Mortal Kombat Annihilation

Mortal Kombat Annihilation
Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	1997; 29 years ago
Founder	John R. Leonetti (director debut)
Headquarters	United States
Products	Martial arts fantasy film
Owner	New Line Cinema (distributor)

Mortal Kombat Annihilation is a 1997 American martial arts fantasy movie marking the directorial debut of John R. Leonetti. This film, inspired by the Mortal Kombat video game series, serves as the second entry in the Mortal Kombat movie franchise and a follow-up to the 1995 original, where Leonetti worked as cinematographer. Drawing heavily from the 1995 title Mortal Kombat 3, Annihilation centers on Liu Kang and his allies attempting to thwart the antagonist Shao Kahn from conquering Earthrealm. The principal cast features Robin Shou reprising Liu Kang, Talisa Soto returning as Kitana, alongside James Remar portraying Raiden, Sandra Hess as Sonya Blade, Lynn “Red” Williams in the role of Jax, and Brian Thompson as Shao Kahn. Only Shou and Soto returned to their original roles; other characters were recast.

Distributed by New Line Cinema on November 21, 1997, Mortal Kombat Annihilation was met with predominantly negative critiques but managed to earn $51.3 million against a production budget of $30 million. The unfavorable response led to the cancellation of any immediate sequel plans, leaving a potential third film in development uncertainty until the franchise was rebooted in 2021.

Plot

Outworld’s ruler Shao Kahn breaches Earthrealm by opening a portal and resurrecting Queen Sindel, the late mother of Princess Kitana, to bolster his invasion forces. Earthrealm defenders Raiden, Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, and Johnny Cage fight back, but Cage is killed by Kahn. The remaining heroes withdraw to gather reinforcements.

Sonya recruits her Special Forces comrade Jax, while Kitana and Liu Kang seek out Nightwolf, a Native American shaman possessing vital knowledge to counter Kahn’s threat. Meanwhile, Scorpion abducts Kitana.

Raiden seeks guidance from the Elder Gods regarding Kahn’s violation of tournament regulations and methods to stop him. One Elder God suggests that reuniting Kitana with Sindel could sever Kahn’s control; another insists that only defeating Kahn will suffice. Raiden faces scrutiny over his dedication to protecting mortals.

Under Nightwolf’s tutelage, Liu trains to master Animality—a shapeshifting ability requiring three trials: self-worth, bravery, concentration, and resisting temptation presented by Jade—a warrior who later reveals herself as a double agent for Kahn. Liu escorts Jade to the Elder Gods’ temple; however, the final trial remains undisclosed.

Raiden relinquishes his immortality to fight alongside the warriors. They infiltrate Outworld aiming to rescue Kitana and reunite her with Sindel to restore her soul and close the portal. Liu successfully frees Kitana; others incapacitate Sindel, who escapes under Kahn’s influence. Jade is executed by Kahn for treachery. Raiden discloses that Shao Kahn is his brother and that former Elder God Shinnok is their father; Shinnok supports Kahn’s cause. Raiden refuses Shinnok’s order to abandon mortals and is killed by Kahn.

Jax, Sonya, and Kitana overcome Kahn’s generals—Jax defeats Motaro, Kitana overcomes Sindel, Sonya conquers Ermac. Liu confronts Kahn using Animality, revealing that Kahn is mortal due to breaking tournament rules. Shinnok attempts to kill Liu but is exposed by two Elder Gods who declare Earthrealm’s fate will be settled through Mortal Kombat. Liu defeats Kahn; Shinnok is banished to Netherrealm. Earthrealm is restored; Sindel reunites with Kitana. Raiden is resurrected and assumes his father’s role, urging the warriors to support one another before returning to the immortal realm. The Earthrealm defenders return home victorious.

