Mortal Kombat II is already making headlines.
The 2021 adaptation of the long-running gaming franchise Mortal Kombat was directed by Simon McQuoid, who is returning for its sequel. The movie grossed over $84 million worldwide, and when it arrived on HBO Max, it was watched in over 3.8 million households within its first three days on the streaming platform. Mortal Kombat, as a game, is one of the best-selling fighting game franchises with over 100 million copies sold.
First reactions have arrived for the long-awaited sequel to 2021’s Mortal Kombat. Critics and writers who have had a chance to watch Mortal Kombat II have stated that this is a far better addition than its predecessor. The cast for the sequel includes Karl Urban as Johnny Cage, Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Joe Taslim as Bi-Han/Noob Saibot, Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion/Hanzo Hasashi, Adeline Rudolph as Kitana, and Tati Gabrielle as Jade.
ScreenRant‘s Ash Crossan was among the first to see Mortal Kombat II, and states that this movie is “a level above” the 2021 adaptation.
Editor and writer Rachel Leishman’s reaction didn’t disappoint, and praised Urban’s portrayal of Johnny Cage.
Critic Josh Blumenkranz stated that Mortal Kombat II is “a hell of a violent badass time,” and gave the sequel a ranking of 8/10.
Chris Killian describes the sequel as “still quite campy,” but it’s clear that the entire movie won him over as he labels it “the most faithful” Mortal Kombat movie yet.
Content creator Eren praised Mortal Kombat II for one particular fight scene: the one between Kung Lao and Liu Kang. Both characters within the franchise are close allies and prominent Shaolin monks often depicted as brothers-in-arms, so fans will be on the edge of their seats to watch who will win.
Content creator Brandon Davis stated that Kitana is at the heart of the movie and is clearly thrilled with the sequel that’s “embracing its video game roots.”
Journalist and critic Hunter Bolding describes Mortal Kombat II as “a hell of a movie,” and is also echoing other sentiments, giving props to Rudolph’s Kitana and Urban’s Johnny Cage.
The 2021 Mortal Kombat was not so well-received, achieving a 55% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics stating that it is “boring” and had “underwhelming acting.” However, the audience score told a much different story and earned an 85% rating. Clearly, the sequel is leaving a positive impression on critics and writers, but only time will tell if the world will welcome Mortal Kombat II.
Mortal Kombat II will arrive in theaters on May 15.
