IMDb > Mortal Kombat (1995)
Mortal Kombat
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Mortal Kombat (1995) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 4 NEW)
Mortal Kombat (1995) -- Three unknowing martial artists are summoned to a mysterious island to compete in a tournament whose outcome will decide the fate of the world.
Mortal Kombat (1995) -- For the first time ever Scorpion, Sub Zero and the warriors from Midway's billion-dollar fighting franchise face off against Batman, Superman and other iconic and powerful DC Super Heroes.
Mortal Kombat (1995) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)
Mortal Kombat (1995) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
5.4/10   26,339 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 88% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Paul W.S. Anderson
Writers (WGA):
Ed Boon (video games) &
John Tobias (video games) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Mortal Kombat on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
18 August 1995 (USA) more
Tagline:
Choose Your Destiny... more
Plot:
Three unknowing martial artists are summoned to a mysterious island to compete in a tournament whose outcome will decide the fate of the world. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
1 win & 1 nomination more
User Comments:
Street Fighter Correction more (232 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for non-stop martial arts action and some violence.
Runtime:
101 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS (8 channels)
Filming Locations:
Austin, Texas, USA more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Bridgette Wilson performed all her own stunts (refusing to use a double), up to and including the fight scenes. more
Goofs:
Continuity: In the scene where Liu Kang tells Sonya Blade to check her compass she flips open her watch face to reveal the compass. She then begins to walk off with the watch face still open, however in a split second the watch is shut again with no sign of her closing it. more
Quotes:
[Johnny Cage sees a shadow of Goro loom upon a stone wall]
Johnny Cage: (whispering) Sonya, you go on ahead... find out WHAT that was... Liu and I will stay here!
more
Movie Connections:
Spoofed in Tropic Thunder (2008) more
Soundtrack:
Techno-Syndrome (7 more

FAQ

Was the film a hit?
Was there gore in the film?
Were the actors/actresses doubled?
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52 out of 54 people found the following comment useful.
Street Fighter Correction, 22 September 2003
Author: jaywriterXIII from USA

Following up the spectacular disaster of competing fighting game turned movie, Mortal Kombat succeeded where Street Fighter failed. Not a fantastic movie nor one that goes in my top ten, but Mortal Kombat (without a doubt) is one of the better game-based-films.

MK wisely avoids inventing plot in unwelcomed places and sticks to the game as frequently as it can get away with. Actually the biggest contradiction that comes to mind is Scorpion and Sub-zero on the same team. Die hard fans will call the screenwriter on this, the rest of us won't care.

All the mistakes Street Fighter made, MK avoided. Instead of colorful campy cameo-fest, Mortal Kombat comes across as a dark tale about a handful of martial artists shot with an exaggerated epic style with humorous undertones to provide comic relief every now and again. Then again, it is ironic that Street Fighter would feel cartoony and Mortal Kombat more concrete when looking at the style of the games (drawn sprites versus live actors). MK is a little silly when reproducing game effects and trademark moves, though now more and more films are moving in that direction (Matrix, anyone?)

The movie's premise is the first Mortal Kombat arcade game featuring a few plot hints (journey to Outworld) and a few characters from Mortal Kombat 2 (Kitana, Jax, a youthful Shang Tsung.)

Christopher Lambert and Cary-Hiroyuki Takawa make the most memorable impact as Thunder God Rayden and Shape-shifting Sorcerer Shang Tsung. Both ham up their performances just enough to remind us that we're watching a live-action video game, but they don't go overboard into Street Fighter's territory. The rest of the cast plays their part straight forward and makes their characters believable.

It's a quick and slick film, gets to the action and gets over with before you can ask too many questions. It's a pretty decent martial arts film, and an outstanding ‘video game' film. And in 1995, it was the best game-inspired film you could find. Today it's still in the top five.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Mortal Kombat (1995)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
The fights are just not enough Ataas187
Use the element which brings life??? dspurlock82
goro's 'death' SUCKED jenzie-jbrewer
Who was that black guy that fought Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat the movie? adomsample
The greatest fighting film ever made. joeldahmen
Is there something that went between johnny and sonya? mikella_penaco
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