The highly anticipated film "Mortal Kombat 2," adapted from the classic fighting game franchise, has officially premiered. As media reviews began to roll in, producer Todd Garner publicly voiced his frustration on social media over some negative critiques, arguing that certain reviewers clearly lack understanding of the source material and are criticizing the film from an uninformed perspective.
Currently, "Mortal Kombat 2" holds a 73% rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 48 on Metacritic, indicating a generally mixed reception. However, Garner specifically challenged some of the negative feedback, stating that certain reviews suggested the critics had never played the game, were unaware of fan expectations for the franchise, or lacked knowledge of "Mortal Kombat's" established rules and lore.
Garner took to X (formerly Twitter), writing that some of the reviews struck him as "absurd," noting one critic's apparent dismay over a character possessing "laser eyes." He openly questioned why films of this genre are still being reviewed by those who seemingly lack passion for the material, describing the situation as "perplexing."
Addressing some users' skepticism, Garner further clarified that he isn't opposed to negative reviews in general, but rather believes certain critics fail to grasp the "Mortal Kombat" IP itself. He emphasized that elements like zombies and laser eyes are inherent to the series' established lore, suggesting that if reviewers cannot accept these fundamental aspects from the outset, it becomes difficult for them to fairly assess the film's success.
However, some fans countered Garner's stance, pointing out that the film itself introduced significant changes to the source material, such as the original character Cole Young, the "Arcana" concept, and the handling of Mileena and Kitana's relationship, all of which had previously sparked debate among players. In response to this criticism, Garner briefly replied, "Makes sense," acknowledging the validity of their argument.
Separately, Garner had previously expressed dissatisfaction when actors from the "Street Fighter" film jokingly mocked the "Mortal Kombat 2" cast at The Game Awards. However, when "Mortal Kombat" co-creator Ed Boon was recently asked about a "cast showdown" between the two film adaptations, he reportedly laughed and said he didn't mind at all.