Name: Mortal Kombat II
Genre: Action, Fantasy
Released: 2026-05-08
Rating: 6.8
Cast: Hiroyuki Sanada, Karl Urban, Tadanobu Asano, Joe Taslim, Tati Gabrielle

Earthrealm’s champions, joined by Johnny Cage, are forced into conflict with one another while resisting the rule of Shao Kahn. As his power grows, the survival of Earthrealm and its defenders comes under threat.

Mortal Kombat II

Bollywood Hungama

Times of India

India Today

Firstpost


The biggest complaint about 2021's MORTAL KOMBAT reboot was strikingly simple: it spent two hours setting up a fighting tournament that never actually happened. Five years, one SAG-AFTRA strike, and a healthy dose of fan frustration later, director Simon McQuoid returns with MORTAL KOMBAT II and this time, he delivers exactly what was promised. The result is a loud, bloody, spectacularly entertaining action film that does what the first could not: it commits, completely and gloriously, to being a Mortal Kombat movie.
Picking up directly after the events of the first film, MORTAL KOMBAT II wastes no time. Cole Young's Earthrealm champions - Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Sonya Blade, Jax, and the unforgettable Kano - are now joined by Hollywood superstar Johnny Cage, reluctantly dragged into a dimension-spanning death tournament that is about as far from a film set as one can get. Standing against them is Shao Kahn, the hulking, hammer-wielding emperor of Outworld, whose ambition to conquer Earthrealm is no longer a distant threat but an imminent, bone-crunching reality.

Screenwriter Jeremy Slater has wisely structured the story around two parallel journeys that weave together with great effect. On one side, we have Johnny Cage's fish-out-of-water arc a narcissistic action star discovering that the power inside him is very real. On the other, Kitana's story, Shao Kahn's deadly adopted daughter, raised as an assassin, wrestling with loyalty, identity, and the truth of her Edenian heritage. These two storylines collide, diverge, and intertwine across the film's 116-minute runtime, giving the movie an emotional backbone that the first film sorely lacked.

The script is not without its weaknesses. The plot, as early reactions have noted, is fairly straightforward; this is not a film of labyrinthine twists. The fate of Cole Young, once the protagonist of the franchise, is handled with a brutality that feels rushed rather than earned. And the middle act, which juggles too many characters across too many realms, occasionally loses its footing. But when the film is firing, and it fires very, very often, these feel like minor complaints against a tide of visceral, game-faithful joy.

Director Simon McQuoid has grown substantially as a filmmaker between these two films. Where the first MORTAL KOMBAT often felt uncertain of its own identity oscillating awkwardly between grounded drama and video game excess, MORTAL KOMBAT II carries itself with total confidence. McQuoid has clearly listened to every piece of criticism his debut received, and the corrections are visible in every frame.

The fight choreography is where the upgrade is most dramatic. Each kombat sequence has a distinct visual identity - a desert village in Outworld, Raiden's breathtaking Sky Temple and the iconic pit stages fans have been waiting decades to see rendered in live action. Cinematographer Stephen F. Windon shoots these sequences with the kind of spatial clarity that makes you feel every impact. The fatalities, those signature, grotesquely creative finishing moves are executed with practical glee and earn their R-certificate handsomely. This is a film that is proud of its gore, and it should be.

Production designer Taneda, who also worked with Asano in Japan, has created a visual world that feels lived-in and mythologically dense. Outworld's desert vistas, the ethereal planes of Edenia, and the ceremonial grandeur of the tournament stages are rendered with a scale and imagination that the first film could only gesture toward. This is a film that earns its IMAX presentation.

