FilmsMortal KombatLike this

Films like Mortal Kombat.

Mortal Kombat (1995) reads as Sombre, breathless, extreme action / fantasy, inventive in texture. Ambivalent, epic, measured. Every film below is ranked by distance across the same twelve hand-scored axes — with what it keeps, and where it walks away. Not a genre dump.

The Stormriders (1998) poster
1. The Stormriders1998

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Scorpion King (2002) poster
2. The Scorpion King2002

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism; trades toward a relentless forward drive.

DragonHeart (1996) poster
3. DragonHeart1996

Keeps the documentary-plain realism and the white-knuckle intensity — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Dororo (2007) poster
4. Dororo2007

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Johnny Mnemonic (1995) poster
5. Johnny Mnemonic1995

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism; trades toward a relentless forward drive.

Underworld (2003) poster
6. Underworld2003

Keeps the documentary-plain realism and the white-knuckle intensity; trades toward a cold, bleak undertow.

Masters of the Universe (1987) poster
7. Masters of the Universe1987

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Conan the Destroyer (1984) poster
8. Conan the Destroyer1984

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism; trades toward a relentless forward drive.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005) poster
9. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children2005

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Time Machine (2002) poster
10. The Time Machine2002

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism; trades toward a relentless forward drive.

Fist of the North Star: Legend of Raoh - Chapter of Fierce Fighting (2007) poster
11. Fist of the North Star: Legend of Raoh - Chapter of Fierce Fighting2007

Keeps the documentary-plain realism and the white-knuckle intensity; trades toward a cold, bleak undertow.

Timeline (2003) poster
12. Timeline2003

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the documentary-plain realism; trades toward a relentless forward drive.

These are Mortal Kombat’s neighbours — where are yours?

Rate five posters and the same twelve axes read you — then tonight’s pick comes from your own centre of taste.

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