At the end of this, I don’t know if I’ll be writing a review for a fan film, a review for a promotional reel for a director shopping around to sell this new vision or just a glorified game promo for an up and coming new game of the “Mortal Kombat” universe, but as someone who played this game religiously, I had to offer up my thoughts. I can only imagine someone sat down in front of a monitor, was watching “The Dark Knight” and said: “We have to take this approach.” And what we inevitably have is a grim and grotesque take on the Mortal Kombat universe.
Set in the chaotic Deacon City, all of our favorite characters have gotten together and are in a basic impasse. Jackson Briggs (aka Jax) is scrambling for help and has come face to face with a shadowy prisoner sitting and waiting to hear from him. Almost like an aligning of the stars, Michael Jai White is incredible as Jax. Now a main character, Jax is bringing together all of the heavyweights anxious to stop a criminal force in the underworld. Adding a big of HG Geiger and Clive Barker, all of the MK’s enemies are now deformed monsters ruling the crime world. Jax explains everything about these characters in seven minutes and thanks to ace direction by Kevin Tancharoen (He directed the “Fame” remake?!) this is a universe we’ve never seen before. Reptile goes from a lame add in character to a deformed deranged maniac who has a tendency to rip people’s heads off and eat them.
Baraka is a twisted surgeon with a penchant for self-mutilation and as Jax explores this new universe before our eyes, we learn full well what this vision entails. Before our very eyes these characters manifest in ungodly ways, tearing at flesh and striking blood while Tancharoen sets these iconic individuals so fluidly you wonder why it takes fans to get these visions right. Jai White is magnetic as Jax, while the unveiling of Jeri Ryan as Sonya Blade is tastefully downplayed as she wields the image with finesse and brilliance. With incredible fight choreography by Larnell Stovall, we get a full on glimpse at Johnny Cage (the rather lively Mark Mullins), now a past his prime action star working as a detective who engages in a rumble with Baraka.
With a mention of crime boss Shang Tsung, this short sets down the ground work and a prologue for a potential film reboot that would be absolutely astonishing if ever arriving in theaters. The final scene revealing the shadowy figure in yellow and black is mind-blowing and I simply hope we can see more of this Nolan-like vision in the future. Whether I’m offering more promotion for a game company, or providing extra publicity for a director shopping this new vision of “Mortal Kombat” around I won’t know for a little while, but nevertheless this is a brilliant new vision of the infamous fighting game that dwarfs the feature films by miles.