History Film / MortalKombat

The three protagonists each have a personal reason for competing: Liu Kang wants to avenge his brother's death, Sonya seeks to bring a violent killer to justice, and Johnny desires validation of his skills as a martial artist. Raiden serves as their mentor and guide throughout the tournament, and the trio soon finds a sympathetic voice from Outworld in Princess Kitana (Talisa Soto). But Outworld's forces did not come unprepared for a challenge: sorcerer [[BigBad Shang Tsung]] (Creator/CaryHiroyukiTagawa), his [[TheDragon chosen champion Goro]] (Creator/KevinMichaelRichardson), elite soldiers Sub-Zero (François Petit) and Scorpion (Chris Casamassa), and Sonya's nemesis Kano (Trevor Goddard) all seek to win the tournament and help Outworld start its invasion.

** Sub-Zero and Scorpion's rivalry was briefly mentioned by Shang Tsung upon their introduction, as they are "deadliest of enemies".

Martial artist Liu Kang (Robin Shou), U.S. Special Forces agent Sonya Blade (Bridgette Wilson), and Hollywood superstar Johnny Cage (Linden Ashby) meet each other as they travel to an uncharted island for an underground fighting tournament. The [[PhysicalGod God of Lightning and Thunder]], Raiden (Christopher Lambert), tells them about the tournament's true purpose: Mortal Kombat will determine Earth's fate in the face of an invasion. Outworld, a realm that exists parallel to Earth's, requires victories in ten consecutive Mortal Kombat tournaments -- each tournament held once a generation -- to open a portal that would let Outworld's forces invade Earthrealm and conquer humanity. With nine straight victories thus far, Outworld stands ready to wage a war that Earthrealm cannot possibly win.

* FakeActionPrologue: Johnny is introduced beating up a bunch of guys in a warehouse, but it turns out that he is only filming a scene for a movie.

-->'''Kano:''' (while Sonya is holding his head in a leg-lock) ''No, Sonya, don't! C'mon, gimme a break!''\\

* AudienceSurrogate: Johnny asks the obvious questions about the weird world he's suddenly inhabiting.

%%* SmugSnake: Shang Tsung.

-->--'''Raiden'''

The three protagonists each have a personal reason for competing: Liu Kang wants to avenge his brother's death, Sonya seeks to bring a violent killer to justice, and Johnny desires validation of his skills as a martial artist. Raiden serves as their mentor and guide throughout the tournament, and the trio soon finds a sympathetic voice from Outworld in Princess Kitana (Talisa Soto). But Outworld's forces did not come unprepared for a challenge: sorcerer [[BigBad Shang Tsung]] (Creator/CaryHiroyukiTagawa), his [[TheDragon chosen champion Goro]] (Creator/KevinMichaelRichardson), elite soldiers Sub-Zero (François Petit) and Scorpion (Chris Casamassa), and Sonya's nemesis Kano (Trevor Goddard) all seek to win the tournament and help Outworld start its invasion.

* AssKickingPose: The heroes assume this in the last shot of the film when [[spoiler:Shao Kahn shows up.]]

* AudienceSurrogate: Johnny asks the obvious questions about the weird world he's suddenly inhabiting.

* DeclarationOfProtection: Johnny lets Sonya know that he's challenging Goro so that Goro won't have the chance to kill her. Although she's not happy about this, it eventually leads to her warming up to him.
* DeadpanSnarker:

* DontYouDarePityMe:
-->'''Liu:''' All those souls and you still don't have one of your own. I pity you, sorcerer!\\
'''Shang Tsung:''' Save your pity for the weak!

* EasterEgg: At the ''very'' end of the end credits, you'll hear [[spoiler:Shao Kahn's]] voice from ''Mortal Kombat II'':

* EvilTowerOfOminousness: Shang Tsung's tower in Outworld.

* GoGoEnslavement: Sonya:
-->'''Johnny:''' ''Nice dress.''

* SmugSnake: Shang Tsung.

