10 Recent Movies With One AWFUL Subplot

9. Cole's Family - Mortal Kombat (2021)

Cruella Emma Stone
Warner Bros.

Many fans were already bemused that the new Mortal Kombat movie was centered around an entirely new character by the name of Cole Young (Lewis Tan), who effectively serves as the audience surrogate into this world.

While Cole himself was fine enough - if arguably totally unnecessary - the script needlessly saddles him with a wife, Allison (Laura Brent), and daughter, Emily (Matilda Kimber).

Unsurprisingly, Allison and Emily aren't so much characters as they are props to be imperiled in the third act to try and raise the dramatic stakes.

But given that audiences scarcely care about Cole himself, asking them to also invest in two extra people who simply take time away from the actual iconic fighters they want to see is a big ask.

Why couldn't Cole just be a single guy? The many minutes wasted on his family could've been spent on, say, another fight scene, no?

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.