Summary
Despite being a hugely popular multimedia franchise,Mortal Kombathas a relatively forgotten — and recent — Johnny Cage movie that makes for the perfect watch ahead of actor Karl Urban’s take on the character. Now over 30 years old, theMortal Kombatfranchise began in 1992 with Midway’s now-iconic arcade game. Often referred to as one of the greatest games ever made,the originalMortal Kombatis a fighting game that features a roster of characters, all of whom are keen on winning a martial arts tournament — no matter the often-gory costs.
One notable member ofMortal Kombat’s cast of charactersis Johnny Cage, an action movie star with martial arts prowess. Although he’s one of the series' heroes, Cage is also used as a comic-relief character. In a more recentMortal Kombattimeline, the Jean-Claude Van Damme-loving Johnny Cage is also the love interest of Special Forces officer Sonya Blade. While Johnny Cage and his big personality were excluded from 2021’s live-actionMortal Kombatmovie,Urban will bring the character to life in the sequel,Mortal Kombat 2,though Cage recently appeared in another franchise film.
Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match Is An Animated Johnny Cage Movie
Cage Match Flew Under The Radar But Does The Character Justice
Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Matchis a direct-to-video adult animated movie that elevates Johnny Cage from supporting character to lead protagonist. Animated films, especially those that hit streamers instead of theaters, don’t usually make as much noise as live-action features, butCage Matchcame and went without making any noise at all. This is particularly surprising becauseCage Matchis the fourth installment in theMortal Kombat Legendsseries. Although Johnny (Joel McHale) appears in otherLegendsfare,Cage Matchserves as the ’80s action-movie star and accomplished martial artist’s origin story.
…a love letter to ’80s genre fare,Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Matchis a light-hearted popcorn movie.
In addition to fighting a secret society that’s plotting the destruction of Earthrealm,Johnny Cage is tasked with saving his co-star, Jennifer Grey(the actor voices her own animated counterpart), all while he’s trying to make his big break with the action rompNinja Mime. Packed with fun action sequences and goofy moments that serve as a love letter to ’80s genre fare,Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Matchis a light-hearted popcorn movie. Since otherMortal Kombatmoviestake their stories so seriously, it’s great to see a Johnny Cage flick matching its lead character’s energy.
Mortal Kombat’s Most Controversial Lore Change Is Actually Great News For Johnny Cage
Mortal Kombat (2021) made a divisive change regarding its main set of champions, but this is actually good news for Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 2.
Mortal Kombat Legends’ Johnny Cage Is A Great Version Of The Character
Johnny Cage Is A Tricky Personality To Nail
There’s no denying thatMortal Kombat 2’s Johnny Cage problemstems from the fact that it’s hard to bring Cage’s larger-than-life personality to the big screen. While other self-seriousMortal Kombatcharacters allow for a gritty, dark tone that matches the franchise’s brutal violence,Johnny Cage is a more comic character, so he doesn’t always gel with what’s happening around him. That kind of disconnect works in a video game, butCage Match, which lets Johnny and his cheesy one-liners shine, proves that the character works best in solo or animated outings.
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Johnny Cage Takes Over Karl Urban’s Real Movie Career In Mortal Kombat 2 Concept Trailer
Johnny Cage takes over Karl Urban’s real-life movie career in a concept trailer for Mortal Kombat 2, positing how he can be introduced in the film.
Johnny Cage Will Finally Return To The Big Screen With Mortal Kombat 2
Although the 2021 film left some fans wonderingwhy Johnny Cage wasn’t inMortal Kombat, the decision to leave Cage out until the sequel was probably a wise move. Now that long-time fans and new viewers alike have some footing inMortal Kombat’s rebooted movie universe, the franchise can introduce over-the-top personalities like Johnny Cage. While it will be hard to topCage Match’s depiction of the character,The Boys' Karl Urban has the chops to capture the movie star’s humor and bravado— traits that will provide a welcome counterbalance toMortal Kombat’s self-serious tone.
Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Matchis streaming on Max.
Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat is a multimedia franchise conceived by Ed Boon and John Tobias and began with the release of the original Mortal Kombat fighting game in arcades in 1992. The story centers around the eternal battle between Earthrealm and Outworld. To determine the fate of the realms, a deadly tournament is held between the best warriors of each world, with Earthrealm fighting solely to protect their freedom. The series has expanded to include various films, television series, and a long list of mainline and spin-off games that all revolve around the core of the Mortal Kombat tournament premise.
