'Why the hell do we allow these people to make reviews': Mortal Kombat 2 producer furious with critics
Amid specialized criticism, industry press, and the public, it is evident that cinematic adaptations of video games continue to generate deeply divergent judgments. The new adaptation of the famous video game franchise, backed by an estimated budget of $80 million, has received favorable opinions from some gaming-oriented outlets like GamesRadar and IGN, but faced significantly harsher assessments from numerous mainstream film media.
Among the harshest reviews, especially severe definitions emerge: the German AV Club dismissed the film as "trash," the Hollywood Reporter labeled it as "tasteless," while Vulture referred to it as a "deeply depressing" work. This divide recalls what has been seen with other highly acclaimed video game adaptations, where respect for the original material often influenced the perception and judgment of those unfamiliar with the title.
Directly intervening in the discussion was Todd Garner, producer of Mortal Kombat 2 and the previous installment, who expressed his displeasure toward some reviews without filters through X. Garner contended that several critics have no knowledge of the video game and its narrative canon, which represents a significant limitation for understanding the work.
The producer also joked about a review that criticized the presence of a character with a laser eye (Kano), which, according to him, highlights a lack of knowledge of the Mortal Kombat universe. "Some of these reviews are cracking me up. It’s clear they have never played the game and have no idea what the fans want or ANY of the rules/canon of Mortal Kombat. One reviewer was mad that a guy ‘had a laser eye!’ Why the hell do we still allow people that don’t have any love for the genre to review these films? It’s baffling," he wrote on X.
According to Garner, the problem lies in the distance between those who review and the historic audience of the saga. After all, those who followed the project know full well that the film is rich in fan service and is characterized by the "raucous" and violent nature that has always defined the video game.
On the other hand, however, it must also be acknowledged that film and video game have different natures. The latter inevitably targets players, particularly fighting game enthusiasts, thus addressing an extremely specific and informed audience. Conversely, the film represents a Hollywood blockbuster, backed by an extensive marketing campaign and inevitably inviting even those who may not even know the video game to the cinema.
Despite this, Garner still believes that the film is also aimed at a relatively "niche" audience. In fact, he has accepted the criticisms from fans, who have a more or less in-depth knowledge of the game, with much more understanding.
Mortal Kombat 2, like the first, is not a perfect film and carries some choices that are not quite aligned with the lore of the video game. The introduction of Cole Young—who is indeed quite weak as a character—was harshly criticized even at the release of the first film. The same applies to the idea of the Arcana, an explanation of the characters' abilities, which gamers did not appreciate. Furthermore, in the case of the new film, disappointment was expressed regarding the relationship between Mileena and Kitana.
To a fan who pointed out all these choices, concluding his remark with "I don’t think you’re in a position to cast any stones," Garner simply replied with "Honest."
In summary, the main fight of Mortal Kombat 2 is about its positioning in the film industry. Just like the films of the 90s starring Christopher Lambert, which later became cult classics among B-Movies, this reboot is once again destined to spark discussion.