Production

Mortal Kombat Annihilation draws loose inspiration from the 1995 video game Mortal Kombat 3, incorporating the character lineup found in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Certain storyline components originally intended from Mortal Kombat 4 were omitted from the completed film. Unlike its predecessor, which appealed to both casual audiences and gamers, this sequel was designed primarily to engage the existing gaming community. Producer Lawrence Kasanoff sought to surpass the original by delivering "an even more spectacular" experience, emphasizing increased fight scenes, enhanced special effects, and diverse locations, building on the first movie’s $73 million domestic box office success.

Principal photography commenced in early 1996 across various sites including Parys Mountain in Anglesey, Wales; London; Jordan; and Thailand. The cast underwent significant changes, with only Robin Shou (Liu Kang), Talisa Soto (Kitana), and Keith Cooke (Sub-Zero) reprising their roles from the initial film. J. J. Perry took over the role of Scorpion from Chris Casamassa, who opted to participate in Batman & Robin instead. Prop design was handled by Stephen Painter and Neill Gorton. Additionally, Thai martial artist and actor Tony Jaa contributed as a stunt double for Robin Shou.

The international release featured alternate titles: in France it was known as Mortal Kombat: Destruction Finale, in Italy as Mortal Kombat: Distruzione Totale, while in French-speaking Canada it was simply translated to Mortal Kombat: Anéantissement.

Music

The soundtrack titled Mortal Kombat Annihilation: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was issued on October 28, 1997, through TVT Records. It showcases a mixture of electronica, industrial rock, heavy metal, techno, and punk rock styles. The iconic Mortal Kombat theme was composed by Praga Khan and Oliver Adams. Produced by Lawrence Kasanoff alongside Steve Gottlieb, this album follows the 1995 Mortal Kombat soundtrack release and precedes the 2021 edition.

Of note, the track "Megalomaniac" appears here as a shortened single edit lasting 4:19, trimmed from its original duration of 6:07. Similarly, "Fire" is presented in a slightly abbreviated form at 3:14 compared to its full-length versions.

Box office

Upon its release on November 21, 1997, Mortal Kombat Annihilation debuted at number one at the box office with an opening weekend gross of $16 million. It ultimately earned $35 million within the United States and accumulated $51.3 million globally.

Critical response

The film holds a low approval rating of 4% on Rotten Tomatoes, facing criticism for its superficial character development, subpar special effects, and weak storyline. On Metacritic, it received a score of 11 out of 100, while audiences polled by CinemaScore assigned it a "C+" grade.

Jason Gibner from Allmovie characterized it as "genuinely beautiful trash cinema," whereas Marjorie Baumgarten of the Austin Chronicle described it as "a continuous sequence of elaborately choreographed fights connected by a fragile plot." Owen Gleiberman at Entertainment Weekly gave it a "D−" rating, branding the movie "abysmal" and "incoherent." IGN’s R.L. Shaffer acknowledged it as a poorly made film that gained cult status due to its unintended humor and perceived cash-grab nature.

In 2012, franchise creators Ed Boon and John Tobias referred to Annihilation as the lowest point in the series’ history.

Producer Lawrence Kasanoff admitted that the movie was released before completion: "The effects in that movie are not the final effects... We never finished that movie. But the studio said, 'we don’t care'. We sacrificed quality for business."

Novelization

Jerome Preisler authored a novelization of the movie, which was released by Tor Books.

Canceled sequel

Shou initially signed a contract for three films, with Threshold Entertainment intending to produce a follow-up sequel soon after Annihilation. Nevertheless, due to the film’s unfavorable critical response and underwhelming box office performance, the project was put on hold. Attempts to move forward with a third installment encountered numerous script revisions, alterations to the plot, and changes in both cast and crew. A 2001 fan survey conducted on the official Mortal Kombat website demonstrated continued enthusiasm for another sequel.

The devastation of New Orleans caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 affected the planned filming sites. In 2009, producer Kasanoff initiated legal action against Midway Games, citing development of a third film. Later that year, Warner Bros., having acquired most of Midway’s properties including Mortal Kombat, assumed control of the franchise. Warner Bros. then released a reboot titled Mortal Kombat in 2021.

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