MORTAL KOMBAT II: The Urban Legend

MORTAL KOMBAT II (Blu-ray)

2026 / 116 min

Warner Bros. 

#InPartnershipwithWB 

Review by Mr. Bonnie & Princess Pepper (transcribed by D.M. Anderson)😺

Two of Free Kittens’ crack staff, Princess Pepper and Mr. Bonnie, take their usual spots on the sofa.

MR. BONNIE: So what’s on tonight’s agenda, Pepper?

PRINCESS PEPPER: Mortal Kombat II, a sequel to the 2021 film, which was based on the popular video game series. 

MR. BONNIE: Did we see the original? I don’t recall.

PRINCESS PEPPER: I think so, Bonnie, but I’ll be honest…other than a great scene where one unfortunate character met a spectacular demise from a flying hat, I don’t remember much of it either.

MR. BONNIE: Maybe we should rewatch that one first, so we can reacquaint ourselves with the story and characters.

PRINCESS PEPPER (shakes head): That would involve our food handler digging through those boxes in the garage filled with movies he has no plans on watching again. The other thing I remember, aside from the killer hat, was that Mortal Kombat was great for fans with opposable thumbs, but not for those expecting a compelling story. As one of the latter, do you really wanna sit through it again?

MR. BONNIE (shrugs): Good point. Let’s just fire this one up and get it over with.

Princess Pepper hits play…

MR. BONNIE (fifteen minutes in): So the fate of Earthrealm is in the hands of these good fighters squaring off against the evil fighters?

PRINCESS PEPPER: Yeah, and this Shao Kahn dude is their leader. If he gets hold of that green amulet he becomes unkillable. 

MR. BONNIE: Are these the same good guys from the first movie?

PRINCESS PEPPER: Damned if I remember. I’m assuming so since they act and speak like we should already know who they are.

MR. BONNIE (twenty minutes in): Hey! Karl Urban! I didn’t know he was in this! Awesome!

PRINCESS PEPPER: And what a great introduction to his character, Johnny Cage! 

MR. BONNIE: Is Cage a character from the video game?

PRINCESS PEPPER: Who cares? He’s already the most interesting guy in the movie…and funny, too! The way Urban plays him, I’m getting kind of a Bruce Campbell vibe. 

MR. BONNIE: I kinda like how Cage is a grumpy has-been action star who doesn’t want any part of the Mortal Combat tournament, even if it means saving the world.

PRINCESS PEPPER: That’s Kombat with a ‘K,’ Bonnie. 

MR. BONNIE: Whatever. His reactions to repeatedly getting his ass handed to him are hilarious. So are his insults of the other characters. Bruce would be proud.

Karl wishes he had a sash.

As the movie plays on…

PRINCESS PEPPER: A lotta f-bombs in this one.

MR. BONNIE: Sure…kids love f-bombs.

PRINCESS PEPPER: They don’t really make the plot more interesting. It’s kinda dull whenever Urban ain’t on the screen.

MR. BONNIE: The gore is pretty cool. Kids love gore, too.

PRINCESS PEPPER: Yeah, but the CGI is stuff we’ve seen in gobs of other movies. Looks good, though.

MR. BONNIE (perking up): There’s Karl getting beat up again! Yay!

PRINCESS PEPPER: Yeah, and look…there’s Cage’s trademark sunglasses, turning him into a total badass when he puts ‘em on!

PEPPER & BONNIE TOGETHER: Karl! Karl! Karl! Karl! 

MR. BONNIE: Hey, wait a minute! That guy with the missing eye…Kano! Now I remember…he’s played by Josh Lawson and was the funniest part of the first movie.

PRINCESS PEPPER: He’s pretty damn funny here, too. I’m glad they brought him back.

MR. BONNIE: And now he’s equipped with a laser eye! Man, I’d sure like to chase that!

The end credits roll…

MR. BONNIE: Even though I know nothing about the video game, that movie was a lot more fun than I expected. Casting Karl Urban was a stroke of genius.

PRINCESS PEPPER: Agreed, but you know what would be really cool? A spin-off movie that featured Kano and Cage in their own adventure…kinda like Hobbs and Shaw. I’d be down with that, maybe more of a comedy with a story that has nothing to do with the game.

MR. BONNIE (shakes head): And risk raising the ire of fanboys? That’ll never happen.

PRINCESS PEPPER: Well, at least Mortal Kombat II has more going for it than simple fan service. I'd even consider watching it again just for Urban’s performance, so maybe this one won’t be relegated to a box in the garage. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Mortal Kombat II: Evolving the Saga features cast/crew interviews and behind the scenes footage; Building the Realms of Mortal Kombat focuses on the production design; Choose Your Fighter spotlights the characters; Klose Quarters Kombat is about the fight sequences; A Boon to Gamers Everywhere is an interview with MK creator Ed Boon.

DIGITAL COPY