Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms
Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms | |
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Directed by | Ethan Spaulding |
Screenplay by | Jeremy Adams |
Based on | |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Edited by | Robert Ehrenreich |
Music by |
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Production companies |
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Distributed by | Warner Bros. Home Entertainment |
Release date |
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Running time | 80 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms is a 2021 American direct-to-video adult animated martial arts film, directed by Ethan Spaulding from a screenplay by Jeremy Adams, based on the Mortal Kombat franchise created by Ed Boon and John Tobias, it is the second installment in the Legends series and a direct sequel to Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge (2020). Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and animated by Studio Mir, Boon returned from the predecessor as creative consultant.[1]
Battle of the Realms borrows source materials from several series games and revolves around the otherworldly Mortal Kombat tournament set in Outworld.
The third film in the series, Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind, was released on October 11, 2022.
Plot
Following the events of the
When Johnny and Sonya are soon joined by Liu Kang and Raiden as negotiations fail, Shao Kahn appears himself, petitioning Raiden to participate in a final Mortal Kombat tournament to permanently decide Earthrealm's fate. The thunder god agrees, and he and Shao Kahn venture to the realm of the Elder Gods to propose this ultimate contest.
Meanwhile,
Back at the Wu Shi Temple, Raiden returns to his troops after arranging to hold and participate in the tournament while relinquishing his immortality. Once the Earthrealm warriors head for Outworld, Scorpion makes his presence known to Raiden. He mentions the key to Shinnok's prison has bonded to his soul and came to Raiden for advice about its purpose. Raiden informs him that it is a key to untold power known as the Kamidogu, a supreme magical relic from a bygone era that could doom all the realms.
At the start of the tournament, Cage is defeated by Kytinn warrior
Back on Earth, Scorpion is being pursued by Cyrax and Sektor in a dockside shipping yard. The trio is soon interrupted by Sub-Zero, but even he is outmatched by their superior enhancements and the arrival of the cybernetic Smoke. With their enemies overwhelmed, the three cyber Lin Kuei apprehend their Hellspawn prey and make off to the Temple of Elements. At their destination, they force Hanzo to open their designated portal. As they prepare to eliminate him upon accessing its gateway, they are interrupted again by a vengeful Sub-Zero. Scorpion fails to console Kuai Liang over mistakenly murdering his brother but agrees to a temporary alliance against Sub-Zero's clan. Despite their efforts, the Lin Kuei retrieve the Kamidogu, leaving the pair for dead when the mountain crumbles on top of them.
As the second half of the final tournament is underway, Lao and Stryker are killed by Shao Kahn and Shang Tsung, respectively. Kitana rebels against her stepfather instead of fighting against Raiden, only to be beaten into submission. Kang defeats Shang Tsung regardless of a setback and spares him.
In the Netherrealm, the Lin Kuei realize too late that their employer was Shinnok as they learn of his plan to revive the One Being and bring an end to all of creation. Subsequently, they are betrayed and killed for their services.
During the tournament's final stage, Raiden dies while losing his battle against Shao Kahn, enraging Kang to defeat the emperor and win the tournament. However, celebrations are cut short as Shinnok finally succeeds in resurrecting the One Being and fusing himself. With the aid of the Elder Gods, Sub-Zero, Scorpion, and Liu Kang engage in a fight and kill Shinnok while Johnny, Jax, Kitana, and Sonya protect civilians from Kahn's remaining army.
In the aftermath, Kang absorbs the One Being's power and reverts the realms into their original state, including Edenia. Sonya and Johnny share a kiss while Liu and Kitana hold hands in hard-earned peace, unaware that Raiden is revived with his immortality.
Voice cast
- Jordan Rodrigues as Liu Kang
- Kintaro
- Joel McHale as Johnny Cage
- Jennifer Carpenter as Sonya Blade
- Ike Amadi as Jax Briggs, One Being
- Cyrax
- Reiko
- Li Mei
- Matthew Yang King as Kung Lao
- Bayardo De Murguia as Kuai Liang / Sub-Zero
- Smoke
- Paul Nakauchi as the Lin Kuei Grandmaster
- Emily O'Brien as Jade, Liu Lin
- Patrick Seitz as Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion
- Fred Tatasciore as Shao Kahn
- D'Vorah
- Matthew Lillard as Shaggy Rogers (uncredited cameo)[3]
Production
Development
Following the release of Scorpion's Revenge in April 2020, screenwriter Jeremy Adams expressed interest in doing a sequel.[4] In June 2021, a sequel was announced, with most of the cast and crew from the previous film now set to return. On the day before the film's release, a Warner Bros. Animation logo variant featuring Shaggy Rogers from Scooby-Doo strangling Scorpion was uploaded onto the internet, inspired by the "Ultra Instinct Shaggy" internet meme, as a follow-up to the previous film's logo variant featuring Scorpion strangling Daffy Duck in place of Porky Pig.[5]
Casting
Release
Home media
The film earned $1,652,738 from domestic Blu-ray sales.[6]
Reception
Battle of the Realms holds a 50% rating with six reviews on Rotten Tomatoes,[7] and has received mixed to negative critical reception. Mitchell Saltzman of IGN rated the film a five out of ten, calling it "a swing and a whiff" in that it "feels all over the place, attempting to tell too many stories at once and not doing any of them justice."[8] Luke Y. Thompson of SuperHeroHype called the plot "wildly inconsistent" and that it "mostly serves as the thinnest of devices to get to the next fight."[9] Den of Geek called the film "a narrative mess ... an incredibly busy movie that has too much going on to the point that there are two completely separate storylines happening at the same time that only briefly connect but ultimately converge in a bonkers and completely tacked on finale."[10] However, Tanner Dedmon of ComicBook.com wrote that the film "wastes no time getting to the action" and "doubles down on things like x-rayed blows and key catchphrases that honor the source material and give characters their big moments without being too distracting."[11]
References
- ^ Couch, Aaron (2021-06-16). "Animated 'Mortal Kombat Legends' Sequel Arriving This Summer (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2021-06-16. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
- ^ "Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms Release Date, Box Art Revealed". GAMING. Archived from the original on 2021-06-23. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
- ^ McWhertor, Michael (August 31, 2021). "New Mortal Kombat movie canonizes Ultra Instinct Shaggy". Polygon. Archived from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
- ^ Knight, Rosie (April 15, 2020). "Will a Mortal Kombat: Scorpion's Revenge Sequel Happen?". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
- ^ McWhertor, Michael (August 31, 2021). "New Mortal Kombat movie canonizes Ultra Instinct Shaggy". Polygon. Archived from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
- ^ "Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle Of The Realms (2021) The Numbers Listing". The Numbers. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
- ^ "Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms". Rotten Tomatoes. 2021. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
- ^ Saltzman, Mitchell (August 24, 2021). "Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
- ^ Thompson, Luke Y. (August 31, 2021). "Review: Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms". SuperHeroHype. Mandatory. Archived from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
- ^ Jasper, Gavin (September 2, 2021). "How Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms Delivers a Real Mortal Kombat 2 Movie". Den of Geek. Dennis Publishing. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
- ComicBook.com. Paramount Global. Archivedfrom the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2022.