Mortal Kombat II Director Reveals How They Made Johnny Cage’s In-Universe Film [Exclusive Interview]

One of many issues I used to be so impressed by is how earnest the film is by way of its respect of the video games, and the lore, and the characters. I believe that basically comes via in that early combat scene between Kitana and Johnny, the place you need each of them to win, you don’t need both one to lose. What was it like for you staging a sequence like that by way of maintaining them sympathetically even, however having them even have a combat?

Yeah, that was a extremely attention-grabbing and crucial combat, that one, given how early it’s and given how these two characters within the framework and the construction of the script and the story, they carry us via the movie. They’re the principle pillars of the movie, proper? So it was necessary that they met one another early after which they plat collectively, and one causes an impact for the opposite, they usually plat collectively on the finish as we attain the ending. Additionally, we’re seeing the combat via Johnny’s eyes, after which we’re additionally seeing it via Kitana’s eyes. So we had to concentrate on what was taking place in each of their minds. To start with, Johnny, utterly fish out of water, thrown within the deep finish. So he is nonetheless attempting to again out of it. He simply has no concept what is going on on. And that combat for him is about form of re-sparking what’s really in right here [points to his chest], however he is misplaced contact with. In order that’s step one of [his change], now he will get his ass kicked by Kitana.

However then with Kitana, she’s enjoying the lengthy recreation as a result of she has this kind of pursuit and this objective to her revenge. And so she is aware of, nicely, she’s not going to do what her father desires, or “her father” desires. She’s going to do what she desires, however she has to make it seem like … So there is a technique there as nicely. So it was enjoyable. It was wonderful. So the large flip that Zia [Kelly], who’s the stunt performer for [Kitana], she did that about 20 occasions, that enormous flip.

Wow.

Yeah, that is all in digital camera.

Oh, that is unimaginable.

Yeah. And he or she’s such a tremendous stunt performer. And Zia’s really the lady within the pink gown with the rocket launcher [in the Johnny Cage movie]. So she’s Kitana’s stunt double. And it was an ideal, wonderful combat to construct and arrange and watch occur.