It's interesting, I am a "gamer" (I say that loosely because trying to find time to play games is limited) and when I can, I'll turn on the ol' Xbox and play something. I remember my first console in fact, it was a Nintendo and I could see the console's box through the Argos bag my mum was carrying as it was a birthday present. I was sooo happy. I remember when I first played Mortal Kombat for the first time. I'm pretty sure I bought it first hand (as I did buy a lot of second hand games when I was younger) and I thought the game looked a little weird. The graphics were nothing like anything I'd seen in a fighting game before, but eventually, after Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat 3, I was slightly, a fan...but I did prefer Street Fighter. You see back then, it was either Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat (because there always has to be a one or the other with these things, you know...lol), but I never really got into the lore of MK although I really enjoyed the fatalities, secret characters and the gore. Up to this day, Mortal Kombat is still going and we are on Mortal Kombat 11 in 2021. I've not played it and I am not in a rush to either. This movie, apparently the writer and director wanted to give the fans what they desire from a Mortal Kombat movie as the 1995 guilty pleasure version is, well...ok at best but didn't really go into the lore. But does this one? Well...
Mortal Kombat centres around a character named Cole (absent from the games) who is a MMA fighter who finds himself unwittingly caught up in a fight between the Earthrealm and Netherrealm. Special Forces Major Jax and Sonya Blade are tracking down a Tournament called Mortal Kombat when they find Cole and with the help of Kano venture to Netherrealm to meet Raiden the God of Thunder to help him defeat the Soul Eating Shang Tsung.
All I ever really wanted from this movie was characters, fighting, fatalities and a few laughs and while I'd agree, I am only partially the demographic this film is aimed at, in fact I am fully the demographic it is aimed at (I am just not that interested in the story), I'd like to say I had fun with this movie because it gave me exactly what I wanted. Without going into too much spoilers, a lot of the original characters are there, whilst other characters are hinted at for future instalments. The beginning fight with Hanzo and Bi-Han is great and quite impactful, however the character who stole the movie in every scene was Kano. By far, the most redeeming thing about the movie and why the movie is soo entertaining. Although I have heard other viewers and likely, fans claim the film is terrible, rubbish or trash, I'd like to say, there are a multitude of reasons as to why this is and why they may also feel this way. The story is rushed and poorly executed. Another 20 minutes to 30 minutes could really help this movie with pace, fleshing out the characters and the story. The dialogue is clunky and definitely not the best. Some of the acting is wooden and personally, I felt they could have had more canon fodder so we could see more fatalities and fight scenes. The special effects is ok at best and whilst the fight scenes were cool, this movie could have easily have been The Raid meets Lord of the Rings...ok, maybe not Lord of the Rings but something a little fantasy-like with grittier fight scenes. This film is lacking a few things, but for me, does just enough for it to work. First time Director Simon McQuoid didn't do too bad on his first outing, but possibly with some assistance in future, could pull out something a lot better than this one, although this one isn't terrible.
The film is a fun mess and while I'd say nothing to write home about, chances are, you would actually like to write home and tell your family and friends that the movie isn't that great, but you are intrigued to see more and actually want more. Lets hope we do get more, aye.
Red Band Trailer - Please note adult themed material.
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If you haven't watched my reviews of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier LEGEND trailers, I will give you a small brief of the two main characters. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier are both Captain America's friend from two different times in history. The Winter Soldier dates back to when Steve Rogers first joined the Army and The Falcon dates back to when Steve Rogers first becomes a Avenger. At the end of the movie Avenger's Endgame [SPOILER ALERT!!!] Steve Rogers gives Sam Wilson his iconic Shield...and from that point, this is where the shows pics up from.
This is essentially a 6 hour movie broken down into episodic chunks that picks up after the events of Endgame and where having now come back, fighting a huge war, the mourning of the loss of a friend/teammate, The Avengers have essentially disbanded and The Falcon is back in the Army on special missions. Sam Wilson, now with Captain America's shield believes the only way to honour Steve Rogers and the Shield is to hand it to the Smithsonian to be apart of the Captain America Exhibit. While this seems to be a great idea at first and the Government are all for it, but it doesn't take the Government long to appoint a new Captain America, shield and all.
