Mortal Kombat: Annihilation makes the bold decision to kill off Johnny Cage in the sequel’s opening, but why is his death so abrupt? The answer lies in the film’s poor production and editing. The studio behind Mortal Kombat: Annihilation released an unfinished cut of the sequel to theaters, resulting in terrible visual effects and poor pacing. This led to the film being poorly received, ultimately killing what could have been a major franchise.
The film’s recasting of nearly all the actors from the first entry is also jarring, particularly with James Remar replacing Christopher Lambert as Raiden. The changes are so drastic that they’re noticeable from the start, making it seem like a completely new cast.
One of the most infamous scenes is Johnny Cage’s death, which occurs just a minute after the original film ended. He foolishly engages Shao Kahn in a fight and gets his neck snapped as a result. The character replacing Lindsey Ashby opted out of appearing in the sequel.
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation is often considered the worst of the live-action Mortal Kombat movies, and its poor reception led to the decline of the franchise. The film’s 1997 release date, 95-minute runtime, and direction by John R. Leonetti are all noted, as well as the writing credits to Brent V. Friedman, Lawrence Kasanoff, and Bryce Zabel. The franchise’s origins are also briefly mentioned, dating back to the 1992 release of the original Mortal Kombat fighting game.