The scene where Kano keeps getting up while Liu Kang continuously leg sweeps him was such a weird but hilarious callback to the CPU behavior in the classic games

Kano being hilarious, Scorpion in general, and Sub Zero being a horror movie monster were 100% the best things about this movie.

I love that Bi-han's decision to put on the costume and start calling himself Sub-zero is entirely self-motivated. He just up and decides to do it one day because he thinks it'll be cool.

This reactor said “Coles power is literally plot armor” 😂😂😂

*Liu Kang places hand on Kano's shoulder* Kano: "the fuck?" Josh's comedic timing is brilliant! 🤣

Kano’s subtle “womp womp” in the background when Sonya explained that she wasn’t a combatant was hilarious and HAD to be ad-libbed

So how did you unlock your laser eye? I was arguing over some eggrolls.

Liu Kang and Kung Lao felt like secondary side characters in the movie where they really should have had a much larger impact in a Mortal Kombat movie

Top props for the way Sub-Zero was portrayed. Dude was actually menacing all throughout

I was confused with how Cole already had a teenage daughter, when I thought he didn't look old enough to be a dad. I was thinking that he was a brother to the two girls.

I've stewed on it for days and I still can't get over how dirty they did Goro. Shang Tsung literally calls him "Prince Goro" and they literally waste one of the best bad guys in the lore.

Mk2: kill cole immediately via noob saibot. Scorpion enters tournament for revenge. Then proceed to have the mortal kombat movie we actually wanted.

Fun fact: Scorpion's spear, the kunai, was indeed an agriculture tool for peasants in ancient Japan.

Scorpion saying “I’ve risen from Hell to kill you” was 10/10

Can i just say, Kong Lao have the best fatality in this movie.

Gotta be that guy, Kunai were actually gardening tools first and weapons second. Helped ninjas have weapons in the open allowing then to surprise their targets.

Scorpions spear is actually a Kunai and in Japanese history they were originally used as gardening tools similar to a trowel. Assassins would pose as farmers and gardeners and then ambush their target as they passed by

LMFAO the fact that cole literally gets PLOT ARMOUR

"I was always Scorpion, my brother was Sub-Zero, cuz we're brothers, that's how it goes down." The accuracy in that statement, the exact same for me and my brother

I thought Scorpion's fatality was a big letdown, Sub Zero was supposed to be a skeleton when he got burned.

“You don’t do a normal Fatality on ‘The Pit’” Root of this films issues 😂

At one point I thought Cole was going to turn into Scorpion somehow by possessing Cole’s body and soul. I wish that happened because then I would’ve been fine with Cole in the movie.

Actually having Liu Kang be a descendant of Scorpion would be cool and it would explain his fire powers. He is actually conjuring hell fire.

That “get over here “ was all I cared about 🤣

Sub zeros actor was incredible. The way he looked frightened when he knew he was going to lose the fight with Cole and Hanzo was so cool. Refused to go down without a fight.

I just don’t see how they justified introducing cole and making him the main character. They could’ve done much more w liu/Kung and the other actual mk characters. Also rip Kung Lao😔

When you first see Cole, that fight club manager calls him a punching bag, which later basically becomes his akana lol. It's the MK version of the black panther suit

What drove me nuts, is Kole loses to some random joe schmo. But by the end of the movie. Beats goro in a 1v1, and helps defeat sub zero.

Kano has a laser eye with no cybernetics, yet Sonya threw some stuff that short-circuited it like it was cybernetic

Cole Young, worst main character since Bella Swan. The guy starts by getting his ass kicked, then gets his ass kicked some more, only to power-up, and obtain a shirt that allows him to get his ass SUPER kicked.

Well the reason why Jax and Sonya bought into was because they came across someone with super human abilities while being in special forces and the tattoo magically went on Jax so it makes sense for them to be looking into it

On the Jax and Sonya being believers, they mention that the first guy Jax killed had superpowers and that made them follow that conspiracy path.

For a little while, I thought that Scorpion was going to be Cole's Ghost Rider. Cole would turn into this spirit of vengeance thus giving this undead spirit mortality and the ability to compete in the tournament. Nope. Instead, Cole's power is a metal shirt.

Kano asking lui kang if the leg sweep was the only move he knew had me rolling. Very smart

Legit the best part of the movie was when Kano went “The Fuck” I’m betting Kano comes back for the next one somehow.

Raiden: elder gods are not allowed to intervene Few moments later literally teleports earthrealm champions from certain death except kun lao

Jaxs' inner power, super strength, and mechanical arms. Sonyas' inner power, energy beams. Kanos' inner power, a laser eye that can't protect against garden gnomes. Cole's inner power, a sweet-looking gold knit sweater.

"No Johnny cage in this movie" Johnny Cage fans: "Aight, imma head out"

"This is the huntress Nitara, isn't she beautiful. Anyway..."

I would of loved if Cole was Takeda , that would've been alot more interesting than just a completely new character.

