Critics say the sequel lands a solid hit but still pulls its punches with its story and stakes.
It's been five years since the release of the Mortal Kombat film reboot, and the sequel is finally arriving in theaters this weekend. Mortal Kombat II sees Karl Urban make his highly anticipated debut as Johnny Cage, who joins the other champions of Earthrealm in more one-on-one battles while also going up against the villainous emperor Shao Kahn. The first reviews for the video game adaptation are in, and critics are recommending the movie to existing fans of the franchise while also celebrating its improvements over the previous installment.
Here's what critics are saying about Mortal Kombat II:
It manages to fix most of its predecessors' shortcomings. - Mario Alegre, Próxima Tanda
It's another project that isn't without its flaws, but thankfully, it becomes a far more enthralling venture than its predecessor. - Josh Parham, Next Best Picture
The sequel makes some notable upgrades, including dispatching a weak link or two from the first movie, introducing a few new players, and reviving anyone who died before who feels worth saving. - Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
Mortal Kombat II isn't able to completely save itself from many of the pitfalls of its predecessor, [yet] there's actually a fair amount of aspects that are actually upgrades. - Joshua Mbonu, InSession Film
At least we actually get to see Mortal Kombat this time, though its broad stakes and flat characters are never meant to offer much beyond the basic structure for building the action scenes around. - Josh Parham, Next Best Picture
While Mortal Kombat II is the most successful in the franchise yet, as an adaptation, that still isn't saying much in the grand scheme of things. - Joshua Mbonu, InSession Film
Kids got The Super Mario Galaxy Movie; older kids/adults get this. Same brand of non-stop fan service, but at least this one remembers to include an actual plot while delivering the bloody goods. - Mario Alegre, Próxima Tanda
Unlike some other video game adaptations, this movie cares enough about its audience to actually tell a story with conflict and stakes. - William Bibbiani, TheWrap
It's the latest in the line of recent video game films to place fan appeasement first, and being a good movie 20th. - Joshua Mbonu, InSession Film
The setting of the Underrealm -- a tiered inferno -- allows the movie, late in the game, to establish the monosyllabic version of a Star Wars vibe. Yet it's only a vibe. - Owen Gleiberman, Variety
The scenes meant to be played more for comedy...feel right out of an 1980s fantasy adventure with just the right amount of tongue-in-cheek playfulness. - Josh Parham, Next Best Picture
The violence has about as much significance as it does in a Looney Tune. And if it's good enough for Wile E. Coyote, it's good enough for me. - William Bibbiani, TheWrap
Simon McQuoid returns to the director's chair and manages to make the fight scenes land with more impact this time. - Josh Parham, Next Best Picture
There's some top-tier fight choreography in play, including a battle between Johnny Cage and the terrifying Baraka that features some solid character beats. - Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
They're pretty good. None of them reach the zeniths of the Johnny Cage/Scorpion fight from Paul W.S. Anderson's first Mortal Kombat movie, but they're briefly thrilling and every once in a while someone's skull gets diced like a Ninja Power Blender, so that's a good time. - William Bibbiani, TheWrap
While many of the film's fights still retain the same core issues [as the last movie], Simon McQuoid's direction is certainly more innovative in both choreography and creative deaths. - Joshua Mbonu, InSession Film
The movie is one fight scene after another after another...the kombat hits the mark, but ultimately with minor force. - Owen Gleiberman, Variety
For a franchise based on the idea that dying is bad and should be avoided, Mortal Kombat II kind of whiffs it. - William Bibbiani, TheWrap
This movie revives so many characters with such frequency that the concept of death seems to lose all meaning (even when some of those deaths look pretty permanent). - Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
All the floating combat metaphysics ends up blanding out the stakes, or maybe just the rules. What, exactly, allows one fighter to triumph over another? It's all rather blurry. - Owen Gleiberman, Variety
[It has] a serviceable screenplay by Jeremy Slater, which moves the plot along enough while not really indulging in any specific machinations to make the storytelling singular. - Josh Parham, Next Best Picture
Simon McQuoid keeps the overstuffed, underbaked story moving so quickly that we don't have much time to question it. - William Bibbiani, TheWrap
Jeremy Slater's screenplay is all around abysmal...the dialogue is particularly bad, ranging from a bit clunky at best to spouting exposition like a robot at worst. - Joshua Mbonu, InSession Film
Some of the comedy can feel out of place at times, especially when the script plays with pop culture references...at the end of the day, though, one does not go to see a Mortal Kombat movie for the jokes. - Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
The pop culture references are the worst part of the humor. - Josh Parham, Next Best Picture
Karl Urban has an excellent sense of this character. He's amused and amusing, which is good, but never detached and ironic, which would be bad. - William Bibbiani, TheWrap
Karl Urban's Johnny Cage is a downright riot. - Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
He's got enough charm and screen presence to be an endearing figure, even though he's mostly used as an audience surrogate in the beginning to reassert the plot points you have probably already forgotten from the first film. - Josh Parham, Next Best Picture
Karl Urban feels bizarrely miscast even as an aged version of the video game character. Sometimes he's able to make the cheesiness work, but...many of his line deliveries tend to be off. - Joshua Mbonu, InSession Film
Pretty much all of the other funny moments can be attributed to Josh Lawson as Kano, who pretty much stole the first movie. - Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
The new cast members provide more effective humor and screen presence. - Josh Parham, Next Best Picture
It's a problem for Mortal Kombat II that they can't even get the "mortal" part right. - William Bibbiani, TheWrap
Although this has a pretty large ensemble, Kitana and Johnny Cage's journeys get the emphasis, meaning that most of the other characters are left feeling like afterthoughts. - Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
Fingers crossed [a third movie will] do what this movie did: improve on what came before...It might be nice if it aimed slightly higher. - Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
Another bit of frustrating sequel bait muddies some arcs towards the finale...[but] if another one comes, there's room for improvement all the same. - Josh Parham, Next Best Picture
Mortal Kombat II opens in theaters on May 8, 2026.
