Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match is a 2023 animated action film and the fourth installment of the Mortal Kombat Legends series. Joel McHale reprises his role as Johnny Cage, joined by Jennifer Grey as herself and Gilbert Gottfried in a posthumous role.
Set in The '80s, the film follows Johnny as a fresh-faced actor in Los Angeles, struggling to make the big-time. However, when a co-star goes missing, Johnny finds himself drawn into a cult’s plans involving the conflict between Earthrealm and the Netherrealm. The film released on October 17, 2023.
Previews: Trailer
Tropes featured in Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match include:
- The '80s: The movie drips with the aesthetics of the decade — mullets, synth music, neon pinks and blues, to name a few. Even the X-ray close ups have a rainbow filter!
- Adaptational Dye-Job: As Sareena is the real identity of Jennifer Grey in this movie, she has Jennifer's curly brunette hairstyle instead of her game appearance's straight black, but still retaining the latter's skunk stripe.
- Adaptation Personality Change: Not only this version of Sareena is loyal to Shinnok, she feels comfortable to be in her demonic form whereas in the original timeline, she hates it.
- Adaptational Early Appearance:
- Compared to the Midway continuity, Ashrah appears far earlier than she did originally - before the first Mortal Kombat tournament takes place.
- Ditto for Shinnok himself. The fallen Elder God hadn't escaped from Netherrealm until Mortal Kombat 4; here, he was successfully brought to Earthrealm courtesy of the ritual - and gets to fight the titular hero.
- Adaptational Ugliness: Sareena's demonic form in the New Era can passed as a Cute Monster Girl but here, she becomes a hulking masculine beast.
- Adaptational Villainy: This version of Sareena didn't pull a Heel–Face Turn or was Brainwashed and Crazy and is instead a loyal fanatic of Shinnok.
- Adaptation Relationship Overhaul: While still sisters like in the New Era, both Ashrah and Sareena are enemies in this movie, culminating in the former killing the latter.
- Adults Are Useless: When Johnny was being bullied, none of the teachers did anything about it, writing it off as "Boys being boys" with even the coach laughing at the bullying. It reached to a point where his mother, a pacifist herself, decided to enroll him into Master Boyd's martial arts school so that he'll be able to defend himself.
- An Asskicking Christmas: This installment takes place around the Christmas season, with decorations set through several scenes.
- Art-Style Dissonance: '80s backdrop aside, the overall aesthetic is at once vibrant and reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons made during the era. Which in turn make the demonic hijinks and gory carnage stand out all the more.
- Badass Bystander: When Shinnok briefly knocks Johnny Cage unconscious during their fight, several nearby bystanders start throwing rocks at the fallen Elder God.
- Badass in Distress: In the climax of the movie Johnny is strapped to an alter and about to be sacrificed, fortunately Ashrah rescues him in the nick of time.
- Big Bad: Sareena, the leader of Shinnok's cult, serves as the main antagonist until she finally releases him and let's him take over as the main villain.
- Big Damn Kiss: Johnny and Ashrah share one at the end of the movie.
- Black and Nerdy: Johnny Cage's assistant, Chuck.
- Bond One-Liner: Done with a particular line from the script of Ninja Mime to boot.Shinnok: Any last words, Earthrealmer?Johnny: Well, if I might... (delivers a couple of crushing blows to the fallen Elder God, sending him up to the sky and hitting a gargoyle) Gravity's a bitch. (shadow kicks Shinnok right into the falling gargoyle, sending him back into the portal)
- Breath Weapon: Jataaka breathes fire out of her mouth when confronting Johnny Cage and Ashrah.
- The Cameo:
- Moloch and Drahmin appear as some of Shinnok's demons in the climax.
- Raiden was revealed to be Ashrah's master.
- Call-Forward: The ending of the movie has Johnny telling a photographer that he's headed off to an Island.
- Canon Character All Along:
- Jennifer Grey appears in the movie as herself, but her real identity is that of Sareena.
- At the end of the movie, Chuck becomes the movie's version of Mokap.
- Cluster F-Bomb: David Doubldy, Johnny Cage's demonic agent drops an F-bomb damn near every other word.
- Composite Character / Distaff Counterpart: Sareena in this film is effectively a female Quan Chi, as she takes his role as Shinnok's primary minion.
- Covers Always Lie: Kia appears on the cover alongside Ashrah, implying that she would be an important character. In the film itself, she only appears fighting Ashrah at Jennifer's mansion only to be killed unceremoniously by a tour bus.
- Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: Johnny manages to defeat the fallen Elder God Shinnok, though like the games it's due to his special bloodline. He also doesn't flat out kill or even knock Shinnok out, just knock him back throug the Netherealm portal.
- Dirty Old Woman: Johnny rescues one of these in the climax:Johnny: (Shirtless, holding the woman) Sorry about that.
Woman: (Smiling) I don’t mind!
Johnny: (To the camera) Neither do I. (Wink) - Damsel in Distress: Johnny spends a lot of the movie searching for Jennifer who he believes has been kidnapped to be used as a sacrifice by an evil cult. But this is ultimately subverted as Jennifer is revealed to be Sareena, the head of the cult and Johnny himself is the intended sacrifice.