* DeathGlare: Sub-zero gives a particularly [[IncrediblyLamePun chilling]] one towards Liu Kang, with his mask suddenly covered in frost, after being knocked to the ground by him.

* DemotedToExtra: Sub-Zero and Scorpion are two of the most involved characters in the games' mythology from its inception (and arguably the most popular ones), and yet, they are reduced to being Shang Tsung's muscle with no individual character or backstory of their own.[[note]]Scorpion gets about nine words total, all one-liners, and Sub-Zero doesn't even speak.[[/note]] The movie all but lampshades this when Shang Tsung introduces them with what amounts to a HandWave, saying that they are the "deadliest of enemies, but slaves under my power" and leaves it at that.

-->-- '''Raiden'''

--> '''Johnny Cage:''' Those were $500 sunglasses, asshole!

--> '''Shang Tsung:''' ''...until we reach the island, where you have no dominion.''
--> '''Raiden:''' ''My dominions are well known to me, sorcerer! Thank you.''

-->'''Shang Tsung:''' ''Princess Kitana is ten thousand years old, and the rightful heir to the throne of Outworld.''

--> (after overhearing Shang Tsung warning Goro about Liu Kang) ''What's so special about you?''

-->'''Sonya''': A handful of people on a leaky boat are gonna save the world?
-->'''Raiden''': Exactly! The essence of Mortal Kombat is not about death, but life. Mortal men and women defending your own world.

--> '''Raiden:''' ''I don't think so.''
--> '''Shang Tsung:''' ''{{Your soul is mine}}.''

--> ''"I'm in a hostile environment. I'm totally unprepared. And I'm surrounded by a bunch of guys who probably want to kick my ass... it's like being back in high school!"''

--> ''"The fate of billions will depend upon you. Heh heh heh heh! ...sorry."''

-->'''Liu:''' ''Wait! What about me?''
-->'''Raiden:''' ''Oh, you.''

--> '''Kano''': l'm kind of an underworld boss. Well... l mean, back home.
--> '''Goro''': How lucky for them... "back home".

-->'''Liu''': All those souls and you still don't have one of your own. I pity you, sorcerer!
-->'''Shang Tsung''': Save your pity for the weak!

-->''No....it wasn't my fault! Chan chose his own path...[[CallBack every man is responsible for his own destiny]]. SHANG TSUNG KILLED MY BROTHER!''

-->'''Johnny''': You know, when a woman looks at you like that, it usually means something.

--> '''Johnny:''' ''While you're at it, why don't you call my agent?''
--> '''Sonya:''' ''Do I look like your secretary?''
--> (a few minutes later)
--> '''Sonya:''' ''Where ''are'' we?''
--> '''Johnny:''' ''Do I look like your travel agent?''

--> ''"[[ThisIsThePartWhere This is where you fall down]]."''

--> "Come to a little tournament, he said. Good for the career, he said. Yeah, right..."

--> '''Johnny Cage:''' (after watching his luggage sink) Huh. Thank god I didn't ask him to park the car.

--> '''Johnny:''' ''Those were $500 sunglasses, asshole.''

--> ''"Alright, [[LetsDance let's dance]]."''
--> ''"Those were $500 sunglasses, asshole!"''

--> '''Kano:''' (while Sonya is holding his head in a leg-lock) ''No, Sonya, don't! C'mon, gimme a break!''
--> '''Sonya:''' ''Okay.'' (breaks Kano's neck with her legs)

--> '''Johnny:''' ''This is where you fall down.''

-->'''Raiden''': ''That's why you left the temple and ran away, isn't it? The Great Tournament was too much responsibility. But vengeance...[[SarcasmMode that's so much simpler.]]''

-->'''Raiden''': What did you do?
-->'''Johnny''': I made a choice. It's our tournament, remember? ''Mortal'' Kombat; ''we'' fight it. *leaves*
-->'''Raiden''': *chuckles* Good. At last, one of them has understood.

