Finish him!
The highly anticipated trailer for Mortal Kombat 2—the sequel to the 2021 reboot that reignited interest in the long-running franchise—just dropped, and while it’s packed with potential, it’s not quite the flawless victory fans were hoping for. Still, there’s plenty to be excited about, especially if the filmmakers play their cards right.
Let’s talk about the trailer. It’s solid. Not bad by any means. But after the incredibly hyped, well-scored trailer for the 2021 film, this one just didn’t quite hit as hard. The music choice, in particular, kind of killed the energy. A trailer like this lives or dies by its rhythm, and this one didn’t build the momentum it needed.
But vibes aside, the content of the trailer hints at a bigger, bloodier film. We get our first look at a slew of new characters—Johnny Cage (played by Karl Urban), Baraka, Shao Kahn, Kitana, Jade, Smoke—and many fan-favorite returnees like Liu Kang, Raiden, Sonya Blade, Jax, Shang Tsung, and yes, even Kano, who once again looks amazing. Costume design is absolutely on point across the board. Everyone looks like a faithful, high-budget recreation of their video game counterpart.
The big narrative shift seems to center around Johnny Cage. It’s clear he’s the focal point here, which might mean Cole Young—who drew a mixed reaction from fans last time—is taking a back seat. Whether that’s a permanent pivot or a clever fake-out remains to be seen. But it’s Johnny’s movie, and Karl Urban seems to be leaning into the character hard.
Now the big question: is this finally the tournament movie? It’s a little murky. From the trailer, it looks like we’re in the “training and setup” phase, with the actual tournament potentially saved for a third film. That’s fine if the ride getting there is satisfying. Fans want the tournament, but they’ll wait—so long as you keep us hooked.
Speaking of hooks: fight scenes. Let’s talk about what needs to improve. The first movie had promise, but the fights were too short, too few, and sometimes too clean. This sequel needs to step it up. Give us longer, more brutal battles. Give us proper Fatalities—and not just one or two flashy kills. And for the love of the Elder Gods, give us a side-scroll-style fight scene. Just one. It’s a direct homage to the games and honestly not hard to pull off. Fans would lose their minds.
Director Simon McQuoid returns for round two, and hopefully he’s taken fan feedback to heart. The ingredients for something truly special are all here. If the action delivers, the character introductions land, and the plot holds together, this could be the Mortal Kombat movie we’ve all been waiting for.
This time, we’re actually getting to see it in theaters—COVID restrictions buried the box office numbers for the first film, despite its solid performance on streaming. But Mortal Kombat 2 is getting the full theatrical rollout, and you can bet it’ll look killer in IMAX. You can feel the studio’s confidence in this one—they rolled out the trailer with a full-day media blitz. That says something. They believe in it.
We’ll see how it all comes together when the movie drops in October. Shao Kahn looks like a beast, and if he’s the big bad, you better let him wreak havoc. Kill some people. Smash some skulls. Bring the pain.
Final verdict on the trailer? Solid start. Not perfect. But if the movie brings the heat in all the right places, Mortal Kombat 2 could be a bloody good time.
