Fans aren't asking much from Mortal Kombat adaptations; while the games contain some extensive lore, that has never been the main drawing point. People have always been drawn to the Mortal Kombat series for its fun fighting mechanics and gory fatalities, and that's what fans want to see on the big screen.
Unfortunately, the Mortal Kombat film series is a mixed bag. The original movie makes for fun nostalgia, but it's corny and disappointingly PG-13. The new reboot is the best in terms of fights, but it gets a little bogged down in lore, and the less said about Annihilation, the better.
Best: Johnny Cage Vs. Scorpion
Perhaps the most iconic fight from the series is the Johnny Cage vs. Scorpion battle from the original Mortal Kombat. There's much to this fight that remains iconic, including the unique forest setting and the glimpse that audiences get of Scorpion's rope-monster-thing emerging from his palm.
Things get even better when Cage descends into Hell. The production design is memorable, and viewers are treated to the amazing sights of Scorpion breathing fire and Cage sawing his skull in half with a saw blade.
Worst: Johnny Cage Vs. Goro
The Johnny Cage vs. Goro fight is certainly unique, but there's no denying that there are a lot of goofy elements that take it down a few notches. First is the shoddy nature of Goro's animatronics. It may have looked decent in 1995, but the Goro puppet looks quite silly today.
Second is the somewhat comical nature of the fight itself, complete with Cage doing the splits and delivering a punch to Goro's nether regions. This causes him to grab his groin and wince in pain, and it's just not something that Mortal Kombat needed.
Best: Liu Kang Vs. Reptile
Aside from the somewhat out-of-place "REPTILE!" at the fight's beginnin—an obvious reference to the video game character select screen—the Liu Kang vs. Reptile fight is actually pretty great. It takes place in a very unique location, and it's accompanied by a fun techno beat.
The fight also contains some great choreography, performed with skill by martial artists Robin Shou and Keith Cooke. Cooke would later return for Annihilation, but his role would prove significantly worse...
Worst: Sonya Vs. Kano
On the other side of the spectrum is the awkward and clumsy Sonya vs. Kano fight. Unlike the Liu Kang vs. Reptile fight, this one is performed by two non-martial artists in actors Bridgette Wilson and Trevor Goddard, and it shows.
Despite their valiant efforts, the fight looks cheap and unconvincing. Fans expected exciting martial arts action with Mortal Kombat, and this fight did not deliver.
Best: Liu Kang Vs. Shang Tsung
The first Mortal Kombat film culminates in a one-on-one fight between Liu Kang and Shang Tsung, and it serves as a suitable conclusion to the film. Once again, this fight was performed by two professional martial artists in Robin Shou and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa.
The obvious contrast between actors (Sonya vs. Kano) and martial artists (this) really makes viewers appreciate the talent behind martial artists, with fights like this beautifully showcasing the athleticism and fluidity behind the art form.
Worst: Scorpion Vs. Sub-Zero
Fans were clamoring for a fight between Scorpion and Sub-Zero—perhaps the franchise's most popular characters—and they got just that in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. Unfortunately, it was part of Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, which means it was utterly horrible.
There are a few good elements to this fight (including the returning Keith Cooke as Sub-Zero), but they are tarnished by goofy music, cheap-looking visual effects and costumes, and a bizarre ending that sees Scorpion kidnapping Kitana ("SUCKERRRRRRS!!")
Best: The Scorpion Family Massacre
2021's Mortal Kombat may not have been a perfect movie, but it opens in spectacular fashion with the Scorpion family massacre. Scorpion single-handedly fights off a group of invaders, and it makes for a legitimately great action sequence.
It contains some great choreography and sound design, some much-welcomed blood and gore which was painfully absent from the two original films, and watching Scorpion use his rope knife proves endlessly compelling.
Worst: Sonya Vs. Mileena
Nothing against Sonya Blade, as she's a great character, but her fights are really lame. Annihilation contained its fair share of laughable fight scenes, and the Sonya vs. Mileena fight is certainly one of them. The fight is subjected to some very choppy editing, and viewers watch more reaction shots instead of any actual combat.
The fighting that is there is both boring and unconvincing despite the valiant efforts of martial artist Dana Hee, who plays Mileena.
Best: Scorpion Vs. Sub-Zero
Fans finally got the Scorpion vs. Sub-Zero fight they were hoping for in the 2021 Mortal Kombat. Unlike the one found in Annihilation, this fight contains professional production values, and there's actually some good character and story meaning behind the battle.
Scorpion utters his iconic "get over here" line, the choreography is great, the score is suitably epic, and it's complete with the signature Mortal Kombat music, and the ending with Scorpion pulling down his mask and setting Sub-Zero on fire is pure Mortal Kombat fan service.
Worst: Liu Kang Vs. Shao Kahn
The Scorpion vs. Sub-Zero fight in Mortal Kombat serves as an epic finale, and then there's the Liu Kang vs. Shao Kahn fight from Annihilation, which only serves to make viewers laugh in bewilderment and disbelief. There is nothing good about this fight aside from maybe the Mortal Kombat music)
It looks and sounds cheap, it ends in a really anticlimactic fashion—Shao Kahn gets kicked in the chin? Really?—and the less said about the abhorrent Animalitys the better. This is not the fight that Shao Kahn deserved.