It feels like one guy made a good mk movie and another guy made a bad mk movie and they were both awkwardly cut together.

The leg sweep spam and Kano being “you have any other move” made me lol to the point I wrote my old friend that did this to me in Mk2 when we were kids. I was like “bitch they’re making fun of the 10 year old you.”

Dumbest thing about the movie is that Raiden didn't do anything even though he is only forbidden from interfering with mortal kombat but they clearly state out world is cheating and killing earth's fighters so there won't be a tournament

We need to support this effort so they don't abandon the franchise! The potential is there for sure, just need better writing. Lets make it happen guys.

When Scorpion pulled the “surprise mf” was one of the best moments in the movie

Jax saving Sonya with the power of friendship was when I mentally signed off. I mean she literally got crushed by stone and only had a little bit of dust on her.

The awkward moment when you realize that they literally stole the dragon mark unlocking powers idea from My Little Pony's cutiemarks and what they meant to the ponies

Cole LITERALLY has plot armor LMAO 😭😭😭

*I couldn't get enough of Sub Zero and Scorpion. They need their own movie.* 👍🏻

This movie made me really appreciate the sets of the 95 movie. They're damn amazing.

Listening to Jeremy geek out over Mortal Kombat warms my heart.

The Johnny Cage vs Scorpion fight in the original movie is the reason I became a Scorpion fan. As a 7 year seeing the fight and hearing him saying "Get down here" was amazing. I'm team Scorpion for sure. He's a badass.

Top three Kano moments. Snacking while Shang Tsung and Raiden are talking. Liu Kang and touching his shoulder and Kano saying “Th’Fack” Cole asking Sonya about her marking and Kano going “WHA WHA”

Just remember, even if you think something was stupid in the film, someone working on it thought it was the smartest thing they've ever come up with.

This is such a great and well-rounded review! I like how you talk about what worked and didn't work in both this one and the original and not just making blanket statements like "The first movie is still the best" because the 1995 film had a lot of flaws along with a few things that worked. But your review is so accurate! The tattoo thing was just not a good story plot at all. It could've easily been explained that their powers come from Chi power and learned magic, and even some technology in there like with Kano's eye, and sorcery could've been the explanation for the villains' side, and this would've been MUCH more grounded and organic. I couldn't even believe they went with such a cheap, convoluted explanation as a friggin tattoo. Just bad writing. Also well said about MK being made for a cinematic universe. With a storyline and characters as rich as Mortal Kombat's, a cinematic universe is the only way you can go, but you don't establish that with first-time writers and directors! But I like your idea of starting off with Sub-Zero and Scorpion, then the Special Forces, the Black Dragon, and so on... This movie was insanely rushed and underdeveloped and felt much more like a pilot episode than a big screen movie adaptation. In all honesty and truth, this whole thing needs to be scrapped, taken back to the drawing board, and started over with different writers and directors and possibly a different studio.

I wish they had NetherRealms and their team to write the story. Not the guy who wrote Wonder Woman 1984

The whole time I was watching this movie, I was like the The Rules!!!

Appreciate that you are a movie reviewer who also has more respect for the lore and the games than most others! Thanks Jeremy!

If Mortal Kombat 2021 embraced the cheese of the source material, it would be a genuinely lit movie.

When Kano said "Is that the only move you know, mate?" to Liu Kang I died laughing.

Scorpions spear being a gardening tool makes a lot of sense. It's a kunai. Like most weapons ninja used kunai are gardening tools, it's a shovel.

I knew the writing was going to be a bit wonky when in the beginning Hanzo is speaking Japanese and Bi-Han spoke Chinese, and afterwards, when Hanzo is defeated, B-Han says, 'For the Lin Kuei'...IN ENGLISH, in 1617 JAPAN.

When you said Sonya just needs a glock.... i lost it

"Scorpion's Spear had the best plot in the movie" Bro JJ I felt that in my soul. XD

They wasted Goro. They needed to work on this story a lot more, why give the well established IP to a first time director is beyond me, I hope they do better in the next one.

LOVED and deeply appreciated your reference to METROID around the 2:40 mark. Glad you're a Metroid fan, too!!! Loved your channel before, love it evermore now.

I hated Cole!!! 😡😡😡 he wasn't needed! And liu Kang should always be the main focus if we are talking about the beginning of MK plus if you're going to have 5 of the 6 OG characters and not include Cage that's just stupid!! And KUNG LAO DIDN'T HAVE TO DIE! i wish they could rewrite his death and get cole out

Kano was alot of fun in this movie. I enjoy the action and the cheesiness of the dialogue

I actually liked the Quan Chi thing in the Scorpeon vs Sub Zero fight. This one guy managed to start a feud lasting hundreds of years and targets the perfect two people for said feud.

Kung Lao throwing his hat isn't the power, it's him teleporting from under the hat 😂

All I ever wanted was the Lin Kuei vs Shirai Ryu. If they wanted to get really creative, they could have just made a movie on how the feud started. Could even have ended it with the death of Hanzo Hasashi and his clan.