MORTAL KOMBAT II is, above all else, a performer's film, and what a roster it assembles. Karl Urban is the undisputed star of the show, bringing a swaggering, self-aware charisma to Johnny Cage that the franchise has been crying out for; he is hilarious and disarming in equal measure, yet never lets the comedy undercut the action star beneath. Adeline Rudolph matches him beat for beat as Kitana; fierce, conflicted, and quietly devastating, making her the film's true emotional anchor. Tadanobu Asano's Raiden has grown into the role magnificently, commanding every frame of the Sky Temple sequences with an almost regal stillness. Martyn Ford's Shao Kahn is a masterclass in physical menace; the man barely needs a line of dialogue. Hiroyuki Sanada's return as Scorpion, though brief, is handled with mythological weight and lands precisely when it needs to. Josh Lawson's Kano continues to be one of the great unsung joys of this franchise; every scene he is in crackles with irreverent energy. Tati Gabrielle brings controlled ferocity to Jade, Joe Taslim's Bi-Han arc rewards patient fans of the first film, and the returning ensemble (McNamee, Brooks, Lin) hold their own with the ease of a unit that knows these characters inside out. Collectively, this is the best-performed entry in the franchise's cinematic history.
The background score serves the film's tone with admirable precision: thunderous and percussive during combat, eerily atmospheric during the Outworld sequences, and surprisingly tender in the quieter moments between Johnny and Kitana. The iconic MORTAL KOMBAT theme — that driving, industrial synth pulse that has lived rent-free in the heads of gamers since 1992 - is deployed at precisely the right moment, and the auditorium will almost certainly erupt when it does. The IMAX sound mix, in particular, ensures that every blow, every portal opening, every fatality lands with maximum physical impact.

All in all, MORTAL KOMBAT II is a step in the right direction to say - Finish Him. Just not quite finished yet. McQuoid delivers the tournament and Karl Urban's Johnny Cage is every bit as entertaining. But enthusiasm can only carry a film so far. A paper-thin script, with a mid-section that loses its way, and Cole Young's hasty exit feels like an afterthought after an entire film built around him. The fatalities thrill, the performances punch well above the material. Yet for all its gory spectacle, MORTAL KOMBAT II is not the Flawless Victory it wants to be.

Hollywood's obsession with turning games into movies and vice versa is legendary. But when it comes to Mortal Kombat, the popularity and nostalgia surrounding the game is so high that it's hardly surprising this is the fourth instalment of the film series based on the video game franchise, with the last few coming out in quick succession since 2020. After the original Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins in 1995, fans of the game have always been eager to catch all the brutal action on the big screen, and this latest instalment is an unapologetically loud actioner that serves as a direct sequel to the 2021 outing.
This part begins with a dark tale of a young Kitana’s (Sophia Xu) father King Jerrod (Desmond Chiam) being assassinated by the evil Shao Kahn in front of his own people. And hence, right from the start it’s established that this is a revenge drama woven into the high octane games where it’s the survival of the fittest. While a grown up Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) belongs to the Outworld, she has to fight against an army of superheroes like Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), Jax (Mehcad Brooks) and the protector of the Earthrealm Raiden (Tadanobu Asano). But this time joining them is a bumbling has-been action hero from the 80s, Johnny Cage (Karl Urban), who cannot fathom why he’s chosen for such a high-stakes mission. After all, this is the tenth combat where if won, Shao Kahn can finally rule and enslave the earth.
So, the story by Jeremy Slater is fairly simple. Like always, the whole world is in danger and it’s up to a few bravehearts to save the day. And that’s precisely what makes this slick action extravaganza a fun watch. Within its 2-hour runtime, director Simon McQuoid actually manages to ensure there isn't a dull moment. There is a fair bit of comedy peppered into the screenplay amidst all the bloodshed and brutal action. And many may find Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage cartoonishly loud, but the actor wears the character’s annoying traits with a gusto and delivers a no-holds barred act. The best part is that even if you’re not a fan of the game, it won’t stop you from enjoying the non-stop action, adventure and entertainment. Adeline Rudolph’s charm is rooted in her restraint as a young woman waiting for the right time and opportunity to avenge her father’s death. The rest of the cast drums up good support and the film thankfully never slumps into a melodramatic emotional mess. There is a generous dose of comedy in the dialogue and slapstick fun to keep the proceedings light. The setting of the games in two different realms, both mystical and dark, works well as Stephen F. Windon’s cinematography breathes life into even the most obviously VFX-heavy sequences.
All in all, Mortal Kombat II isn’t a film meant just for the die-hard fans but in fact, it’s quite the opposite. It's a full-throttle, universally appealing action spectacle that knows exactly how to give audiences their money's worth.

