(film review) - Mortal Kombat II

What’s wild to me is that back in the ‘90s, they actually tried to make a Mortal Kombat movie, and at the time… we just accepted it. To be fair, it was definitely better than Street Fighter, but that still didn’t make it good. It was just the best of a bad bunch.

But back then, that was all we had. A bit like those early X-Men films in the 2000s—whether they fully worked or not, fans just had to take what they could get.

Then, a few years ago, they rebooted the franchise with Mortal Kombat, and while that film was definitely an improvement over the ‘90s version, I still wouldn’t call it amazing because it made some genuinely questionable choices.

This sequel though? Yeah, this is leagues better.

The film pretty much picks up where the last one left off. The tournament is finally here, and Raiden needs a new champion pr the Earth Realm will fall. Alongside Sonya Blade, they approach Johnny Cage, an actor who initially brushes the whole thing off after meeting the likes of Liu Kang, Jax and Cole. But once he’s dragged properly into the chaos, Johnny has no choice but to stop acting like a hero and actually become one.

And honestly, I had a blast with this film.

The plot itself is still pretty basic—stop the bad guys from taking over Earthrealm—but the difference this time is that almost everything else has been improved. The action is better, the pacing is better, the characters are more enjoyable, and the fight choreography is on another level compared to the previous film. The previous film kind of felt like an action film with fighting, where this one feels more like an action martial arts film.

Seeing classic moves from the games finally translated properly onto the screen was a genuine game-changer.

The dialogue is still cheesy in places, but I found myself laughing, chuckling, and fully enjoying the ridiculousness of it all throughout the film. The movie knows exactly what it is and leans into it.

The addition of Karl Urban as Johnny Cage was honestly perfect casting, especially with how they handled the character. He brings the exact kind of energy the movie needed.

The visual effects are solid, too. Not groundbreaking or Avatar-level spectacle, but they absolutely do the job. And there are loads of moments that reminded me of other cult classics and fantasy properties like Big Trouble in Little China, Game of Thrones and even Pennywise at one point.

There’s even a fake movie within the movie called 'Uncaged Fury', and honestly? I’d genuinely watch that. It is all the nonsensical and over-the-top action from a B-rated (I think it is called B-rated) movie, from the early 80s...almost like Dolemite Is My Name (see my review on that).

Overall, this is just a fun time. Good action, brutal fights, decent humour, solid performances and way more entertaining than the previous film. If you enjoyed the first rebooted movie, you’ll probably have a great time with this.

But if you’re expecting some deep, serious masterpiece… this definitely isn’t that.

(film review) [STREAMING] - The Punisher: One Last Kill

So, Disney said it was going to produce one-off shows called Special Presentations—standalone stories separate from the wider MCU. So far, we've had Werewolf by Night and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Strangely enough, Werewolf by Night was really good, and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was even better, although that one still connected to the wider MCU. The Punisher: One Last Kill seemingly does and doesn't at the same time, and it's never entirely clear. What is clear, however, is that this should have been a bottle episode within Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, and here's why.

Frank Castle is hiding out in Little Sicily, a neighbourhood tearing itself apart amid a power vacuum. Haunted by his past and battling PTSD, Frank is approached by a grieving woman whose loss forces him to make a choice: continue his war on the criminals responsible or turn his attention to those who genuinely need saving. Revenge and retribution, or vigilante justice?

At around 50 minutes, this is a short, punchy presentation, but it could easily have been another five or ten minutes longer. A little more dialogue and a few references to the Daredevil corner of the MCU—the state of Hell's Kitchen, the Mayor, or even the remaining Defenders—would have gone a long way. I appreciate this is meant to stand alone, but a little cohesion would have elevated it enormously. As a bottle episode within Daredevil: Born Again, and as an appetiser for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it would have made far more sense.

My biggest issue is how disconnected it feels from the current MCU narrative. That may be intentional, but it mostly functions as an introduction for viewers who never watched The Punisher, Daredevil Season 2, or Frank's appearances in Daredevil: Born Again. Does it take place before Season 1? During Season 2? Somewhere else entirely? It's impossible to tell. While entertaining, it ultimately feels like an excuse to give Frank a solo outing and perhaps explain where he is before Spider-Man: Brand New Day. That's really my only complaint because, for the most part, this is Frank Castle unleashed. Think his prison escape from Daredevil Season 2 stretched to nearly 50 minutes—brutal, relentless, and immensely satisfying.

The story is flimsy, the score does its job, and most of the supporting performances are merely serviceable. Jonathan Bernthal, however, is superb. He brings every ounce of Frank's torment to the screen—the PTSD, the inner conflict, the grief and the hallucinations—all with complete conviction. When the action starts, it's exactly what you'd expect: gritty, savage and uncompromisingly violent.

The problem is that, beyond Bernthal's performance and the action, there isn't much else here. I wanted stronger connections to the wider story and a little more substance. This didn't need to be restricted to a single 50-minute presentation; a three-episode arc would have given the story room to breathe. Instead, it simply ends, offering very little in the way of resolution.