Throwback Thursday: Celebrating 20 years of Mortal Kombat: The Movie

TEST YOUR MIGHT~!

Exactly 20 years ago this week, New Line Cinema, Threshold Entertainment, and director Paul W.S. Anderson adapted one of the most popular AND controversial video games into film -  a game conceptualized by Ed Boon and John Tobias and produced then by video game company Midway Games.

The end result was Mortal Kombat -  a 1995 movie that pretty much was everything that a video game movie should be and then some - over-the-top action with lots of violence and gore that saw a handful of warriors engaging in a tournament that determined the fate of the world.

If that formula sounds cheesy or ambitious, it certainly was for its time... But this film adaptation had all the elements that made the game it was based on extremely popular to those who enjoyed fighting games and finishing off their opponents in gruesome fashion. Not only that, it featured a trained cast that pretty much embraced their roles well and gave life to "Klassic Kharacters" that were essential to the plot of the games and movie in Robin Shou as Liu Kang, Linden Ashby as Johnny Cage, Bridgette Wilson as Sonya Blade, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Shang Tsung (YOUR SOUL IS MINE~!), and Christopher "Highlander" Lambert as Rayden.


Mortal Kombat 1995 Trailer
As one of the earliest and highest grossing movies based on a video game, Mortal Kombat succeeded in becoming #1 in the box office and inspiring a franchise of live-action adaptations based on the series. It's follow-up, Mortal Kombat Annihilation, was more of a forgettable sequel than anything else and failed to live-up to expectations. Fortunately in 2011, a reboot of the live-action series was realized after the release of the short film Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, which inspired the web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy that ran for two seasons. The reinvigoration of the Mortal Kombat video game franchise under Ed Boon and NetherRealm Studios also helped to renew interest in the series, with a new Mortal Kombat film is now currently in development with James Wan signing in to produce it.

The Immortals - "Mortal Kombat" Music Video 1995
So let's end this Throwback Thursday journey with the Music Video that'll get everyone dancing... The theme song to "Mortal Kombat" as done by The Immortals.

Mortal Kombat was released in theaters in August 18, 1995.

Paul W.S. Anderson confirms Resident Evil: Retribution

Love or hate it, the Resident Evil (aka Bio Hazard in Japan) movie franchise earned big bucks with its last entry, "Resident: Evil Afterlife". As a longtime fan of the series, the films by Paul W.S. Anderson have absolutely nothing to do with the games, save for porting characters, monsters, and the Umbrella Corporation elements and using them for his own interpretation of the concept. As I noted in my review of the last film, my initial disappointment in the franchise soon turned to respect for the continuity he has built up for the series. Now, the director is set to return with a fifth installment, which his wife and the main star of the movies, Milla Jovovich, called "Resident Evil: Retribution", and it's been confirmed by Anderson himself that is definitely the film's title.

As posted in Bloody Disgusting and Cinema Blend, Paul W.S. Anderson is slated to direct and work on RE: Retribution for a September 14, 2012 release. It will see Jovovich back in the role of Alice, as she works her way from Toronto to Tokyo to battle and put an end to the Umbrella Corporation once and for all. Also expected to return is actress Sienna Guillory, who played the live action version of the well known Resident Evil/ Bio Hazard heroine Jill Valentine. Guillory was last seen in a cameo appearance in Afterlife as Jill with a mind controlling device in her chest, mimicking her position and fate in the events of the video game Resident Evil 5. For additional details and info on the story, visit the source post at Bloody Disgusting and Cinema Blend!

UPDATE: It seems that they're bringing out the rest of the other "RE Character veterans" into this, as Bloody Disgusting also mentioned in their article that Retribution is looking to cast actors for the roles of "Barry Burton" and "Leon Scott Kennedy", two VERY WELL KNOWN figures in the RE Game mythos (especially the latter, who is the main hero in Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4). Also, the role of Jill MAY be recast, but we won't know til future updates arrive.

Resident Evil: Retribution opens in conventional and 3D theaters on September 14, 2012!

The Three Musketeers 3D Trailer debuts!

