The Heavy Hitters and Misses in the Mortal Kombat Animated Universe
The Mortal Kombat franchise, born from the bowels of ’90s arcade culture, has since morphed into an empire of its own. From games to comics to live-action and animated films, the franchise remains a pop culture titan. While the video games have taken the glory, the animated films have had a rollercoaster ride, from underground cult hits to “what were they thinking?” flops. Let’s navigate this uneven terrain and rank the four animated films that have tried to capture the essence of Mortal Kombat.
Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins – A Rocky Start
“The first Mortal Kombat animated film also happens to be the worst.”
Let’s take a trip down memory lane to 1995, when the very first Mortal Kombat animated film, Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins, was released. Hindsight is not kind to this installment, and one can’t help but cringe at the dated animation. But hey, it was the ’90s; everything looked a bit rough around the edges.
Despite its visual shortcomings, The Journey Begins wasn’t all bad. “The film develops some important bits of lore, setting up the Mortal Kombat tournament itself and introducing some critical backstories,” like Johnny Cage, Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, Shang Tsung, and even the Great Kung Lao. It may be at the bottom of the list, but it set the stage for bigger things to come.
Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind – Kenshi Takes the Lead
“Snow Blind is a direct-to-video sequel to Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms, and its action-packed narrative provides plenty of entertainment.”
Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind, landing in the middle of our list, elevates the franchise with significantly better animation and storytelling. The film captures Kenshi Takahashi‘s battle against the Black Dragon clan and brings in the mighty Shang Tsung. “Kenshi is pitted against great odds, and though he ends up losing most of his major fights, he is saved by Sub Zero and Scorpion,” making it a narrative rollercoaster.
While Kenshi’s repeated losses may leave some fans disappointed, the film’s “focus on character development helps make it feel more profound than other installments in the franchise.” It’s a good watch, especially if you can get over Kenshi being the underdog.
Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms – A Rich Tapestry of Lore
“Battle of the Realms includes tons of fatality moves from the video games, leaving plenty of Easter eggs for game fans to enjoy.”
Coming in at number two, Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms packs in action, characters, and a labyrinth of lore that would make any die-hard fan geek out. This film is like a Mortal Kombat encyclopedia, with elements drawn from six of the games. The separate storylines—Outworld’s tournament and Scorpion’s quest—may not gel perfectly, but who’s complaining when there’s so much else to admire?
“Battle of the Realms struggles somewhat to connect its mostly separate storylines, but it has loads of entertaining fights.” When a film makes you want to pause and screenshot scenes to find Easter eggs, it’s doing something right.
Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge – The Crowning Jewel
“Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge is the best animated film in the series by a long shot.”
Spoiler Alert: Scorpion wins, both in the film and on our list. Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge is a tour de force in Mortal Kombat animation. The dual narratives of Scorpion’s revenge quest and the main trio of Johnny Cage, Liu Kang, and Sonya Blade fighting for Earthrealm intermingle flawlessly.
Scorpion, the film’s true star, “is an extremely critical figure in future installments of Mortal Kombat,” and this film does justice to his nuanced character. With breathtaking animation, action sequences that could make your heart race, and character development that makes you care, Scorpion’s Revenge stands as a monumental achievement in the Mortal Kombat animated universe.
Kombat Recap
There you have it, the animated Mortal Kombat films ranked and dissected for your reading pleasure. Each film, with its highs and lows, contributes to the larger tapestry that is the Mortal Kombat universe. From the almost-unwatchable The Journey Begins to the jaw-dropping Scorpion’s Revenge, these films are a testament to how far Mortal Kombat has come and where it could go in the future.
So, which animated Mortal Kombat film will you be watching next?
