MORTAL KOMBAT, based on one of the most iconic video game franchises, returns to the big screen at long last as Liu Kang (Ludi Lin) competes in an intergalactic martial arts tournament. What's at stake in this competition? Merely the fate of multiple realities.
Cinemark sat down with Ludi Lin to discuss what it was like to play one of the longest-running heroes in video game history. "It feels like I’ve been vindicated for all those hours I spent in the arcades," he said, "and all those quarters, and the Sega Genisis." He joked, "It feels like proof to my mom that my childhood was meaningful, that I was actually working and not just wasting my time."
Watching the new MORTAL KOMBAT movie means being in awe of the intricate fight scenes. We spoke with Lin’s co-star, Max Huang, who plays Kung Lao, about his passion for crafting those scenes. Huang said, “MORTAL KOMBAT, as a martial artist, is the perfect project to participate in because it features all the martial arts.” He added, “One of the things that I want to promote is the spirit and the virtues of the martial arts and what they actually mean because I think there is a deeper meaning to it rather than just people fighting each other. Actually, the message should be about peace and harmony, and balance.”
Sub-Zero himself, Joe Taslim, walked us through the preparation to properly execute those epic fight scenes, saying, “Chan (Griffin) and Anthony (Rinna) are amazing choreographers.” He added, “They asked me, ‘Do you want to change anything?’ There’s nothing to change because… what an art.” He stressed that preparation was everything saying, “Training is sixty percent of the fight.” Ludi Lin echoed that sentiment, adding, “When you’re fighting on set, it’s like a dance, it’s more like a dance. You have to go beat by beat, and you have to make it serve the story.”
We couldn’t leave the interview without asking the cast for their favorite "Mortal Kombat" game catchphrase. Lin went with “Test your might,” while Max Huang smiled and immediately answered with the classic “Flawless Victory.”
Check out our full interview with the cast of MORTAL KOMBAT:
MORTAL KOMBAT opens on April 23!
All images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.