There are films that aspire to prestige, and then there are Mortal Kombat films, where a man can get punched through a portal, sliced in half, set on fire and still somehow find time for a one-liner. Mortal Kombat II understands exactly what franchise it belongs to. Mercifully, it does not pretend otherwise.

Director Simon McQuoid’s sequel arrives louder, bloodier and far more self-aware than the 2021 reboot. This time, the film finally delivers what the previous instalment oddly delayed: the actual tournament. The result is a chaotic, occasionally exhausting, but undeniably entertaining spectacle that treats absurdity not as a flaw, but as its entire personality.
Set after the events of the first film, Mortal Kombat II throws Earthrealm into direct conflict with Shao Kahn’s (Martyn Ford) expanding Outworld forces. Familiar faces return – Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), Jax (Mehcad Brooks), Raiden (Tadanobu Asano) and Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada) - while the sequel introduces fan favourites like Kitana (Adeline Rudolph), Jade (Tati Gabrielle) and, most importantly, Johnny Cage, played by Karl Urban. The stakes, naturally, involve the fate of worlds. The solutions, equally naturally, involve breaking bones in increasingly imaginative ways.
And right at the centre of this madness is Karl Urban, who walks into the film like he understands the assignment better than anyone else. His Johnny Cage is washed-up, vain, unserious and deeply entertaining. Urban plays him with the perfect balance of parody and sincerity, never trying too hard to make him cool. The performance works because Cage himself knows he is ridiculous. In a film full of grim-faced warriors discussing destiny, Urban’s self-aware chaos becomes oddly refreshing.

Adeline Rudolph’s Kitana also leaves a strong impression. The film gives her more emotional weight than characters in this franchise usually receive, and Rudolph manages to ground the fantasy chaos with genuine conviction. Jessica McNamee continues to bring sharpness to Sonya Blade, while Hiroyuki Sanada’s Scorpion once again proves that screen presence can often do more than dialogue.

Visually, the sequel is a major improvement over its predecessor. The arenas feel larger, stranger and more alive, almost as if the filmmakers have finally stopped being embarrassed by the video-game origins. The action choreography is slick, brutal and often delightfully insane. One portal fight sequence, in particular, feels ripped straight out of an arcade fever dream in the best possible way.

Where the film works best is in its complete commitment to spectacle. Mortal Kombat was never built on subtlety. This is a universe where people freeze opponents, tear out spines and return from death with minimal explanation. The sequel wisely stops overexplaining and simply starts having fun.
But the film also suffers from the same problem that plagues many video-game adaptations: the story mostly exists to transport characters from one fight scene to another. The emotional arcs are thin, the dialogue swings wildly between intentionally cheesy and accidentally clunky, and several characters feel less like people and more like selectable avatars waiting on a gaming screen.

The pacing becomes uneven in the second half as well. Once the novelty of the violence settles in, the film occasionally starts resembling a very expensive compilation of boss battles. Some emotional beats arrive abruptly, while others disappear before they can properly land. The film wants you to care about sacrifice and destiny, but its real interest clearly lies in creatively destroying bodies.

Still, there is something almost admirable about Mortal Kombat II’s commitment to excess. It does not chase sophistication. It chases entertainment. And for the most part, it succeeds.

This is not high art, nor does it aspire to be. But as a gloriously chaotic midnight-movie experience filled with flying limbs, campy energy and unapologetic arcade madness, Mortal Kombat II delivers enough fun to earn its “Flawless Victory” moment, even if the film itself is far from flawless.

The action scenes are solid and are much better than Mortal Kombat I. But now audience choice has changed and what they really want is relatable cinema with a good story. Earthrealm’s champions, now joined by action star Johnny Cage, have been called to compete in the high-stakes _Mortal Kombat_ tournament to stop the tyrant Shao Kahn from invading Earth. After failing to eliminate Earth’s warriors in the previous film, Outworld forces, led by Shao Kahn, participate in a tenth consecutive tournament. A win for Outworld would grant Kahn dominion over Earthrealm.
Lord Raiden and Sonya Blade recruit Johnny Cage, a not so fit actor but a charming star to join Liu Kang, Jax, and Cole Young as Earthrealm’s newest champion. The dialogues of Mortal Kombat II are humorous and there are times you will feel like rolling on the floor and laughing. But that’s it. The film, after a point you will realise that it just doesn’t pick up beyond its funny dialogues. In fact, it just struggles too hard to thrive on it. At some points you will also feel the story fading and getting a bit too predictable for a refined cinema viewing audience. There are a number of fight scenes which absolutely make no sense.


