Mortal Kombat: Annihilation won't be the movie for you if your picky. If you deal with some bad line deliveries and less-than-perfect graphics, pushing it aside for a good storyline, then it might be the movie for you.

After defeating Shang Tsung in the first Mortal Kombat tournament, Liu Kang and his friends return to Earth, thinking it will be safe until the next tournament. However, Shao Kahn, Emperor of Outworld appears with his generals and Death Squads, threatening the destruction of Earth. Raiden informs Liu and the others that Outworld will merge with Earth, and everything on Earth will be destroyed. They must stop Shao Kahn if they want to survive. This is where the perilous journey all begins.

The game features characters from various Mortal Kombat video games, from Mortal Kombat 1 all the way to Mortal Kombat 4 and Mythologies. Such characters include Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, Sub-Zero, Smoke, Shinnok, and Motaro. However, although the cast includes a plethora of Mortal Kombat characters, it doesn't follow the storyline of the games, and basically destroys what storyline the games had. However, this doesn't necessarily make it a bad flick.

Although the storyline doesn't follow the games, it's a good plot anyway. A group of unlikely heroes that have no other choice but to save the world. It's familiar, but classic.

The fight scenes are very well played out, realistic even. You'll be on the edge of your seat while observing some of the moves, and you can almost feel the pain, the rush of adrenaline; it'll make you want to go out and just learn martial arts even if you're that far into it.

One thing that is sort of a downer is the graphics. They'd be good for a completely computer animated movie, but not mixed in with real acting. It gives the movie a childish appearance in some places, making it less interesting and appealing to watch.

The backgrounds are excellent though, making up somewhat for the graphics. They are excellently designed and look mostly realistic. The temples, caverns, fortresses, everything seems to be well put together as for the places for the fights.

The music featured in the movie will be a great treat to techno fans. The original Mortal Kombat theme song, as well as some new fight anthems are featured throughout the movie, giving even more of a 'kick' to the fight scenes.

One other downer is the fact that there is a lot of lightning in the Outworld scenes. This wouldn't be so bad, except for the fact that it doesn't sound like lightning. It sounds like a bug getting fried by a bug zapper rather than lightning, so that may ruin a few scenes for you as well.

Although the movie has many flaws, it does have excellent and well-put-together fight scenes, good music to match the fights, and a whole array of characters from various Mortal Kombat games. This film can either be great, but at the same time a total Fatality.

If you buy the DVD version, it has loads of extras. It has both Widescreen and letterbox film presentations, Kombatant biographies, computer models, fight scene list, the original theatrical trailer, and others. Starring Robin Shou, Talisa Soto, and Irina Pantaeva, Mortal Kombat Annihilation sets itself on the shelf of the Mortal Kombat Legacy, just not as Immortal as the rest of the series.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older