Flawless Victory!

I've got to say, Mortal Kombat (2021) looked really stupid. The kind of stupid that we love! Also, it features some (but not a lot) of one of Ms. Spenser's faves, Sanada Hiroyuki.

In fact it starts with him, in 17th century Japan. He is living peacefully with his wife and little baby, when Bi-Han (Joe Taslim) and his crew attack. Fight scene ensues, and Sanada-san's family is wiped out, except for his hidden baby. In the aftermath, Lord Raiden (Asano Tadanobu) picks up the baby to raise in another realm.

In our time, Lewis Tan is Cole Young, a not so good MMA fighter, whose only strength is the ability to take punishment. Since there is a a prophecy, and a magic birthmark, and stuff, Taslim attacks Tan - but now he has freeze powers and calls himself Sub-Zero. Tan is getting beaten when Mehcad Brooks as Jax Briggs shows up to help. Tan gets away, but Brooks loses his arms. 

Tan runs to Jax's friend Jessice McManee as Sonya Blade. She gives him the info dump about the Mortal Kombat tournaments, the prophecy, and the birthmarks. Turns out the birthmarks can be inherited or won if you kill someone, Highlander-style. I didn't pay attention to this, and also never played the game, but I don't think it matters much.

McManee has captured an obnoxious Aussie mercenary named Kano (Josh Lawson). When they are attacked, he helps out and becomes one of the group. They all go off to Asano-san's temple for training. You see, people with the birthmarks can get a superpower. Lawson, for ex, gets a laser eye. Tan gets nothing - for now.

Look, there's a lot of lore here. I'm not sure you need to pay much attention to it. Mainly, you get kick-ass fights and Lawson's Kano being obnoxious comic relief. 

When Tan does get his powers, it turns out to be magic armor - his capacity to take punishment. There are a number of (cool) fights, and Taslim takes Tan's family hostage. So Tan manages to manifest Sanada-san (his ancestor, of course), who defeats bad guys and frees hostages. Then he and Asano-san retreat to another realm, I guess, and get ready for the next tournament. Which will include Johnny Cage, who people who play the game or saw the 1995/1997 movies will recognize. Heck, I recognized it, just from the movie podcasts, etc.

When I say this movie is stupid, I don't mean it makes no sense or is poorly written. It actually seems to be well constructed, considering the source material. The acting is fine, production values are high, and the fight scenes top-notch. But it's really only the last part that matters. I guess it's the audience that's stupid, in the best way. We turn off our brains and enjoy the spectacle. And we did. Looking forward to the sequel.

In conclusion, there were lots of game references like "Flawless victory!" and "Finish him!". I only know that from osmosis. But I bet it blew a lot of people away.