Mortal Kombat

Lewis Tan plays Cole Young, a once-promising mixed martial artist reduced to last-minute bouts staged in sweaty auditoriums. An attack from a mysterious assailant with supernatural powers thrusts him into a centuries old conflict between worlds.

This reboot edges the original film as my franchise favorite. The larger budget manifests in sweeping location photography and gruesome visual effects.

The supporting cast shines. Josh Lawson steals his scenes as the despicable, yet often hilarious, Kano. I loved Max Huang’s turn as Kung Lao and Damon Herriman’s Chicago-goon take on Kabal redefines the character.

My lone complaint lies with Cole Young. Why invent such an underwhelming new character? And serving as a pseudo-replacement for fan-favorite Scorpion only exacerbates his character’s dull edge. It’s a testament to Tan’s charisma and physical presence, that this odd choice doesn’t sink the film.