- Evil All Along:
- David Doubldy, Johnny Cage's agent. He's briefly shown to be not just a capable fighter: he was a demon from the Netherrealm all along.
- And so is Jennifer - demon assassin Sareena in disguise. Her participation in the ritual was crucial to bring Shinnok to Earthrealm.
- Failed a Spot Check: The driver of the tour bus Johnny hijacks fails to notice Kia standing in the middle of the street and hits her so hard she turns into Ludicrous Gibs.
- First-Name Basis: Jennifer (voiced by Jennifer Grey) is never given a last name. Not even by the tour bus guide talking about her mansion.
- Fish out of Water: Downplayed with Ashrah. She's been on Earthrealm long enough to know how to drive and look the part, but still has some trouble blending in with '80s-era society. The Netherrealm demons running Los Angeles, on the other hand, have been around for much longer and have done a good job fitting in among the Hollywood elite.
- Game Within a Game: The movie depicts Mortal Kombat Trilogy as one, which features footage of Johnny Cage fighting against Scorpion.
- Groin Attack: Shinnok himself ends up on the receiving end of Johnny's singature attack.Johnny: Well, look at that. Even demons have balls!
- Harmful to Minors: A flashback shows when a bully tries to attack Johnny, who has just Taken a Level in Badass, the latter ends up breaking the former's arm, with the bone even poking out.
- Hidden Depths: As cocky and egotistical as Johnny comes across, it's established almost from the onset that he genuinely loves acting, takes martial arts seriously and is rather empathetic beneath the facade. This also means a deep-seated hatred for bullies, whether they be schoolyard ones or the demonic kind.
- Hollywood Satanism: Parodied. As it turns out, many in Hollywood are part of a cult set up by demons from the Netherrealm. While originally intended to pave the way for Shinnok's conquest of Earthrealm, most of said demons were largely content with corrupting show-business, at least until Jennifer/Sareena found the means to summon him. Johnny does think they're actual Satanists before being corrected.
- Iconic Attribute Adoption Moment:
- Ashrah picks up a kriss, the same one Sareena was using for the ritual to summon Shinnok, and uses it to kill the demons - including Sareena herself.
- Johnny Cage unlocks his green energy powers during his fight against Shinnok.
- Instantly Proven Wrong: Johnny kicking a demon who in actuality is David Doubldy off a balcony, impaling him on a statue.Johnny: I’m sure he’s fine.
(Demon immediately burst into flames, letting out a dying screech)
Johnny: …See? He’s fine. - It Will Never Catch On: David Doubldy talks to Johnny about doing a Super Hero movie. Johnny turns it down, believing that those kind of movies are for "geeks."
- Lemony Narrator: The titular hero himself.
- Lighter and Softer: Compared to the previous Legends movies, Cage Match is this in tone, with more humor due to Johnny being the main protagonist and its brighter 1980s Los Angeles setting. In addition, while still Bloodier and Gorier than other Mortal Kombat adaptations, there are much less on-screen deaths at show this time around.
- Mythology Gag:
- A flashback of Johnny being bullied in school before learning martial arts is a reference to Mortal Kombat: The Movie where Johnny compared being in Outworld to being back in high school. Master Boyd, an original character from that movie, also appears in those flashbacks as Johnny's sensei.
- In the climax of the movie, Johnny defeats Shinnok by awakening his latent green energy powers.
- Neck Lift: Shinnok does this to Johnny Cage during their fight.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: Master Boyd’s character design bears a striking resemblance to Chuck Norris as he appeared in the 80’s.
- Off with His Head!: Cage manages to roundhouse kick the head off of a burning, Not Quite Dead Jataaka.
- One-Winged Angel: To gain an advantage against Ashrah, Sareena reverts to her demon form, which towers over her.
- Precision F-Strike: Nearly every sentence that comes out of David Doubldy's mouth is this. Lampshaded; when negotiating a new movie deal, Johnny has to repeat a statement towards him while including one.
- Shout-Out:
- Young Johnny's bullies appear to be Peter, Ray, and Egon.
- David Doubldy uttering profanities in his demonic form harkens back to Violator putting Spawn in his place by uttering the memorable "Get with the fucking program" line.
- The cover that documents Johnny's eventual fall from grace is one towards David Hasselhoff's drunkingly eating a burger while berating his daughter.
- Small Name, Big Ego: It’s stated outright that in this movie Johnny Cage is a small-time action star who has yet to have his big break but he still acts like he’s an A-list celebrity and entitled to all the privileges associated with that status.
- Soul-Sucking Retail Job: David Doubldy mentions that before taking him in as a client, Johnny Cage was working at Blockbuster Video.
- Training Montage: Johnny's flashback to his youth includes one as his fighting skills improve under Master Boyd.
- Traintop Battle: The scene used for Ninja Mime is on top of a subway car.
- Writing Around Trademarks: The big name director attached to the film Johnny's especially interested in auditioning for has his name bleeped anytime it's spoken out loud; Johnny's narration about his ability to alternate between summer blockbusters and Oscar winners implies it's supposed to be Steven Spielberg.
- Johnny also mentions "partying like it's 1999" but stops before he can namedrop the artist who wrote it.
