Films based on video games are a bad idea. In fact, they are worse than all the characteristics and actions that most typify the very worst, most cynical, grasping behaviour of contemporary Hollywood. Movies based on computer games are worse than remakes, re-imaginings, sequels, re-hashes of TV series and- even- worse than 3D. This pernicious practice descended upon us first in the early 90s when the ubiquity of Nintendo and Sega was now a global phenomenon and a succession of terrible films like Wizard, The Mario Bros and- a little later- Street Fighter writ large the ghastly consequences of basing films upon the few habits teenagers pursue when not masturbating. During this time, however, there was one film that resisted the summary dismissal, and that film was
Mortal Kombat. Mortal Kombat was perceived to be the computer-game movie that wasnt too bad, and, even in retrospect, that holds true- the film isnt too bad. The game- and the levels of violence it supposedly contained- had already courted a considerable level of controversy, the remainder of which secured the film a reasonable audience, and propelled the English director
Paul W.S. Anderson to stardom and a succession of more ignominious computer-game adaptations. In spite of this success, the film never received the sequel many expected; that was until 2010 when the director of the Fame remake,
Kevin Tancharoen, produced a trailer/short called
Mortal Kombat: Rebirth which starred
Jeri Ryan as character Sonya Blade and
Michael Jai White as Jax; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs3ROFNxa5M The film was created as a pitch for a re-imagining of the film by Tancharoen to the rights holders. Now, in-spite of the directors short but wretched history of remakes, the positive feedback across the internet has led to the commissioning of a ten part web-series based on this concept
according to Bloody Disgusting. The series looks set to retain Jeri Ryan & Michael Jai White as well as several other members of the original cast. The director will be aided in his writing duties by Todd and Aaron Helbing (Spartacus: Blood and Sand), and the first of the series ,will coincide with the release of the new Mortal Kombat game on April 19th. If both the game and this web-based series does well, a feature film is likely to follow soon after.