, who was the cinematographer of the first film. Only Robin Shou and Talisa Soto reprised their roles, with the others being recast. Its storyline is largely an adaptation of ''[[Mortal Kombat 3]]'', following Earthrealm's warriors in their battle against Shao Kahn.
In contrast to its predecessor, ''Annihilation'' was critically panned and failed at the box office. As a result, development of the planned third installment halted and never progressed beyond pre-production. In July 2009, actors Chris Casamassa (Scorpion) and Linden Ashby (Johnny Cage) separately announced that they would be reprising their respective roles from the original film, with Casamassa additionally claiming that filming would begin in September of that year,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/blogs/sidebar/909182374/26950479/third-mortal-kombat-movie-filming-in-september-report.html|title=Third Mortal Kombat movie filming in September - Report|author=Polybren|date=2009-07-08|access-date=2009-07-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090712140445/http://www.gamespot.com/news/blogs/sidebar/909182374/26950479/third-mortal-kombat-movie-filming-in-september-report.html|archive-date=2009-07-12|url-status=dead|publisher=GameSpot.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.truveo.com/Linden-Ashby-talks-about-Mortal-Kombat-3/id/282147513|title=Linden Ashby talks about Mortal Kombat}}</ref> but the project did not commence production.
===Animated film===
On April 11, 1995,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Mortal Kombat on Video|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=69 |publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=April 1995|page=24}}</ref> [[New Line Cinema|New Line Home Video]], [[Turner Entertainment|Turner Home Entertainment]] and [[Threshold Entertainment]] released a tie-in animated film on [[VHS]] and [[Laserdisc]], titled ''Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins''. Serving as a prequel to the feature film, it follows the protagonists Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, and Sonya Blade as they travel on a mysterious boat to the Mortal Kombat tournament. On the way they meet Rayden, who provides them with hints about how to survive the tournament and defeat Shang Tsung and his army of Tarkatan minions. Upon arriving at the island where the battles take place, Rayden retells the origins of Shang Tsung, Goro, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and the [[Great Kung Lao]] in between fight scenes.
The film featured a combination of [[traditional animation]], [[motion capture]], and [[Computer-generated imagery|CGI]] to explain the origins behind some of the movie's main characters, as well as a fifteen-minute behind-the-scenes documentary of the theatrical release. Trailers of the film were seen on the promotional [[screener (promotional)|screener]] VHS copy, and on other VHS releases from [[Turner Home Entertainment]] and [[New Line Home Entertainment|New Line Home Video]]. The film was included in the ''Mortal Kombat'' [[Blu-ray]] released in April 2011.
===Novelization===
A [[novelization]] of the movie by "Martin Delrio" ([[James D. Macdonald]] and [[Debra Doyle]]) was released through [[Tor Books]]. It is based on an early version of the film's script, and as such it includes several deleted or unfilmed scenes, such as a fight between Sonya Blade and [[Jade (Mortal Kombat)|Jade]].{{ISBN needed|date=December 2021}}
===Television series===
{{main article|Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm|Mortal Kombat: Conquest}}
Threshold Entertainment produced two television series related to the film, the animated ''Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm'' and the live-action ''Mortal Kombat: Conquest''. ''Defenders of the Realm'', which aired on the [[USA Network]]'s [[USA Action Extreme Team|Action Extreme Team]] animation block in 1996, served as an alternative sequel and featured Liu Kang, Kitana, Sub-Zero, Sonya Blade, Jax, [[Stryker (Mortal Kombat)|Kurtis Stryker]], and [[Nightwolf]] as the eponymous heroes. ''Conquest'' served as a prequel centered on the [[Kung Lao#Great Kung Lao|Great Kung Lao]], accompanied by original characters Siro and Taja, and aired in [[Broadcast syndication|syndication]] from 1998 to 1999. Both series received negative reviews and were cancelled after one season.
===Reboot===
{{main article|Mortal Kombat (2021 film)}}
In 2021, [[New Line Cinema]] produced a new ''Mortal Kombat'' reboot film, which was released by [[Warner Bros. Pictures]] in April 2021 in theaters and [[HBO Max]].
==See also==
* [[List of films based on video games]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
== External
* {{Official website}}
* {{IMDb title|0113855}}
* {{AllRovi movie|134992}}
{{Mortal Kombat series}}
{{Paul
{{Authority control}}
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