Mortal Kombat 2 was met with mixed reviews

The embargo has just lifted on Mortal Kombat 2 reviews, and it's mixed to say the least. Scores are all over the place, with some finding it exactly the kind of Mortal Kombat movie they were looking for, while others say it's up there with some of the worst game adaptations out there.

Right now, Mortal Kombat 2 has a Metacritic score of 50 and a Rotten Tomatoes score of 77. The only thing most reviewers seem to agree on is that it's at least better than the previous film, which was consistently poorly reviewed.

Mortal Kombat 2 divides critics

When I reviewed Mortal Kombat 2 for TheGamer, I gave it a 2.5 out of 5. As a longtime fan of the games, I really wish I could have gone higher, but I found Johnny Cage's debut to be sorely lacking. I praised the writing for Kitana and some of the fight choreography, but otherwise criticized the script for being filled with characters with little chemistry and little to do, and for mischaracterizing Johnny.

If you're wondering why the Rotten Tomatoes score is so much higher than Metacritic, it's because of the difference in how they generate their scores. Rotten Tomatoes' score shows that 77 percent of critics gave the film at least a six out of ten. So, a movie that gets a bunch of 6s or 6.5s can give it a boost.

Alex Harrison of Screen Rant felt the same way as me, going for a 4 out of 10.

“Mortal Kombat 2 moves at a furious pace, but without much purpose,” writes Harrison. “What enjoyment there is to be had from the plot, which has its ups and downs, is tainted by the skepticism of this whole endeavor baked into the filmmaking. Even though McQuoid & Co. know better which direction to go, McQuoid & Co. are still frustratingly unwilling to commit to it.”

The lowest score so far comes from ScreenCrush critic Matt Singer.

“If you intend to use your prefrontal cortex for any reason during the two hours you plan to watch Mortal Kombat 2, I strongly recommend that you seek entertainment elsewhere,” writes Singer. “Only those who consider live-action recreations of Mortal Kombat moves, characters and scenes the absolute pinnacle of human artistic expression (and perhaps Karl Urban superfans) will be satisfied with this sequel.”

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, we have IGN's Max Scoville giving the film an 8 out of 10.

“It might not be an Oscar-caliber movie, and die-hard fans of the game with an encyclopedic knowledge of the game might have a leg to pick on, but it's big and loud and terrible and not afraid to have fun,” says Scoville. “The standard for video game movie sequels isn't very high, but this one doesn't just clear the bar, it spins it around like a bo staff.”

We'll have to wait and see where audiences land when the film hits theaters. Mortal Kombat 2 opens on May 8th (or late May 7th in some locations).