I hope Kano comes back, actor is hilarious. Laughed at every one of his jokes

“ Upon graduation, I was given a name of a man. He was a purveyor of rare things. Children. Orphans like me. He had a marking, so I chose to take if from him. And in that moment, my arcana came forth. “ - Liu Kang

For me the highlight of the original Mortal Kombat was the first part of the Liu Kang vs Shang Tsung fight. Before he summons the warriors. I thought the music was incredibly well edited for hyping up the fight and the choreography was pretty good for me. My biggest gripe with this movie (besides all the lore changes) was that Shang Tsung was just too straight forward, in the original and the games everything he says either has a sense of double meaning or is filled with enough vile hatred to physically feel it, here he’s just pretty bland and up front. Also, team scorpion.

The horror elements when subzero shows up is probably my favorite part. When he stands in the alleyway with all the ice mist and then just kind of slides away like a monster, it made me laugh but in a good way

If nothing else that fight between Sub Zero and Jax was badass.

“Cole Should’ve been Johnny Cage,” is what I heard everyone say, including me. How tf did I never think Cole could’ve also been Liu Kang?

Jeremy, you have the best and most accurate MK review on youtube in my opinion. I resinated with literally everything you said. Kudos

You know what would've been better? If Cole "channeled", manifested, or "became" Scorpion using the kunnai. @13:03 Yeah, I didn't see one fight in the new film that came close to those 2 from the 95 movie.

Imagine if the whole movie was set in the era of the intro and was about Scorpions revenge with him chasing Sub Zero through different realms, intertwined with an epic story of Raiden and the gods. Written and directed by the dudes who made Crouching Tiger / Hero / Flying daggers with a pinch of Big trouble in Little China sprinkled on top. That would have been a sick MK movie.

"SHE JUST NEEDS A GLOCK!" 🤣🤣

Knowing nothing of MK lore, I had none of these preconceptions about the world and characters, so the powers and dragon marks and whatnot feels like a decent way to adapt the lore into something short and manageable.

They've definitely gotta bring Kano back if they made another one, dude was the highlight of the movie.

Liu Kang Vs Reptile in the original is the still the most epic movie Mortal Kombat fight ever.

Man you need to start watching “Invincible”. Think you’ll totally be into it. Btw I watch all your videos. Keep up the good work

I can't believe the fatalities we got. Of course the fights were AMAZING. And of course THEY WORKED IN THE TECHNO THEME. In the 3 words uttered by Kano "You feckin beauty " With regards to the lore changes you mentioned, THIS is the exact argument people used to say Warcraft was a bad film. I personally loved the changes, especially since the 95 film people seem to forget about is Johnny killed Goro with the final fight was against Shang Tsung. I frequently ask myself "Was I entertained?" The answer is FUCK YES

I miss the guy who says the opponents names. REPTILE. SUB-ZERO. FIGHT! The way he says it is just so cool. And they basically had three wooden Liu Kang characters. One would have been enough.

The next movie should be directed by Gareth Evans the guy who directed The Raid movies

“She just needs a glock!” This had me dead 😂😂

This movie felt like the pilot to a legit tv series. Theres too many parts to make it a movie

When Bi Han says "For the Lin Kuei" IN ENGLISH in that first scene...I knew I was in for some shlock lol.

The reason Scorpion's spear was the gardening tool was referencing the fact that the kunai, often thought of typically as a weapon, actually originated as a gardening tool Also yeah Team Sub-Zero (Kuai Liang), hope we get to see him in the next film. Maybe he's after revenge against Scorpion, but hearing what his brother did chooses to end the cycle of vengeance and him and Scorpion team-up, because why wouldn't that happen!?

The OG had a cast that really fully embraced not only the role but the fighting and bonding and dedication to a quality film.

Best review I've seen thus far, my exact thoughts... Pissed me off Lui Kang wasn't the chosen one and Johnny Cage definitely could've filled the Cole position easy... I didn't understand his arcana, that idea wasn't really thought out and the tattoos reminded me of Annihilation too... 👏🏾👌🏾👏🏾✊🏾

haha awesome video man. agree with u on everything, especially the tattoo stuff n inner power. I love MK the games and even the first 2 movies and conquest lol. much love man and team Scorpion

I absolutely agree again! Especially the outworld and desert land surroundings. It reminded me of MK Annihilation too much which is never a good thing.

The scene where Liu Kang kept leg sweeping Kano was so parallel to the game with noobs doing the same move over and over 😂😂

Great job Jeremy! You nailed it...sure we are disappointed with many things but this movie gives us plenty of good! A perfect MK movie making everyone happy is nearly impossible. This movie gave us some good stuff and its not like its the last movie!

This should’ve been like a 8-10 episode show. Worked pretty well for the witcher

The idea of Jax and Sonya being skeptics is a really good idea. You should be a consultant.