Mortal Kombat 2 Movie Producer Reacts To Divisive Review Scores
Mortal Kombat 2 released on May 8 to a divided critical reception, earning a 73% score on Rotten Tomatoes and 48 on Metacritic. Despite the mixed reviews, the film ranks among the highest-rated video game movie adaptations, behind only Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024) and Werewolves Within (2021). IGN awarded the film an 8/10 review.
Producer Todd Garner responded to the divisive critical response by publicly criticizing reviewers on social media, arguing that many critics have never played the Mortal Kombat video games and lack understanding of the franchise’s rules and canon. He questioned why critics who do not appreciate the fighting game genre are permitted to review films based on it, expressing frustration that some reviewers appeared unfamiliar with the source material. Garner specifically cited one critic’s complaint about a character possessing laser eyes as evidence of the reviewer’s lack of familiarity with the franchise.
The producer’s comments reflect ongoing tensions surrounding video game film adaptations, where critics with varying degrees of familiarity with source material review films often targeted at dedicated fan bases. While Mortal Kombat 2 achieved a relatively positive critical consensus compared to most video game movie adaptations, the split reception clearly frustrated those involved in the production.