History YMMV / MortalKombatTheMovie

* CriticalDissonance: Although it got mixed reviews from critics, the movie received praise from fans and casual moviegoers alike, and it is seen today as the best {{aver|tedTrope}}sion of VideoGameMoviesSuck.[[note]]At least until ''Film/PokemonDetectivePikachu'' and ''Film/SonicTheHedgehog2020'' came out years later to even greater acclaim, but even still ''Mortal Kombat'' remains beloved by fans.[[/note]] The film was also a commercial hit, enjoying a three week run as the number one grossing movie at the box office and the soundtrack charted in the Top 10 of the Billboard album charts, going platinum in 10 days. Because of its success, elements of its story [[RetCanon eventually became woven into the canon of the games]]. It helps too that the sequel ''Film/MortalKombatAnnihilation'' was not well received, which helped keep the reputation of this film higher in comparison.

* VideoGameMoviesSuck: Generally seen as an aversion. It wasn't exactly a critical darling, but most fans of the series liked it enough to welcome it as a worthy adaptation for capturing the violent spirit in spite of the lack of gore, one of the games' source of appeal. It helps that it was based on a game that was based on [[Film/EnterTheDragon one of the greatest martial arts movies ever]], so by leaning into that they had a good framework to play with and the cast are all generally agreed to vary from good to near perfect as with Shang Tsung and the fight scenes are generally excellent. While not seen as a masterpiece, it's praised for being a fun and well-made film that knows exactly what it wants to be and what fans want to see and sets out to provide it as best it can. The follow-up ''Film/MortalKombatAnnihilation'', unfortunately, hits this hard enough to leave a smoking crater.

* VideoGameMoviesSuck: Generally seen as an aversion. It wasn't exactly a critical darling, but most fans of the series liked it enough to welcome it as a worthy adaptation for capturing the violent spirit in spite of the lack of gore, one of the games' source of appeal. It helps that it was based on a game that was based on [[Film/EnterTheDragon one of the greatest martial arts movies ever]], so by leaning into that they had a good framework to play with. The follow-up ''Film/MortalKombatAnnihilation'', unfortunately, hits this hard enough to leave a smoking crater.

** The same can be said of his rival Bi-Han, who instead of serving Shang Tsung, was actually a anti-hero hired to kill him and fought for Earthrealm's side in the tournament. Future adaptions and installments would instead follow this movie's lead and make him evil from the outset, despite keeping his backstory from VideoGame/MortalKombatMythologiesSubZero and his corruption into [[FallenHero Noob Saibot]] originally supposed to be a tragic fate that his younger brother spent his final moments before the battle of Armageddon in the original timeline trying to undo.

** It's very obvious the fight against Reptile was added to the movie in the last minute. Without explanation, the CG critter Reptile fuses with a statue he was kicked inside to take an appearance similar as in the games, and has a long fight sequence with Liu Kang. It's never mentioned again. Supposedly, it's because test audiences wanted more fights, so they went back to do some reshooting. It's also why Johnny disappears during the course of the fight: Creator/LindenAshby wasn't actually there for the additional filming. While the scene itself might seem out of place, the fight itself is praised by many fans as being the best in the film. There was also at least some foreshadowing for Reptile having a fight scene later on because early in the film, Shang Tsung is there to give Reptile orders to watch Kitana and keep her away from the main characters (Reptile being a last-minute addition might explain why he sucks at that job). Despite this, Liu Kang vs Reptile is considered one of the best fight scenes in the movie and some even like it more than Liu Kang's battle against Shang Tsung in the climax.

* NarmCharm: Shang Tsung saying "Fatality!" after he takes the soul of the first
opponent Liu Kang defeats. Is it an obviously shoehorned game reference? Sure. Actually pretty awesome? Also true.

* NarmCharm: Shang Tsung saying "Fatality!" after Art's death. Obviously shoehorned game reference that doesn't make sense in-universe? Sure. Actually pretty awesome? Also true.

* CommonKnowledge: This film is often cited as the origin of Liu Kang and Kitana's romance, [[RetCanon with the games integrating it due to the movie's popularity]]. In truth, Kitana and Liu Kang being in love goes all the way back to the development of the first ''Mortal Kombat'' game where [[https://twitter.com/therealsaibot/status/1384911427983613952 Kitana was going to be Shang Tsung/Shang Lao's daughter who turned on him after falling in love with the main hero Kang/Liu Kang]]. Even ignoring that, Liu Kang's ending in ''VideoGame/MortalKombat3'', which was released before this film, has Kitana appearing to personally thank Liu Kang for saving both of their realms, [[ShipTease hinting at their mutual attraction]].

** ''Film/MortalKombatAnnihilation'' and other disliked adaptations have been criticized for [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter including a bunch of familiar faces from the games and doing nothing with them other than killing them off in fight scenes to pad out time]]. The roots of this issue can be seen in this movie where Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Reptile and Kano are little more than Shang Tsung's minions who get killed off by the heroes, with only Kano displaying any real personality. However, at least some of the fights had some narrative weight such as Liu Kang's defeat of Sub-Zero being payoff for Kitana's cryptic advice, Sonya and Kano already being established as enemies and Scorpion being the first test of Johnny's skill as a fighter before he goes up against [[TheDragon Goro]]. Other adaptations on the other hand just have the villains be generic minions thrown at the heroes with no plot significance or character development. A good example Sonya killing Mileena in ''Annihilation'', despite the latter having an established enmity with Kitana in the games, and Kitana and Mileena not even sharing screen time in that movie.

