Mortal Kombat 2 has proved worth the wait, as the film now ranks as one of the highest-rated video game movies of all time on Rotten Tomatoes.
The upcoming movie sits at a 76% Fresh rating based on 67 reviews. This puts it at the third-highest-ranked video game adaptation behind Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Werewolves Within, both of which are tied at 86%. It's Sonic's audience score, however, that breaks the tie and cements its status as number one overall, thanks to its 95% audience score compared to Werewolves Within's 80% audience score. It also ranks much higher than 2021's Mortal Kombat, which sits at 55%, and even the 1995 adaptation, which has a 44%.
The reviews for the long-awaited sequel are mixed, though they skew quite positive. CBR gave the movie a 7/10, calling it "a whole lot of fun, and a reminder that sometimes movies are meant to simply give us a break from the world and bring us joy through all the chaos." Collider criticized the film's slow-moving first act, but stated that it becomes a bloody good time and a bone-crunching spectacle from start to finish," once the second half kicks in.
Our own review gives it 3 out of 5 stars, calling it a "bloody fun second round" that "creatively resets the series for the better," but laments that the story is "overall gibberish." Personally, I just really enjoy the fact that they updated the iconic theme song by The Immortals from the 1995 movie to include the characters in the newest film.
Mortal Kombat 2 hits cinemas on May 8. For more, check out our guide to upcoming video game movies and our interview with Lewis Tan on why the first movie felt more like a "prequel" compared to this year's follow-up.