-->'''Sonya''': My friends will come!
-->'''Johnny''': *removes monk's hood* They're already here.

* CanonForeigner: Chan Kang and Art Lean. Liu Kang does have a brother in the games, but his name is Chow Kang.

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler: Poor Sub-Zero is impaled when Liu Kang throws water into his ice barrier, turning it into a giant icicle.]]

* PragmaticAdaptation: So much.
** Raiden becoming a mentor to the others instead of a fellow combatant was seen as an acceptable change by the fans. To some degree, it has even become RetCanon. ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'', for example, takes place back in the time of the first three games. Raiden doesn't participate as a kombatant until the final boss fight, instead advising others. A similar theme shows up in the (infamous) ''MK'' animated series, in which Raiden typically stays in his [[MissionControl Batcave]].
** Changing Scorpion's Bloody Spear into a snake-like creature hidden in his palm meant that they could have the move resemble the videogame more closely than the classic kunai & rope combo.

** Johnny Cage is HeroicNeutral in the original game, TheLancer to Liu Kang in the sequel, and never really shows any arrogance or comic timing. The film made him a JerkWithAHeartOfGold with a [[SmallNameBigEgo massive ego]], changed his friendship with Liu Kang to FireForgedFriends, and gave him BelligerentSexualTension with Sonya. The new personality was so well-received that this was also adapted into the games.

** Liu Kang saying "Flawless Victory" against Shang Tsung.

* JoinTheArmyTheySaid: How Johnny got into the tournament thanks to his old instructor/Shang Tsung in disguise. "Come to a little tournament, he said. Good for the career, he said. Yeah, right..."
* KickTheDog: Shang Tsung's [[FinishingStomp finishing stomp]] on poor Chan (while he was [[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown down]], no less) was a pretty early indicator of his [[BigBad big badness]], even before he started taking souls. And then there's what he does to Art Lean after Goro kills him.

* LargeAndInCharge: Goro is this throughout the movie until Johnny defeats him. The animatronic suit that was created specifically for him emphasize this even more.

** It gets even better. Upon landing at the island, Johnny, weighed down by all his luggage, faceplants right into the water when he tries to disembark, and then, as the tournament participants are climbing a humongous staircase, he falls and drops a couple of bags, prompting Liu to ask "Do you need help with those?"

** The [[SpikesOfDoom spiked floor]] in the film's final battle is a reference to the the spike-filled Pit where the losing fighter falls and gets impaled onto.

** Trevor Goddard's interpretation of Kano was so well received that Kano was made into an Australian in the games following this movie. [[note]]Ironically, Goddard himself wasn't actually Australian, but British.[[/note]] He has also in at least one game had a move called "Ear to Ear", named after a line in the movie.

* SympathyForTheHero: In the novelization, Goro, who is portrayed more as an honorable ProudWarriorRaceGuy, shows this to Art Lean just before he obeys Shang Tsung's command to kill him.

* CurbStompBattle: Every fight Goro participates in prior to fighting [[spoiler: Johnny, who delivers one to Goro himself.]] Especially tragic when Liu, Sonya and Johnny watch this happen to [[spoiler: Art Lean, their new friend.]]

** Johnny Cage is HeroicNeutral in the original game, TheLancer to Liu Kang in the sequel, and never really shows any arrogance or comic timing. The film made him a JerkWithAHeartOfGold with a [[SmallNameBigEgo massive ego]], changed his friendship with LiuKang to FireForgedFriends, and gave him BelligerentSexualTension with Sonya. The new personality was so well-received that this was also adapted into the games.

* PragmaticAdaptation: Raiden becoming a mentor to the others instead of a fellow combatant was seen as an acceptable change by the fans. To some degree, it has even become RetCanon. ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'', for example, takes place back in the time of the first three games. Raiden doesn't participate as a kombatant until the final boss fight, instead advising others. A similar theme shows up in the (infamous) ''MK'' animated series, in which Raiden typically stays in his [[MissionControl Batcave]].

