Based on all we’ve been hearing, the upcoming silver screen reboot of Mortal Kombat will be quite different from past films adapting the beloved video game franchise. Of course, this was to be expected from anything scrapping previously established continuity.
Considering that recent news confirmed how the filmmakers are shooting for a hard R-rating – not to mention video game-accurate fatalities being included – we’re all assuming for something violent and straight-faced to greet us when it comes time to shuffle into our local cinema.
Well, not so fast.
According to screenwriter Greg Russo, we could receive something more comparable in tone to Deadpool, as he told ComicBook.com the following:
“We looked at the games and then we also were looking at some film comps to compare our tone to. And I think things like Deadpool popped up and we’re like, we really like the tone of that. You know, it’s got some great humor in there, but if you kind of take the humor out of it, it’s got real characters, like really emotional stakes behind what the characters are going through.”
Having been a fan of the franchise since the mid-1990s myself, I actually kind of find that worrisome. If Mortal Kombat makes you laugh, it’s unintentional. Anyone who’s seen Annihilation, The Journey Begins animated film or the Defenders of the Realm animated series knows what I’m talking about.
But Russo and his colleagues feel they’ve achieved a balance, for he also stated:
“We wanted to be somewhat truthful with the tone of the game. So if you played the games, there are real stakes, there’s real emotion behind what the characters are going through but at the same time, it’s really fun.
“I mean Mortal Kombat‘s always been very tongue-in-cheek in how it approaches whether it’s kind of over the top violence or just kind of some of the insane story ideas that they come up with. I mean there’s always been this kind of fun nature to it.”
I mean, I get where the guy is coming from, but while the finishing moves may be silly at times, the story itself has always played out in a more serious manner. Ultimately, we’ll find out if it works when Mortal Kombat storms theaters on March 5th, 2021.
