DOES IT HOLD UP?: Johnny Cage vs. Scorpion In MORTAL KOMBAT (1995)

Mortal Kombat hit at a crossroads in action movie history, a time when audiences may have heard of Hong Kong action but probably had never seen it for themselves. There had been glimpses in the past; from the Golden Harvest produced TMNT movies to John Woo’s Hollywood debut, Hard Target. Hollywood had spent most of the 90s easing American audiences in to the kind of action that Hong Kong was known for and Mortal Kombat was the first to wear its influence proudly. The fight scenes blew our prepubescent minds, but none had quite as much impact as the film’s centerpiece, Johnny Cage vs Scorpion. Does this fight stand the test of time, or should it be lost to history?

20 years later, that spear just looks adorable….

This fight as well as Liu Kang vs Reptile from later in the film, were both choreographed by leading man Robin Shou… and were both the result of reshoots. Test audiences were none too impressed with the majority of the film’s fight scenes, all except the ones that Shou choreographed for himself. Shou was a 9 year HK veteran who’d gone toe to toe with some of that market’s top stars, including Donnie Yen; when the studio realized the talent they had on their hands, they scheduled reshoots and made him the primary fight choreographer. Needless to say, he knocked it out of the park.

Johnny Cage fights Scorpion toward the middle of the film. It’s the character’s first one-on-one fight and the only one that isn’t played for laughs (looking at you, Goro). The fight starts in a conspicuously symmetrical forest; a forest that shouldn’t even exist on the film’s tropical island setting. Scorpion sics his foul tempered spear on poor Johnny, who has no defense against it except to run away. After the spear suffers a Wile E. Coyote-style death, Cage is transported to Scorpion’s weird hellscape basement to finish the fight.

Seriously!!!  Where did this forest come from???

If this film were made today, the hellscape would have been created using green screen and would have gone on for miles. As it stands, the arena is a practical set (that looks more like a movie set than ever thanks to HD); while it’s somewhat lacking in the kind of epic scope we’re used to seeing today, the cramped location gives the fight a claustrophobic feel that ratchets up the intensity. You really get the feeling that Johnny can’t escape and has to fight for his life; a fight that gets surprisingly brutal at points.

In ’95 this felt massive…

But by 2015 standards, it’s a studio apartment.

Like the rest of the fights in Mortal Kombat, this fight inhabits a halfway point between Hollywood and Hong Kong. Actor Linden Ashby trained hard in Karate and Tae Kwon Do in preparation for the film; his opponent, played by Chris Casamassa, was a martial arts champion who’d been training in Red Dragon Karate since he was four years old. The performers acquit themselves well, but it’s clear they were still getting the hang of Hong Kong-style choreo. Where the fight shows its American roots is in the rhythm; it’s noticeably slower paced than most HK work and the fighters sometimes look like they’re waiting for an attack to finish so they can throw their next kick. Despite this, the moves are crisp and performed with confidence; the quality of the fighting actually improves as the fight goes on.

Pictured:  $500 sunglasses…..

Since this was made in the 90’s, a decade when filmmakers still knew how to film action, the camerawork and editing is on point. Whether it’s a wide, medium or closeup, the cinematography is always clear and easy to follow. The editing and use of angles often helps to enhance the brutality of the fight (Scorpion’s not above kicking someone relentlessly while they’re down) without ever becoming too chaotic. The fighters and the environment are displayed beautifully and the butt-rock soundtrack just adds to the campy charm that radiates from the scene.

Yes, but not for the reasons you might think. This is an example of a fight that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

The actual fighting hearkens back to a bygone era; when Americans were finally starting to embrace Hong Kong-style action. The choreography is solid, but it’s a little too slow and simple to hold up to current standards. Where the fight really excels is in its endearingly campy nature. The cartoonish costumes mixed with the obviously fake yet visually dynamic location creates a mood that’s rarely replicated (let alone replicated well). Add great cinematography and cheesy soundtrack on top of that and you have an action scene that holds up on charm alone.

mic….  dropped……

While the Liu Kang vs Reptile fight is stronger technically (due in no small part to Robin Shou’s HK street cred), this fight is more memorable. It also helps that Johnny Cage is such a fun character. He’s not the chosen one, he’s just an egotistical diva with a black belt and something to prove. Seeing him rise to the challenge is infinitely gratifying and the fight’s payoff is great fan service.