Mortal Kombat (1995)

Mortal Kombat (1995) is a martial arts fantasy action film directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, based on the popular video game series of the same name. The film was one of the first successful video game adaptations and is known for its blend of martial arts action, fantastical elements, and memorable characters. With a soundtrack that became iconic in the 1990s, Mortal Kombat developed a cult following despite mixed critical reception.
The film follows three Earth warriors—Liu Kang (Robin Shou), Johnny Cage (Linden Ashby), and Sonya Blade (Bridgette Wilson)—who are chosen to represent Earth in an ancient tournament called Mortal Kombat. The tournament is held on a mysterious island, and the fate of Earth rests in their hands as they face off against various fighters from Outworld, a realm ruled by the evil sorcerer Shang Tsung (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa).
Liu Kang seeks revenge for his brother’s death at the hands of Shang Tsung, Johnny Cage is a Hollywood actor trying to prove his fighting skills are real, and Sonya Blade is on a mission to apprehend the criminal Kano (Trevor Goddard), who also competes in the tournament. Together, they are guided by the god of thunder, Raiden (Christopher Lambert), as they prepare to defend Earthrealm from Shang Tsung’s forces.
The film is filled with iconic fights between characters such as Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Goro, and Reptile, bringing fan-favorite fighters from the video game to life. Ultimately, the warriors must defeat Shang Tsung to prevent Earth from being taken over by Outworld’s Emperor.