Since its inception 30 years ago, Mortal Kombat has had over a dozen video games, a few tv shows, and several animated and live-action movies. With that being said, it could be a tiny bit intimidating to get into the MK world because of all its media. To make it easier, here’s a comprehensive guide on the live action MK movies in order. The first (and arguably the best) live action movie was released in 1995. The third and latest film is actually a reboot for the franchise.
Since its inception 30 years ago, Mortal Kombat has had over a dozen video games, a few tv shows, and several animated and live-action movies. It’s become a media juggernaut, and it doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. With that said, it could be a tiny bit intimidating to get into the MK world because of all it has to offer.
To make it easier, these are all the live-action Mortal Kombat movies in order.
Mortal Kombat Movies in Order
Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
Mortal Kombat
1. Mortal Kombat (1995)
The first (and arguably the best) live-action Mortal Kombat movie was released in 1995. Made only three years after the release of the first-ever Mortal Kombat game, this movie didn’t have too much lore to work with. However, they knocked it out of the park and made not only a good video game movie but a good movie in general.
It’s absurd, campy, and fun. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it still manages to have high stakes that get you personally invested. So, what’s the story about?
There’s a tournament being held that will decide whether Earthrealm (this is what they call Earth) remains free or if it will be conquered and merged with Outworld, another realm.
Earthrealm’s greatest fighters, consisting of Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, and Johnny Cage, travel to an island to compete against the villains that work for Outworld. Some of these villains are Kano, Sub-Zero, and Scorpion.
But the big bad of the movie is Shang Tsung; a sorcerer who steals the souls of his victims. Portrayed by the incredible Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Shang Tsung is arguably the best thing out of this entire movie. All of the actors’ performances are great, but Tagawa’s performance alone is enough to go see this movie.
2. Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997)
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation is the sequel to the first Mortal Kombat movie, and it doubles down on the absurdity of its predecessor. This isn’t necessarily a good thing because this movie is pretty terrible. Let me explain.
Is it entertaining? Yes. Did I have a fun time watching this movie? Yes. Will I continue to watch this movie throughout my life? Absolutely. So, why would I say this movie is not good if I enjoy it so much?
It has terrible CGI, a nonsensical storyline, and the majority of the actors from the first movie are replaced. However, with all that being said, I would still recommend watching this movie because it’s definitely a spectacle that you don’t want to miss out on.
3. Mortal Kombat (2021)
The third and latest MK film is actually a reboot for the film franchise. So, you don’t have to watch the two previous live-action Mortal Kombat movies to know what’s going on in this film, but it’s nice to do so to get the full experience.
Just like in the 1995 film, there’s an upcoming tournament that will decide the fate of Earth. However, we never see it take place in this movie. Instead, we focus on what happens before the tournament. Primarily, we focus on the characters; with a heavy emphasis on the stories of Scorpion and Sub-Zero.
Other characters that appear in the movie include Sonya Blade, Jax, Raiden, and Kano. And, of course, we get the evil Shang Tsung as well. This is a fun movie with great performances, and the can’t come soon enough.
These three Mortal Kombat movies are vastly different from each other, but they’re fun and entertaining in their own ways. And if you can’t get enough Mortal Kombat in your life, then you’re in luck because there are plenty more MK movies left to watch.
Apart from live-action films, there are also animated MK movies. And if you’re confused about what order to watch them, I’ll have you covered next article.
