“Mortal Kombat” has been a beloved game series for nearly 30 years, and after about 24 years it finally returns to the big screen.

The “Mortal Kombat” series has had two movies in the past. The general consensus is that only the first movie is good, so fans have another chance to see their favorite characters in a live action setting with new up to date designs and special effects.

Video game movie adaptions have been generally lack luster, but 1995’s “Mortal Kombat” is widely seen as one of the better if not just more fun adaptions. The 2021 reboot is more of the same.

While the movie doesn’t break any new ground for films, it does deliver as fun and mostly accurate film for the fans.

Many of the characters stay true to their video game counterparts. And while that may be true, the characters are fairly static in their development.

The new or obscure characters are either given very little time to shine or they are just less interesting than the more well know characters. These issues can be pretty easily ignored as the deep character interaction isn’t what the movie is about.

The combat is much more exciting than any other interactions. Every fight has standout moments that are either references to the games or new brutal and creative attacks.

There are multiple kills in the movie that are direct references to the game’s iconic “Fatality” system. For many fans this will most likely the most exciting part of the film.

In addition to certain combos and fatalities, the characters make reference to the announcer’s voice lines from the games. This is extremely cheesy but at the same time is amusing for those who are fans of the series.

Overall, “Mortal Kombat” is a decent movie if only for its entertaining fight scenes. The characters can fall flat at times, but generally they have some funny lines.

The special effects are nothing to write home about, but they are respectable. The movie enjoyment hinges on whether the viewer is a fan of the games or not.

While newcomers may find enjoyment in some the movie’s gore filled fight scenes, others will most likely notice too many flaws to enjoy the experience.