* BlackDudeDiesFirst: Liu Kang's first (black) opponent ends up having his soul sucked out by Shang Tsung after Liu refuses to finish him.

''Mortal Kombat'', a 1995 film directed by Creator/PaulWSAnderson based on the long running ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' fighting game franchise, incorporates elements from the series' first two games - with a decided emphasis on the first game.

-> ''"I have looked into their souls... and yours. One of you three will decide the outcome of the tournament. The fate of billions will depend upon you. [[TheChosenZero Heh heh heh heh]]... sorry." ''

* HamAndCheese: Lambert and Ashby seemed to know ''exactly'' what kind of film they signed on for and spent the entire time tossing the comedy ball back and forth.

* AdaptationalPersonalityChange: In the original game, Liu Kang fought in the tournament for no other reason than to save the world and was the most unambiguously heroic of the protagonists. The film version suffers from a case of ItSucksToBeTheChosenOne, quitting the Shaolin befoe the events of the film. It is only the news of his brother's death that motivates him to enter the tournament and he doesn't seem as concerned with saving the world, at first. He also feels guilty for not saving Chan but overcomes this through CharacterDevelopment.

* TheObiWan: Raiden.

* YourSoulIsMine: The movie version of Shang Tsung is the TropeNamer.

* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Johnny Cage lost his best friend in the tournament to Goro in a match, watched Shang Tsung consume said friend's soul when Goro presented his corpse as tribute, and the shokan smashed his sunglasses at the start of their fight. It's the last one he brings up right before he kills Goro.

* BadassNormal: The Earthrealm warriors for as long as the tournament has existed; as Raiden explains, the tournament is designed to give humans a chance to fight for their world against realms with greater powers, which keeps them in check so the strongest ones simply cannot invade the less powerful ones at will.

* CuttingTheKnot: After getting his ass kicked by Scorpion, Johnny manages to get a small window of offense then vaults to a higher platform to create separation. Scorpion just kicks off one of the platform's legs and sends Johnny hurtling all the way to the ground back to him.

* DeadpanSnarker: Johnny:

* DisneyVillainDeath: [[spoiler: Goro]], at the hands of [[spoiler:Johnny.]]
** [[spoiler: Shang Tsung]] also dies this way, but the film clearly shows [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice the impact and aftermath]].

* EasterEgg: At the ''very'' end of the end credits, you'll hear Shao Kahn's voice from ''Mortal Kombat II''.

* GoGoEnslavement: Sonya.

* HowDoYouSay: Shang Tsung pulls this when telling Raiden that Johnny's challenge of Goro and deal with Tsung is binding.

* LiteralCliffHanger: Goro is left clinging to a platform at the end of his fight with Johnny. Eventually, he does lose his grip and falls to his death.
** The novelization portrays the scene differently: in the film, Johnny snarks, "This is where you fall down," just before Goro loses his grip, but in the novelization, Johnny offers his hand to help Goro back onto more solid ground. Goro, however, refuses and falls to his death willingly rather than acquiesce in ''any'' fashion to his opponent.

** Johnny brings several large suitcases to the dock for the trip to the tournament. After [[MistakenForServant asking Liu Kang]] to carry them onboard, Liu dumps one suitcase into the bay.

** It gets even better. Upon landing at the island, Johnny, weighed down by all his luggage, faceplants right into the water when he tries to disembark, and then, as the tournament participants are climbing a humungous staircase, he falls and drops a couple of bags, prompting Liu to ask "Do you need help with those?"

* {{Revenge}}: What fuels all three protagonists much to Raiden's chagrin: Sonya avenging her partner on Kano, Liu avenging Chan on Shang Tsung, and eventually Johnny [[spoiler: avenging Art Lean on Goro]]. Raiden's main task in the movie is to get them to fight for the right reasons instead of their selfish ones.

* SarcasticClapping: Raiden after Liu Kang, Johnny and Sonya beat up Shang Tsung's mooks.