In the first 30 seconds of the first trailer for April’s Mortal Kombat movie reboot, Mehcad Brooks’ Jax loses both his arms to the icy grip of Joe Taslim’s Sub-Zero. Then things get violent.
In Australian theatres on April 15, the new Mortal Kombat movie looks to be using every iota of its rating to deliver the over-the-top violence fans of the fighting game series have come to know and love. This two-and-a-half minute trailer features more blood and gore than the first two ‘90s films combined. Remember Mortal Kombat Annihilation, where Jax had those stupid plushie-looking bionic sleeves? That’s not happening in the new movie. Right off the bat we’ve got bloody stumps, followed by the reveal of some nifty Terminator-esque replacements.
Here’s the full trailer. You might have to click through to YouTube to watch it.
The new film, written by Greg Russo and Dave Callaham, follows a new character named Cole, a washed-up martial artist who discovers that the Mortal Kombat logo birthmark on his chest is actually an invitation to a tournament Earthrealm keeps losing. Hunted by Sub-Zero, Cole winds up in the care of the legendary heroes of Earthrealm. Maybe this time they can actually win.
Liu Kang. Raiden. Sonya Blade. Kung Lao. Kano. Sub-Zero. Scorpion. Jax. Shang Tsung. Mileena. The gang is all here, ready to heroically (or villanously) murder people for the fate of the universe. Anyone here a fan of justified violence? The trailer features an extended sequence of Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo “Scorpion” Hasashi, assumedly taking out his grief over the murder of his family on unfortunate members of Sub-Zero’s Lin Kuei clan.
The new movie is not afraid to give Kano a ridiculous eye laser. Kano needs his ridiculous eye laser. It’s important.
You want nightmares? Check out Sisi Stringer’s Mileena. She’s got teeth for miles.
This is a movie with fatalities, no matter how little sense they make in real life. How does Ludi Lin’s Liu Kang create a massive animated dragon out of fire? It does not matter. He just does it.
I cannot say that this film is going to be a masterpiece of video game cinema, but I can say this is a film I will watch and hopefully enjoy. Most of my enthusiasm stems from the battle between Sub-Zero and Scorpion toward the end of the trailer.
Turning the blood splatter into an ice dagger? Perfection. What do you folks think?
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