It is great for the big screen and just a one-time watch. But according to me I found Part II much better than the 2021 _Mortal Kombat_ movie. I would say, don’t give it a miss and watch it for ‘Johnny F**king Cage’ because it’s showtime! You will definitely love the chaos of it, but oncee, just once and not more than that.


Mortal Kombat II | Official English Trailer II

मॉर्टल कॉमबैट II (Mortal Kombat II) | Official Hindi Trailer II

மார்டல் காம்பட் II (Mortal Kombat II) | Official Tamil Trailer II

మోర్టల్ కాంబాట్ ll (Mortal Kombat II) | Official Telugu Trailer II

Mortal Kombat 2 - Official 'Uncaged Fury' Teaser Trailer (2025) Karl Urban

Karl Urban

Hiroyuki Sanada is a Japanese actor and martial artist. He is best known to international audiences for his roles as Genbu in Ninja in the Dragon's Den, Ryuji Takayama in Ring, Seibei Iguchi in The Twilight Samurai, Ujio in The Last Samurai, Kenji in Rush Hour 3, and Scorpion in Mortal Kombat. 

Hiroyuki Sanada

Tadanobu Sato, better known by his stage name Tadanobu Asano, is a Japanese actor and musician. He is known for his roles as Dragon Eye Morrison in Electric Dragon 80.000 V, Kakihara in Ichi the Killer

Tadanobu Asano

Johannes "Joe" Taslim is an Indonesian actor and martial artist of mixed Palembangese and Chinese descent. He was also member of the Indonesia judo national team from 1997 to 2009.

Joe Taslim

Tatiana Gabrielle Hobson (born January 25, 1996), known professionally as Tati Gabrielle, is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Gaia on The CW science fiction television series The 100, Prudence Blackwood formerly known as Prudence Knight on the Netflix original series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Marienne Bellamy on the Netflix original series You, and for providing the voice of Willow Park on the Disney animated series The Owl House.

Tati Gabrielle

Jessica McNamee is an Australian actress who rose to fame with the TV programmes Home and Away and Packed to the Rafters. Some of her best known films include The Neighbour, Battle of the Sexes and The Meg.

Jessica McNamee

Mehcad Jason McKinley Brooks (born October 25, 1980) is an American actor and former fashion model. He is known for his roles as Matthew Applewhite in the second season of ABC's series Desperate Housewives (2005–2006), Jerome in The Game, his leading role as Terrance "TK" King in the USA series Necessary Roughness from 2011 until 2013 and James Olsen in the CBS and The CW series Supergirl.

Mehcad Brooks

Joshua Lawson is an Australian actor best known for his role as Doug Gugghenheim in the Showtime sitcom House of Lies.

Josh Lawson

Adeline Rudolph is a Hong Kong-born actress. She began her career in modeling before making her debut in the Netflix series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. She has since appeared in the CW series Riverdale and the Netflix adaptation of Resident Evil. She is set to portray Kitana in the Mortal Kombat sequel. 

Adeline Rudolph

Ludi Lin is a Chinese-Canadian actor and model. He is known for playing Zack Taylor in the 2017 Power Rangers reboot, the underwater warrior Murk in Aquaman and Lance in the Netflix series, Black Mirror. He is set to play Liu Kang in the upcoming Mortal Kombat reboot.

Ludi Lin

Chin Han is named as one of the greatest Asian actors of all time by CNNGo. Han is a Singaporean actor who is closely associated with the stage, films and even television. He made his Hollywood debut with the drama film 3 Needles and went on to appear in mainstream movies like The Dark Knight, 2012, Restless and Contagion. Also a director and producer, Han has consistently worked with several award- winning filmmakers throughout his career.

Mortal Kombat II(2026)