It's still hard to believe that this classic piece of French literature is once again getting the film treatment, but Paul W.S. Anderson's version of The Three Musketeers will see release in theaters worldwide this fall, and now a trailer has made it's way online courtesy of Enewsi and You Tube. If you're one like me who remembers the early 90's Disney film with Charlie Sheen, Kiefer Sutherlund, Oliver Platt, and Chris O'Donnell, you can forget all the chivalry, swashbuckling comedy, and the Bryan Adams/ Sting/ Rod Stewart song related to that version. This new one is darker, grittier, more serious, and it has names like Milla Jovovich, Juno Temple, and Orlando Bloom in it, all presented in true Paul W.S. Anderson fashion. Check out the trailer below and see what you think of it.

The Three Musketeers 3D Trailer

For more info, visit the source post over at Enewsi.

The Three Musketeers slashes its way to 3D and conventional cinemas on October 14, 2011!

Movie Review: Resident Evil: Afterlife

As a longtime follower of the Bio Hazard/ Resident Evil series, I wasn't the biggest fan of Paul W.S Anderson's movie adaptations. Right from the start of the first movie, the plot strayed away greatly from what was established by the games, instead giving moviegoer folks a shoddy "Hollywood treatment" of the game that was more survival action than survival horror. Yes, I didn't think of it as a true Resident Evil movie, and I'm still waiting for the day Capcom will actually commission a true adaptation to made.


Resident Evil: Afterlife Trailer

However, I must point out that despite all its inconsistencies and discrepancies, the universe Paul W.S Anderson has crafted for his vision of Resident Evil has remained remarkably consistent with each and every sequel chugged out in the market. His wife, actress Milla Jovovich, has remained the central figure throughout the movies, and although it's an original character put together for the movie, she does interact with the primary figures headlining the games, such as the Redfield siblings, Jill Valentine, and even main antagonist Albert Wesker. Their characterizations in the film universe are barely similar to their video game counterparts though, and I won't go into details on how they differ. All that I can say is that they're pretty unique for the movies, so they can be considered "alternate universe" counterparts to the ones fans know and love in the games, and that even includes the zombies and monstrosities created by the Umbrella Corporation, who continue to be pests and targets for a bullet regardless.

Milla Jovovich Launches Out In Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D!

A "new dimension of evil" is coming, and as a fan of Resident Evil/ Bio Hazard, it's still a totally different world from the games I know and played back in the day.

Via Enewsi, here is the new poster of Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D, the latest sequel in director Paul W.S. Anderson's series of films based on the popular video game franchise of the same name by Capcom, but has spun its own alternative take on the saga itself. Mr. Anderson's wife, actress Milla Jovovich, reprises her role as the lead heroine Alice, as she embarks on a new adventure to stop Zombies, save survivors, and end the destruction unleashed by the Umbrella Corporation once and for all. Those fond of the videogames should know that Claire Redfield (Ali Larter) returns from the last movie, Extinction, as well as Jill Valentine (Sienna Guillory) from the second movie, Apocalypse! Also, Albert Wesker (Shawn Roberts) will finally have a showdown with the heroes, and what's more, Claire's brother, Chris Redfield (Prison Break's Wentworth Miller), will finally join the cast and battle it out alongside Alice and crew! For more details, the synopsis and rest of the info can be found via Enewsi and IGN, so jump over and take a look.

Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D debuts on September 10, 2010 this year!

Checking On Resident Evil: Afterlife...

As seen in Kotaku, here's a look at the new Resident Evil: Afterlife poster. Check it and decide for yourselves if this is worth watching this Septmeber:

I'll admit, I'm not a big fan of the RE Hollywood treatment, but there's no denying that Milla Jovovich looks hot in that poster. Having done three movies already under the direction of her hubby, Paul W.S Anderson, this fourth flick, also coming out in 3D, will hopefully wrap things up once and for all and see Alice taking out the Umbrella Corporation and their zombies in a blaze of glory. I've seen all the films, and being a longtime player of the Resident Evil/ Bio Hazard games, none of them have anything to do with the source material besides incorporating familiar characters and monsters from said games. The plot is purely action oriented and stand alone, and anyone expecting a faithful interpretation of the franchise will be sorely disappointed. Besides Claire Redfield returning from the last movie, Chris Redfield will make his long awaited "film debut", and all of the heroes will go face to face with Albert Wesker, who's the main baddie of this new sequel. Anyone who likes the RE games best watch this with an open mind, if nothing else.

Resident Evil: Afterlife opens in theaters in September 10, 2010.