How many video game adaptations are we getting this year? Well, here’s another. The question now is whether Simon McQuoid’s Mortal Kombat II will solidify Hollywood’s belief that video game adaptations are what we want, or is this a Warner Bros cash grab?

Anyways, the final boss, Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford), wants to rule all the realms in the universe. But rather than go to war with each realm, a tournament is held where the best fighters (selected by Kahn) fight his best fighters. If Kahn can beat you ten times in a row, he rules your realm. The film opens with Kahn killing Edenia’s King Jerrod in their final battle, taking over the land with Queen Sindel (Ana Thu Nguyen) and their daughter Kitana (Adeline Rudolph), whom he raises as his own.

Years later, Kitana is Kahn’s greatest fighter, and his sights are set on the Earth-realm, which is protected by Lord Raiden (Tadanobu Asano). This is Earth’s last tournament, and Raiden summons the best in Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), Jax Briggs (Mehcad Brooks), Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), and is in search of one more — washed-up movie action star, Johnny Cage (Karl Urban). Cage says hell no, but is summoned by Kahn to take on his daughter Kitana, which he loses badly. Now, Earth is one fight close to being Kahn’s next conquest.

Liu Kang stands bathed in intense orange firelight in Mortal Kombat II.

“If Kahn can beat you ten times in a row, he rules your realm.”

Meanwhile, Kahn sends his minions to assassinate Lord Raiden and steal his amulet, which gives eternal life to whoever wears it, but Kahn needs enough juice to power it. I can’t believe I wrote all that. Yes, this is essentially the problem of Mortal Kombat II. A story that I just didn’t care for in the slightest.

The movie is essentially about winning a tournament and stopping the big bad from obtaining eternal life. But can Johnny Cage find whatever he needs to become the hero he was meant to be. and stop Kahn from becoming immortal? Of course, he needs help from his friends, who each have their personal side quests as well. My biggest issue is the lore. I’ve only played the video game — not much lore there. Here, it all just feels convenient to the plot, with no real spiritual or cultural foundation. Also, there’s only one way into the fortress, and it’s a tunnel. Gimme a break.

Sometimes movies are about action, and whether McQuoid can make the movie look like the video game. Close, but not close enough. The main problem is that we see the heroes fight to the best of their abilities (except for Johnny Cage), and it all holds true to the end. No real evolution of powers. Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim) is in the game and has a whole set of powers that aren’t traditionally Sub-Zero’s. Cool to see Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada), but not enough. The best fight sequences feature Liu Kang.

For a movie like this, good is not good enough; it has to be well above average for a recommendation. Unfortunately, I found myself bored through most of Mortal Kombat II.