Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms

Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms
Official DVD/Blu-ray cover
Directed by	Ethan Spaulding
Screenplay by	Jeremy Adams
Based on	Mortal Kombat by Ed Boon John Tobias
Produced by	Rick Morales Jim Krieg
Starring	Jordan Rodrigues Joel McHale Jennifer Carpenter Patrick Seitz Matthew Mercer Fred Tatasciore Dave B. Mitchell Robin Atkin Downes Grey Griffin
Edited by	Robert Ehrenreich
Music by	John Jennings Boyd Eric V. Hachikian
Production companies	Warner Bros. Animation Studio Mir
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Release date	August 31, 2021 (2021-08-31)
Running time	80 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms is a 2021 American direct-to-video adult animated martial arts film, directed by Ethan Spaulding from a screenplay by Jeremy Adams, based on the Mortal Kombat franchise created by Ed Boon and John Tobias, while serving as the direct sequel to Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge (2020). Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and animated by Studio Mir, Boon returned from the predecessor as creative consultant.^[1]

Inspired primarily after the plots of Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat 3, the movie revolves around the otherworldly Mortal Kombat tournament set in Outworld. Liu Kang is chosen to fulfill his destiny as a tournament champion while Scorpion sets out to prevent the Kamidogu artifact fall into the hands of Shinnok as he comes into conflict with the younger Sub-Zero.

The movie was released on August 31, 2021 on Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray as well as digitally.^[2]

Plot[]

A couple attempts to protect their infant son, Liu Kang, from pursuing Tarkatans, who are sent to prevent the infant from fulfilling his destiny of defeating Shao Kahn. They tear the father apart and mortally wound the mother, and then prepare to devour Liu Kang, but were stopped by Lord Raiden, who kills them all. The dying mother asks Raiden to tell their son that he was loved by his parents before passing on, and Raiden takes his leave with Liu Kang to train him for his purpose.

Following the events of the previous Mortal Kombat tournament, Shao Kahn declares war on Earthrealm in retaliation for Shang Tsung's defeat through a new Mortal Kombat tournament set in Outworld. Princess Kitana, Kintaro, General Reiko, and Jade lead the Emperor's first wave invasion force of Outworld laying siege against the Wuxi monastery but they are repelled by Kung Lao and Special Forces cybernetically enhanced Jackson Briggs and NYPD officer Kurtis Stryker. At the onset of their assault, the Outworld commanders are confronted by movie star Johnny Cage and Jax’s partner Sonya Blade.

When Cage and Blade are soon joined in stymying the incursion force by Liu Kang and Raiden as negotiations fail, Kahn appears himself, petitioning Raiden to participate in a final Mortal Kombat tournament to decide the fate of their world once and for all. The thundergod agrees and he ventures to the realm of his overseers; the Elder Gods, to put forth his commitment to this ultimate contest.

Meanwhile, just as plans for the final competition are being drawn, Scorpion reawakens back in the Netherrealm after having died a second time upon Shang Tsung's island. He is confronted by the maddened Elder God Shinnok over the death of his favored servant Quan Chi. Shinnok engineers Scorpion’s entrance into Earthrealm in hopes of utilizing the key embedded in his body by hiring the Lin Kuei clan. Back in Earthrealm, Lin Kuei members Smoke and Kuai Liang are summoned by the grandmaster to hunt down Scorpion. They are horrified to witness their missing peers having undergone neural cybernetic biomodifications as a means to strengthen the clan, the juniors being expected to do the same. In response, Smoke and Sub-Zero rebel, with Sub-Zero being the only one to flee successfully.

Back at the Wuxi Temple, Raiden returns to his troops after making arrangements to hold and participate in the tournament while relinquishing his immortality. Once the Earthrealm warriors heads out for Outworld, Scorpion makes his presence known to Raiden. He mentions how the key to Shinnok's prison had been bonded to his soul and came to the protector of Earthrealm for advice about its purpose. Raiden informs him that it is a key to untold power known as the Kamidogu; a supreme magical relic from a bygone era that, if used improperly, could doom all the realms.

At the start of the tournament, Cage is defeated by Kytinn warrior D'Vorah; Sonya defeats D'Vorah and Li Mei; Kang defeats Jade; Stryker defeats Baraka; and Jax successfully defeats Kintaro by ripping his arms out of their sockets.

Back on Earth, Scorpion is being pursued by the now cybernetic Cyrax and Sektor in a dockside shipping yard. The trio are soon interrupted by Sub-Zero, but even he is outmatched by their superior enhancements, aided later by new arrival, the cybernetic Smoke. With their enemies overwhelmed, the three cyber Lin Kuei apprehend their Hellspawn prey and make off to the Temple of Elements. At their destination, they force Hanzo to open the gate leading to their prize. As they prepare to eliminate him once upon accessing its gateway, they are interrupted again by a vengeful Sub-Zero. Scorpion tries and fails to console Kuai Liang over murdering his brother but agrees to a temporary alliance against the Lin Kuei. The two are still no match for their robotic assailants and are left for dead upon their acquisition of the artifact as the mountainous hall collapses on them.

As the second half of the final tournament is underway, Lao and Stryker are killed by Shao Kahn and Shang Tsung. Kitana rebels against Kahn instead of fighting against Raiden only to be beaten into submission. Kang defeats Shang Tsung regardless of a setback and spares him.

Within the Netherrealm the Lin Kuei realize too late their employer was Shinnok, learn of his plan to revive the One Being and bring an end to all of creation; being subsequently betrayed and killed for their services.

During the final stage of the tournament, Raiden loses his battle against Shao Kahn and dies in the process, enraging Kang to defeat Kahn and win the tournament. Celebrations are cut short however as Shinnok finally succeeds in resurrecting the One Being and immediately absorbs its power to become Corrupted Shinnok. With the aid of the Elder Gods, Sub-Zero, and Scorpion, Liu Kang engages in kombat with Shinnok while Johnny, Jax, Kitana, and Sonya protect civilians from Kahn’s remaining army.

In the aftermath of the battle, Kang manages to absorb the One Being's power and disseminate it back into separating the realms into their original state, including Edenia. Sonya and Johnny share one final kiss while Liu and Kitana hold hands in hard-earned peace. They are unaware that Raiden is revived with his godhood, watching them from afar and leaving with lightning in the skies.

Voice cast[]

Production[]

Development[]

Following the release of Scorpion's Revenge in April 2020, screenwriter Jeremy Adams expressed interest in doing a sequel.^[3] In June 2021, a sequel was announced, with most of the cast and crew from the previous film set to return. On the day before the film's release, a Warner Bros. Animation logo variant featuring Shaggy Rogers from Scooby-Doo strangling Scorpion was uploaded onto the internet, inspired by the "Ultra Instinct Shaggy" internet meme, as a follow up to the previous film's logo variant featuring Scorpion strangling Daffy Duck in place of Porky Pig.^[4]

Casting[]

Matthew Mercer reprises his role as Kurtis Stryker from the 2011 video game for the first time in a decade, Dave B. Mitchell reprises his role as Sektor from Mortal Kombat 11, and Matthew Yang King, who voiced both Liu Kang and Fujin in Mortal Kombat 11, now voices Kung Lao. Matthew Lillard voices Shaggy Rogers for the film's logo opening inspired by the internet meme.^[5]

References[]

External links[]

• Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms at IMDb