The Winter Soldier, post the events of Endgame has been pardoned conditionally by the government and can live out a somewhat normal life. He is seeking counselling as part of his pardon and is trying to make amends where he can. But after having seen a new Captain America appointed, James 'Bucky' Barnes makes contact with Sam with grievances as to why he would "simply" give up the Shield which is now in the hands of John Walker the new Captain America. This confrontation leads them on the trail to "terrorists", people with supersoldier-like abilities who call themselves The Flag Smashers. In a confrontation with The Flag Smashes, the New Captain America and his "side-kick" Lemar Hoskins aka Battlestar joins the fight which leads to him stepping on toes. As the show goes on with both Sam and Bucky trying to figure out the mystery of where the serums are coming from to make super powered individuals, leads them to characters like Zemo, The Powerbroker, Isiah Bradley and the many secrets behind the actions of the government and what it means to be Captain America and to hold the shield. All this is compounded with the Flag Smashers actions and threats headed by their leader Karli Morgenthau. Chosen by Steve Rogers for a reason, can Sam do what it takes?
This show, although it was meant to be the first TV series out of the gate last year until the pandemic hit forcing Disney to restructure the show's plot and their TV shows, Wandavison came out first. I'm not sure if this was a stroke of genius or the only card Disney could play but during a pandemic, Wandavision was a breath of fresh air. Wandavision has or at least, seems to have had a better track-record with audience participation due to the sheer quality and delivery of the show. The show was brilliant keeping us guessing from episode to episode, everybody was Mephisto! That does not mean The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is rubbish or pales in comparison, it just means that TFATWS delivers the classic and already tried and tested Marvel formula with added grit and touching topics a Marvel movie may briefly skim the surface of. The show is deep rooted in comic book history as well as real life history while it touches on racism in America and some might argue, today's Black Lives Matter movement, although I don't subscribe to that as I believe it touches on racism as a whole and how we view people. It touches on what we deem as politics with labelling issues we do not wish to address and shove under the rug with labelling, how people see the government, how the government see people and how certain people see people. The show is very very layered touching on these themes which I'd only like to hope will help open the eyes of the viewers and real life events and situations the plague our society now. The Irony I saw in this show comes with comments such as "TFATWS is too political" in which I would question that statement with, "what makes the show political for you?" There is a speech near the end of the show, slightly heavy handed in it's delivery but touches on the very nature of people's thoughts on matters they do not wish to go into and discuss. Labelling something political doesn't make it political, it makes it an issue and something you are not willing to address and stay ignorant to, that doesn't make the problem/issue magically go away.
Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson and Sebastian Stan as James Barnes are both excellent in this. The pair do a lot of acting without even saying a word and whilst there are some very very powerful scenes, the quiet moments or quiet storytelling and the comradery between them help deliver such a bromance we saw glimpses of in Captain America: Civil War. Daniel Bruhl's character as Zemo is somewhat a scene stealer whenever he pops up, but if there was anyone who deserves as much credit as Anthony and Sebastian, is Wyatt Russell as John Walker. This is also a story for John Walker as well as Sam and without going into spoilers, seeing more of John as the show goes on and how time will go on, will be great because the evolution of his character and how he is portrayed is like watching a train-wreck. Erin Kellyman, although somewhat typecast is also great, but it would have been nice to see or understand a bit more of her backstory as it seems elements were cut due to the 2020 pandemic and shifting part of the narrative. There are action scenes a plenty, but from the introduction of The Powerbroker, wondering who that person was, was a weekly guess, but we are talking about a buddy cop superhero action adventure soaked in espionage, so it would be nice to se if we could see a lot these characters return at some point and that Mephisto is in fact, the Powerbroker.
It's funny. I'm not someone who could be easily scared, frightened or startled and for the most part, I'll watch scary movies, but I do draw the line at some things. Possession movies and ones based on a true story. If it has harpy-music, you can drop me right out, I'm not a fan, but other than that, I'm pretty much cool with most. I have Paranormal Activity on this site and I also have IT, Carrie, Wolfman and Friend Request, so I'm not that bad, but I do not run out in a hurry wanting to see them like I would with a sci-fi or comic book movie. With that said, this trailer looks wild!!!
I've been meaning to take on The Conjuring when it came out in 2013 and the sequels since so this one, the third likes really good to me. The parts in the trailer I liked the most was the intro as it brings intrigue, but the part with the water bed and the child, the part in the woods with the woman, the part with the little boy unfolding himself and the end part with the cliff. Although there is possession involved in this, I don't believe it based on real life possessions so I might be cool with it. Another trailer might sell or might not sell me more.
Directed by Michael Chaves and starring Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ruairi O'Connor, Sarah Catherine Hook & Julian Hilliard
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