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Mortal Kombat is nearly here, and the excitement only seems to be rising for the highly anticipated video game adaptation. There are a number of things to look forward to, including the live-action re-imaginings of some fan-favorite characters, such as Kano, Sonya Blade and Sub-Zero. However, an aspect of the film that most fans are likely most hyped for is the extravagant (and gory) combat. Based on the trailers, the fight scenes look impressive, but a new behind-the-scenes video now gives us a better look at the epic fight choreography.
Mortal Kombat director Simon McQuoid and his collaborators seem to be pulling out all the stops when it comes to thrilling audiences. In a recent behind-the-scenes video, shared exclusively with GameSpot, the filmmaker opened up about how he aimed to get the best out of the movie’s fight sequences. Check out the cool video down below:
The clip not only showcases some of the film’s major combat scenes, but it also gives a greater understanding as to how Simon McQuoid approached fight scenes. What’s most interesting to hear is that McQuoid did indeed aim to cast lead actors like Lewis Tan and Joe Taslim, who have plenty of experience as martial artists. This may sound like an obvious strategy, but there are many cases in which practiced fighters are not cast in leading roles such as these.
Having so many seasoned performers from the realm of martial arts definitely pays off. The actors are more likely to nail down any difficult fight choreography and, given their experience, they likely do more of their own stunts - even though as the stars, they’re still only allowed to do so much. But you have to love that Mortal Kombat will showcase the talents of so many skilled actors.
One thing that will be most interesting to see in Mortal Kombat is how the actors are able to channel their skills into the franchise’s famous fatalities. Simon McQuoid previously stressed the importance of the fatalities, and it doesn’t seem like he’s holding back, either. The trailers and TV spots have teased some pretty brutal moments, some so vicious that Lewis Tan even became a bit woozy while shooting the bloody beatdowns. So rest assured fans, MK movie is making the most of that R-rating.
Of course, the fight sequences make up only one aspect of the Mortal Kombat franchise. The stylized violence is cool, but let’s hope the film also provides us with interesting characters that maintain the essence of their video game counterparts.
We’ll see how it all goes down when Mortal Kombat releases April 23rd in theaters and on HBO Max, which you can sign up for using this link.
