Mortal Kombat II (2026) is in theaters now (released May 8) and has opened to a solid but divided reception: strong audience love, mixed-to-positive critic scores, and improved action/fan service over the 2021 film.
Aggregate Scores (as of May 11)
- Rotten Tomatoes: ~65-70% Critics (Fresh, best live-action MK yet), 89-90% Audience (highest for any MK movie).
- Metacritic: ~47-50 (Mixed), with user score ~7.3-7.4 (Generally Favorable).
What Critics & Fans Are Saying
The Good (Biggest Strengths):
- Action & Fatalities: Brutal, fast, stylish, and gory fights with excellent choreography. Many call the fatalities “insane” and true to the games. Bigger tournament feel, more characters, and improved VFX.
- Karl Urban as Johnny Cage: Steals the show — charismatic, funny, self-aware, and perfectly cast. Fans and critics rave about him.
- Fan Service: More game-accurate elements, stage recreations, lore nods, and classic rivalries (Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Kitana, etc.). Feels more like Mortal Kombat than the first film.
The Criticisms:
- Story & Pacing: Thin/plot-heavy on clichés, uneven, and sometimes “sludgy” or “profoundly stupid.” Some say fights blur together and stakes feel low.
- Character Focus: Still leans on Cole Young (Lewis Tan) for some, which divides fans. Not everyone loves the balance.
Audience Verdict: Most MK fans are having a blast — “unashamedly entertaining,” “best video game movie,” “everything I wanted.” It’s campy, violent fun that delivers on spectacle.
Box Office
Strong domestic opening (~$40M weekend, nearly double the 2021 film’s), but softer internationally. Early global total around $63M. Word-of-mouth is positive for legs.
Visual Highlights
Recommendation: If you’re an MK fan who loved the gore, fights, and Johnny Cage hype — go see it in theaters (especially IMAX for the action). Casual viewers may find the story thin. It’s a clear step up from 2021 and the most “Mortal Kombat” live-action movie yet.
