For nine generations an evil sorcerer has been victorious in hand-to-hand battle against his mortal enemies. If he wins a tenth Mortal Kombat tournament, desolation and evil will reign over the multiverse forever. To save Earth, three warriors must overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, their own inner demons, and superhuman foes in this action/adventure movie based on one of the most popular video games of all time.
The movie has everything a teenage boy could want... Everything, that is, but an interesting plot, decent dialogue and compelling acting.
– Laura Evenson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
1 Jan 2000
rotten:
Likely to satisfy only the core audience already hooked on video and arcade games, and even that's not a sure thing.
– Richard Harrington,
Washington Post,
1 Jan 2000
fresh:
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.
– Stephen Holden,
New York Times,
20 May 2003
fresh:
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.
– Derek Adams,
Time Out,
24 Jun 2006
fresh:
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.