We don’t have too long to wait for Mortal Kombat, which will be with us on April 23rd. Although we’ve already received a lot of details about the movie, including some positive early praise, this week sees the release of a new clip showing Scorpion going up against Sub-Zero. Providing us with a taste of what to expect from the hard-R picture, the short video, available above, gives us a lot to be excited about.
Things kick off with Joe Taslim’s Sub-Zero creating an ice sword to take on 60-year-old legend Hiroyuki Sanada’s Scorpion, with the fight set in what appears to be a frozen-over warehouse. The two fighters proceed to go at each other with the blade and Scorpion’s kunai, with the latter appearing to gain the upper hand before Sub-Zero throws up a double to block his attack.
Although lacking gore, this look at Mortal Kombat showcases the martial arts prowess of its cast, as well as their physical abilities. Indeed, Taslim has commented on how shooting the video game adaptation was tougher than The Raid, partly due to having to carry more weight on his body during his scenes. Moreover, it does seem that making the fights as authentic as possible was key to the Simon McQuoid-directed film, including the performers doing all their own stunts.
This particular moment between Scorpion and Sub-Zero is likely the one we had brief glimpses of in a recent trailer, and confirms remarks from the producers regarding the importance of both characters to the overall story. With less than a week to go until its HBO Max and limited theatrical premiere, we’re keen to see whether Mortal Kombat lives up to the substantial hype, and just how much violence and bloody fatalities it manages to squeeze in without tipping over into NC-17 territory.