Well, another foray into the cinematic variety of the "Mortal Kombat" franchise in 2021? Sure, why not? But this time it is an animated movie, for better or worse.
Of course I had to sit down and watch "Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms", as I have been riding along on the "Mortal Kombat" wave since playing the very first game when it came out. And yeah, the movies that they have been putting out, aside from the 2021 version, have been cheesy and dubious at best. So I wasn't exactly harboring much of any expectations for "Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms".
But I will say that writer Jeremy Adams and director Ethan Spaulding actually managed to put together an animated movie in the "Mortal Kombat" franchise that actually was entertaining to watch, while at the same time capturing the essence of the fighting games. And by that, of course, I mean all the mayhed, gore, mutilation and over-the-top violence. Yup, it is all here, in all its gory glory. And believe me, this is pretty gory.
Storywise, then it is "Mortal Kombat" in every aspect, Outworld vs. Earthrealm. Yeah, just as every other single foray into the "Mortal Kombat" franchise, so there is nothing new to be experienced here really, aside from the fight scenes and whom gets pitted against whom in the fights.
The visual presentation of "Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms" was good. The art style used in this 2021 animated movie is something that feels like a mixture of the classic 1980s style and newer styles seen in animated movies. And guess what? It actually works out quite well for "Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms".
The animation in "Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms" is good and smooth, and it is definitely fast paced and looks great. So if nothing else, just lean back and enjoy the adrenalin-filled fights. And true to the "Mortal Kombat" blueprint, this was essentially just fighting from start to end. Sure, there was a pinch of storyline crammed in between the fights, classic "Mortal Kombat".
They had ensured to put in a good amount of characters from the franchise, including characters that have been along since the beginning, and also characters that found their way into the franchise as the years went by. So yeah, indeed there is something for everyone here.
I found "Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms" to be entertaining.
My rating of this 2021 animated movie lands on a six out of ten stars.
