Mortal Kombat (2021); Well with HBOMax decided to watch this just because I enjoy the games and the first movie (1995) was fun as well as the animated movie. I'll start off by saying this movie as a movie without knowledge of the history of the games is bad, like Masters of the Universe or Rocky 5 bad. The saving grace is unlike Rocky 5 which is a steaming pile of schit compared to the other movies in the series, the best movie in this series was released in 1995 it other than the at the time ground breaking special effects, the catchy theme song and having the Highlander as "Lord Raiden" it sucked.
Saying that I have played at least 5 games in the series and most importantly the reboot of the series storyline around 2010. That doesn't it make it a good movie and it isn't... but it makes somethings make more sense because the movie over explained schit that wasn't needed and completely glossed over things that would have made it make a little more sense. This was a movie that tried to ride the line of fan service and being a movie for the general public and it hurt the movie badly.
The Good:
Actual martial artists unlike all the other live action movies
The fight scenes for the most part were well done (Sonya/Cole being a huge no in this category)
The special effects are well done
The special moves by the characters including fatalities are actually like the game
Locations from the game (like the Pit), SubZero's Level, etc..
Call backs to other characters not in the movie, either through posters, Sonya wall of information, things in Raiden's temple, but this was complete fan service.
The opening scene in the movie might be the best part of the movie, which is also probably why it was released a week before the movie.
The Bad:
The whole protagonist/Cole storyline, this isn't from the source and makes absolutely no sense and no one gave a schit about him... he was boring as fuch
The above story kills the whole vibe of the movie, and really makes it disjointed
No tournament - It's Mortal Kombat tournament
The how to special powers - on par with the minicloranes (or what ever they were called) in Star Wars.. no one gives a schit what makes a you a jedi or what gives you powers in Mortal Kombat
Along the same path, the mark of champions and the rationale about it
This was setup as a prequel, which wasn't how it was sold
This movie instead of a single story, it just a setup movies for the sequels (3 movie contract and 2 spins off for some characters)
This wasn't a good movie and once you see it, it is forgettable. For just a movie going experience it is a solid 3/10 and as a piece of fan service it's a solid 6/10.
ThreatMatrix matrix: no boobs, butts or bush
Deet diagram: No tasting of homeless ass happened in the film.