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Mortal Kombat (1995)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 4.5/10
Reviews Counted: 29
Fresh: 10 | Rotten: 19

Despite an effective otherwordly atmosphere and appropriately cheesy visuals, Mortal Kombat suffers from its poorly constructed plot, laughable dialogue, and subpar acting.

Average Rating: 4.1/10
Critic Reviews: 7
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 5

Despite an effective otherwordly atmosphere and appropriately cheesy visuals, Mortal Kombat suffers from its poorly constructed plot, laughable dialogue, and subpar acting.

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Average Rating: 2.8/5
User Ratings: 227,667

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Movie Info

Three reluctant fighters are drafted for an intergalactic martial-arts tournament that will determine the fate of the human race in this special-effects-driven adventure. Inspired by the popular and notoriously bloody video game, Mortal Kombat provides a semblance of a plot as an excuse for rampant mayhem, with the evil alien forces challenging humanity to a kung fu battle to decide the Earth's fate. Following the failure of several previous human defenders, mankind's last chance lies with

PG-13, 1 hr. 41 min.

Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Directed By: Paul W.S. Anderson

Written By: Kevin Droney, Ed Boon, John Tobias

In Theaters: Aug 18, 1995 Wide

On DVD: Aug 26, 1997

New Line Home Entertainment

Mortal Kombat Trailer & Photos

Cast

Critic Reviews for Mortal Kombat

All Critics (30) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (10) | Rotten (20) | DVD (8)

Where others have sunk in the mire of imitation, director Paul Anderson and writer Kevin Droney effect a viable balance between exquisitely choreographed action and ironic visual and verbal counterpoint.

September 22, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comments (2)

Leonard Klady

Variety

Top Critic

The most intriguing is a glassy-eyed follower whose right hand shoots out a hissing reptile that can extend itself for miles. Exotic creatures like these make watching Mortal Kombat feel like being in a high-tech fun house.

May 20, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Stephen Holden

New York Times

Top Critic

Likely to satisfy only the core audience already hooked on video and arcade games, and even that's not a sure thing.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post

| Comment

Richard Harrington

Washington Post

Top Critic

The movie has everything a teenage boy could want... Everything, that is, but an interesting plot, decent dialogue and compelling acting.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle

| Comment

Laura Evenson

San Francisco Chronicle

Top Critic

The movie that most nearly approximates a video game: lots of action, no plot, eye-catching computer effects and a dollop of violence.

January 1, 2000 Comments (2)

Sean Means

Film.com

Top Critic

Just looks and plays a lot like Johnny Mnemonic, Double Dragon and other video-game-inspired, mayhem-filled messes.

January 1, 2000 Comment

John Hartl

Film.com

Top Critic

Hardly award-worthy entertainment, and pretty visually dated, but probably one of the better video game movies ever made comparatively.

May 16, 2011 Full Review Source: IGN DVD

| Comment

R. L. Shaffer

IGN DVD

...never lets you forget for a minute that it's essentially a video game. (Blu-ray Edition)

April 11, 2011 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis

| Comment

John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

...a one-note gimmick that comes with everything but a joystick for the viewer to control the robotic characters.

April 11, 2011 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis

| Comment

John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

We'll concede that four-armed Prince Goro is a hoot, Christopher Lambert looks fabulous in a flowing white wig, and Talisa Soto, who plays some kind of princess, can lord it over us anytime.

April 7, 2010 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comment

TV Guide's Movie Guide

All the head-crushing and thigh-flexing doesn't compensate for the monotony of a story that simply traipses from one combat (sorry, kombat) to the next.

April 7, 2010 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine

| Comment

Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

cheesy but still, kick ass

December 6, 2007 Comments (3)

Stefan Birgir Stefansson

sbs.is

British director Anderson does a fair job with what he was given: four good-looking leads, some very impressive sfx, Babylonian sets, a bone-crunching soundtrack, and a battery of well-choreographed fights.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Derek Adams

Time Out

Like watching a lot of sweaty fist fights while trapped in the world's loudest night club.

April 3, 2005 Comment

Scott Weinberg

eFilmCritic.com

This one's a howler that's so bad it's almost good -- almost.

January 25, 2005 Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com

| Comment

Christopher Null

Filmcritic.com

If the movie Mortal Kombat were a character in a Mortal Kombat video game, its special maneuver would be to climb on its opponent's shoulders and defecate on his head.

November 29, 2003 Full Review Source: EricDSnider.com

| Comment (1)

Eric D. Snider

EricDSnider.com

Hopeless? Oh yes. It's hopeless alright. Mondo hopeless.

May 15, 2003 Comment

Hollywood Bitchslap

Cheesy with no nutrients. But hey, anything's better than Street Fighter.

December 18, 2002 Comment

Widgett Walls

Needcoffee.com

[A] surprisingly good movie.

December 9, 2002 Full Review | Comment

Dragan Antulov

rec.arts.movies.reviews

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Mortal Kombat

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I've played 4 MK games, MKII, MKIII, MK Deadly Alliance, and MKI, and though I don't think the games are incredibly good like everyone else says, I will say, it was good for a movie idea. Aaaaaannnnddddd...... The movie was just okay. The acting is cheesily entertaining, and some of the action scenes are good. The only

January 29, 2012

Michael Edwards

Super Reviewer

I just get the feeling that this movie was completely rushed. It seemed cool as a little kid, but looking back now it just seems all too cheesy.

August 7, 2011

Eric Alvarez

Super Reviewer

Mortal Kombat Quotes

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1. Shang Tsung: Your soul is mine!
– Submitted by Master K (29 days ago)
1. Shang Tsung: Fatality.
– Submitted by Justin T (2 months ago)
1. Liu Kang: Chan chose his own path. Every man is responsible for his own destiny. SHANG TSUNG KILLED MY BROTHER!
– Submitted by Justin T (2 months ago)
1. Sonya Blade: A handful of people on a leaky boat are gonna save the world.
– Submitted by Justin T (2 months ago)
1. Princess Kitana: To win your next match, use the element which brings life.
– Submitted by Justin T (2 months ago)

Character	Quote
	Enter quote here...	Delete

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