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Mortal Kombat the Web Series is A Week Away--Peep This Teaser Clip in the Meantime

Jax vs. Kano!

By Tom Pinchuk  |  April 7, 2011


 "Dial-A-Combo" this!
 "Dial-A-Combo" this!

Man… I don’t know what it says when I’m more excited about a video game’s ostensible promo material than I am for the game itself. I’ve made my appreciation for the unauthorized Mortal Kombat Rebirth short well known and, after playing the demo for the latest MK game, I still have to say I prefer Tancharoen’s “real crime reimagining” over Netherealm’s retro back-step (X-Ray supers notwithstanding.)

Anyway, Machinima’s just released a preview clip from the first episode of the web series, now dubbed Mortal Kombat: Legacy, that’ll be debuting on the 12th. It shows Michael Jai White’s Jax squaring off against Kano in the same industrial factory that every 80s action flick ended up in at some point. Without any fight announcements from Shao Kahn or even a KMFDM track to set the mood, I can’t help wondering if this might’ve been pushed a bit too far into the dress-downed, no frills direction. I’m not seeing new visions of iconic video game champions here; I'm just seeing two guys having a knife fight like I’d see on any number of flicks on USA on a Saturday afternoon.

Choose your destiny below...  

  

So, I don’t know, the anticipation’s a little… tempered, now? Instead of getting jacked up enough to shout "Toasty!" I'm wondering how much fantasy and black humor can be downplayed here before this doesn’t even feel like MK anymore. Also,  Cage and Scorpion work fine in a realer milieu, but if the cast list is to be believed, are they really going to include cyber ninjas Cyrax and Sektor in this one?

Filed under: Mortal Kombat, Michael Jai White, Kevin Tancharoen
20 Comments
metascensionon April 7, 2011 at 4:04 p.m.
Could be fun.  High hopes!
PenguinDuston April 7, 2011 at 4:08 p.m.
I'm going to need to see more before I think of this as something other than an update of the horrible Mortal Kombat Conquest TV series from the late 90's.
Sandoron April 7, 2011 at 4:14 p.m.
Now, where to put my sizeable collection of futuristic grenade launchers? I know, how about this chemical plant filled with toxic and highly flammable substances. What could possibly go wrong? Yes, this will be perfect.
robokungfuon April 7, 2011 at 4:21 p.m.
Who the hell is interrupting my kung fu!?
FLStyleon April 7, 2011 at 4:36 p.m.
I chuckled at the dial-a-combo pun. Classy, Mr Pinchuk.
MrMazz is online on April 7, 2011 at 5:02 p.m.
That is a great get by the Machinima crew 
HeroicDrinkingSongon April 7, 2011 at 5:58 p.m.
 Just looks like "Generic Action Scene!" the movie.
MisterMouseon April 7, 2011 at 6:05 p.m.
compared to the Rebirth short this is nothing, and also doesnt interest me in the slightest...
Falconon April 7, 2011 at 6:24 p.m.
GET HYPE!

  
  
MiniPatoon April 7, 2011 at 8:08 p.m.
@heroicdrinkingsong said:
"  Just looks like "Generic Action Scene!" the movie. "
YUP! MORTAL KOMBAT!!!
Undeadpoolon April 7, 2011 at 8:49 p.m.
I still say this can work. We're measuring ten minutes of awesome VS a minute and a half of generic action. I'll at least hold my judgement until we see the first episode.
PatVB moderator on April 8, 2011 at midnight
@Falcon: Curse you for posting this! It's 2am, I just watched the whole thing, and now I'm too pumped to go to sleep!
Kajaah117on April 8, 2011 at 1:15 a.m.
@PenguinDust said:
" I'm going to need to see more before I think of this as something other than an update of the horrible Mortal Kombat Conquest TV series from the late 90's. "
That show was pretty shitty sometimes, but the fight scenes were really well choreographed from what I can remember. That show also had the best costume design next to the first movie, especially when compared to the awful looking costumes in Annihilation.

The only question is.... @Tom, how are you not excited for Mortal Kombat (9)? Everything about it is what any Mortal Kombat 1-3 fan would want from a new entry in the series.
PenguinDuston April 8, 2011 at 2:59 a.m.
@Kajaah117:  Yeah, the fight scenes were a step above the Xena/Herc fare but you can't build a satisfying series on that alone.  Do you remember WMAC Masters from the same time period?  It was "hosted" by Sharron Lee (Bruce Lee's daughter) and it was kind of like a WWE but with martial arts and without live audiences.  It was all highly choreographed, too.  A lot of fun to watch on occasion but when they weren't fighting, it was unbearably bad.  YouTube example  Actually the show was more like a Mortal Kombat game than MK:Conquest was, well except for the lack of graphic violence.  It was a 4Kids show so that was to be expected.  The series was meant to be an alternative to the Power Rangers, I think.  Eh, I probably shouldn't be all that hard on it considering its target audience, but because it reminded me of MK, I'm a little more critical that I would normally be.
Nightfangon April 8, 2011 at 5:52 a.m.
Looks good, but could have been better.
DrPockets000on April 8, 2011 at 5:59 a.m.
It's difficult for me to take this seriously because now Black Dynamite is playing Jaxx.

Also, was it  just me or were the punchy sound effects more noticeable?  Listen to it again and tell me they're a lot louder.
MEBBINon April 8, 2011 at 11:02 a.m.
@robokungfu: lololol

Dy-no-mite! Dy-no-mite!
Kajaah117on April 8, 2011 at 12:37 p.m.
@PenguinDust said:
" @Kajaah117:  Yeah, the fight scenes were a step above the Xena/Herc fare but you can't build a satisfying series on that alone.  Do you remember WMAC Masters from the same time period?  It was "hosted" by Sharron Lee (Bruce Lee's daughter) and it was kind of like a WWE but with martial arts and without live audiences.  It was all highly choreographed, too.  A lot of fun to watch on occasion but when they weren't fighting, it was unbearably bad.  YouTube example  Actually the show was more like a Mortal Kombat game than MK:Conquest was, well except for the lack of graphic violence.  It was a 4Kids show so that was to be expected.  The series was meant to be an alternative to the Power Rangers, I think.  Eh, I probably shouldn't be all that hard on it considering its target audience, but because it reminded me of MK, I'm a little more critical that I would normally be. "
Don't get me wrong, that show was horrendous, but your comparison is apt. As an alternative to Power Rangers that takes place in the Mortal Kombat universe, it got the job done. Really though, that show is best experienced as fight clips on Youtube. The dialog, and really just the story in general, was horse shit. I remember thinking Sub-Zero's backstory was actually kinda interesting but then I saw the episode where Reptile had to appeal to some kind of Reptilian Council? FFFFFUUUUU
Lydian_Selon April 9, 2011 at 3:39 a.m.
All I want out of a MK show is somebody screaming "MORTAL KOMBAT" at the top of their lungs.
positronon April 10, 2011 at 11:41 a.m.
I don't care if it's dumb as shit - it looks like a lot of fun.

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