At the time this film was made, Mortal Kombat was the world's biggest-selling game franchise, so it was a natural choice for a Hollywood makeover. And, unlike other games-inspired turkeys (Super Mario Bros, Street Fighter), this one actually works, thanks mainly to director Paul Anderson's single-minded dedication to nonstop, expertly choreographed martial arts action, all set to a thumping techno beat. Christopher Lambert is the nominal star, but the best work comes from Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, who steals the show with a typically charismatic performance.

For nine generations an evil sorcerer has been victorious in hand-to-hand battle against his mortal enemies. If he wins a tenth Mortal Kombat tournament, desolation and evil will reign over the multiverse forever. To save Earth, three warriors must overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, their own inner demons, and superhuman foes in this action/adventure movie based on one of the most popular video games of all time.