It might sound like an odd thing to say, but Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms, might actually be a little more pleasing for a lot of fans than the recent live-action movie that came to HBO Max this year, largely because of the number of characters and the manner in which they’re used. It’s true that the MK movie might have been doing what it could to set up the legendary feel of the video game movie with the first movie, but despite its success, a lot of fans have been ripping the movie up and down, voicing their displeasure at the omission of Johnny Cage and the placement of an unknown character, Cole Young, as well as a few other things. There are a few factors that the animated movie has that kind of trumps the live-action version, and one of those is that Cage is already there and part of the group that is set to fight against Shang Tsung, Shao Khan, and every other baddie that comes along. Plus, the idea that those that incur damage or are killed can come back is something that has been a part of MK for a long time, so getting upset at such a development is obviously going to happen, but it’s something that fans will have to get over.
Animation also has a big advantage in what can be accomplished in terms of the action that’s being presented, since from the powers that each combatant displays to the actions they take, there’s no need for CGI that might be called garbage later, and practical effects aren’t bound to be hampered by the limitation of the actors, stunt people, and whatever methods are being used. In short, animation for a story such as MK kind of dominates since it allows for all the fantastic and unreal qualities that come with a story such as this. The live-action movie did a great job with several of the effects, but there were a few that made it look as though the writers or the effects people simply gave up and did what they could in order to keep pushing the movie forward. In fact, the whole idea of the ‘arcana’ was a bit laughable simply because no real explanation had ever been given as to why many of the fighters had powers, and none was really needed.
For a story like MK, all one has to do is open their mind and allow the fantasy of the story to mix with the more practical and realistic elements and realize that the story works the way it is and doesn’t need a whole lot of exposition apart from what’s necessary to introduce the characters and why they can do certain things. Even the idea that one could kill a chosen and take their mark and thereby unlock their arcana makes the argument that anyone could kill a chosen in any manner and unlock an arcana in themselves that might be awesome or might be kind of lame. In other words, the idea of having strange powers was good enough so long as it was explained in a way that fans accepted and didn’t take up too much time, since a lot of people watch MK for the fighting more than the story. If anyone is thinking that this is false then they need to review the history of MK.
As of now, it doesn’t sound as though there are many details being handed out about the upcoming movie, but it does sound as though it’s bringing back plenty of the same voice actors, which is great since fans won’t have to deal with any lack of continuity on that part. The story of MK has changed a bit over the years and gone in a few different directions, but the great thing about it is that fans have been able to follow the stories fairly easily as some things haven’t really changed and those that have are usually fixed or accepted at one point or another. The animated version of MK is a lot of fun since watching one’s favorite characters get down and dirty is a whole lot easier than having to accept what’s given in live-action.
It’s a big hope the live-action sequel will bring something that will appease the fans, whenever it happens, but until then the animated version of MK will pick up any slack and keep people on board with the idea. There are plenty of MK fans that will be happy to see another animated movie return, as it might keep them interested and will no doubt sustain the fanbase until another live-action movie can be released. Right now it doesn’t sound as though there’s a set release date, but it’s hopeful that this installment to the franchise will be released sometime later this summer.
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