** ''Film/MortalKombatAnnihilation'' and other disliked adaptations have been criticized for [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter including a bunch of familiar faces from the games and doing nothing with them other than killing them off in fight scenes to pad out time]]. The roots of this issue can be seen in this movie where Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Reptile and Kano are little more than Shang Tsung's minions who get killed off by the heroes, with only Kano displaying any real personality. However, at least some of the fights had some narrative weight such as Liu Kang's defeat of Sub-Zero being payoff for Kitana's cryptic advice, Sonya and Kano already being established as enemies and Scorpion being the first test of Johnny's skill as a fighter before he goes up against [[TheDragon Goro]]. Other adaptations on the other hand just have the villains be generic minions thrown at the heroes with no plot significance or character development, i.e. Sonya killing Mileena in ''Annihilation'', despite the latter having an established enmity with Kitana in the games, and Kitana and Mileena not even sharing screen time in that movie.
** This film is the first adaptation to depict Scorpion as a [[AdaptationalVillainy as a full-on villain]] as opposed to the morally complicated WildCard in the games who has potential for heroism. However, this movie does at least give the excuse of Scorpion being a mind controlled slave who is not serving Shang Tsung of his own free will while many other adaptations and even some of the games downplay or ignore Scorpion's more sympathetic traits.

** The fight between Scorpion and Johnny Cage. The way the movie cuts to it makes the whole scene feel like a very long cutaway gag that has no bearing on the plot.
** The fight against Reptile, added to the movie in the last minute. Without explanation, the CG critter Reptile fuses with a statue he was kicked inside to take an appearance similar as in the games, and have a long fight sequence with Liu Kang. It's never mentioned again. Supposedly, it's because test audiences wanted more fights, so they went back to do some reshooting. It's also why Johnny disappears during the course of the fight: Creator/LindenAshby wasn't actually there for the additional filming. While the scene itself might seem out of place, the fight itself is praised by many fans as being the best in the film. There was also at least some foreshadowing for Reptile having a fight scene later on because early in the film, Shang Tsung is there to give Reptile orders to watch Kitana and keep her away from the main characters (Reptile being a last-minute addition might explain why he sucks at that job).

* FranchiseOriginalSin: ''Film/MortalKombatAnnihilation'' and other disliked adaptations have been criticized for [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter including a bunch of familiar faces from the games and doing nothing with them other than killing them off in fight scenes to pad out time]]. The roots of this issue can be seen in this movie where Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Reptile and Kano are little more than Shang Tsung's minions who get killed off by the heroes, with only Kano displaying any real personality. However, at least some of the fights had some narrative weight such as Liu Kang's defeat of Sub-Zero being payoff for Kitana's cryptic advice, Sonya and Kano already being established as enemies and Scorpion being the first test of Johnny's skill as a fighter before he goes up against [[TheDragon Goro]]. Other adaptations on the other hand just have the villains be generic minions thrown at the heroes with no plot significance or character development, i.e. Sonya killing Mileena in ''Annihilation'', despite the latter having an established enmity with Kitana in the games, and Kitana and Mileena not even sharing screen time in that movie.

* FranchiseOriginalSin: ''Film/MortalKombatAnnihilation'' and other disliked adaptations have been criticized for [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter including a bunch of familiar faces from the games and doing nothing with them other than killing them off in fight scenes to pad out time]]. The roots of this issue can be seen in this movie where Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Reptile and Kano are little or nothing more than Shang Tsung's minions who get killed off by the heroes, with only Kano displaying any real personality. However, at least some of the fights had some narrative weight such as Liu Kang's defeat of Sub-Zero being payoff for Kitana's cryptic advice, Sonya and Kano already being established as enemies and Scorpion being the first test of Johnny's skill as a fighter before he goes up against [[TheDragon Goro]]. Other adaptations on the other hand just have the villains be generic minions thrown at the heroes with no plot significance or character development, i.e. Sonya killing Mileena in ''Annihilation'', despite the latter having an established enmity with Kitana in the games, and Kitana and Mileena not even sharing screen time in that movie.

* VideoGameMoviesSuck: Generally seen as a subversion. It wasn't exactly a critical darling, but most fans of the series liked it enough to welcome it as a worthy adaptation for capturing the violent spirit in spite of the lack of gore, one of the games' source of appeal. It helps that it was based on a game that was based on [[Film/EnterTheDragon one of the greatest martial arts movies ever]], so by leaning into that they had a good framework to play with. The follow-up ''Film/MortalKombatAnnihilation'', unfortunately, hits this hard enough to leave a smoking crater.

* VideoGameMoviesSuck: Generally seen as a subversion. It wasn't exactly a critical darling, but most fans of the series liked it enough to welcome it as a worthy adaptation for capturing the violent spirit in spite of the lack of gore, one of the games' source of appeal. It helps that it was based on a game that was based on [[Film/EnterTheDragon one of the greatest martial arts movies ever]], so by leaning into that they had a good framework to play with. The follow-up ''Mortal Kombat: Annihilation'', unfortunately, hits this hard enough to leave a smoking crater.

** In a bit of [[FreezeFrameBonus freeze frame failure]], if you pause the movie while Reptile's doubled over from Liu Kang kicking him over a table, you can see "Otomix" written on the soles of his feet.[[/note]]Which, funnily enough, reflects how in VideoGame/Mortalkombat2 Johnny Cage's sprite had the Otomix brand name airbrushed off his pants save for his sprite for being lifted by Shang Tsung.[[/note]]

** In a bit of [[FreezeFrameBonus freeze frame failure]], if you pause the movie while Reptile's doubled over from Liu Kang kicking him over a table, you can see "Otomix" written on the soles of his feet.

** This was the case with Creator/LindenAshby's portrayal of Johnny Cage for many years. Linden would later return to voice the character in a skin pack for ''[=MK11=]'' with a film-based skin for Johnny.