WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Mortal Kombat, now in theaters and streaming on HBO Max.
One of the main things Mortal Kombat (2021) promised and delivered in spades, was including the video games' gory fatalities. It's a huge relief for fans who wanted the R-rated take to hold nothing back -- unlike previous films -- recreating the iconic bloody finishes that had parents in the '90s lobbying for the franchise to be banned. Unfortunately, while Mortal Kombat (2021) nails the classic fatalities, the reboot leaves out a major one that's been a staple: Sub-Zero's spine rip.
Director Simon McQuiod deserves credit for having Liu Kang using his dragon to kill Kabal; Shang-Tsung sucking Kung Lao's soul from his body; Jax smashing Reiko's head; Kano ripping out Reptile's heart; and, last but not least, Scorpion unmasking in his wraith form, using his hellfire to flay the ice ninja in the finale. But while these characters get their signature moments, Sub-Zero feels a bit short-sold.
Apart from freezing and ripping off Jax's arms, Sub-Zero doesn't get a kill sequence to really showcase him as one of the Mortal Kombat franchise's most sadistic villains. The spine rip would have been perfect, especially as it's something old-school fans of the first two games could appreciate. In the iconic finisher, which has evolved through MK3 to MK11, Sub-Zero grabs the opponent's head and rips it off, leaving their spine dangling and blood dripping down.
The grizzly finisher would have been perfect for when he eliminates the Shirai Ryu at the beginning of Mortal Kombat (2021). In the Mk11 iteration of the kill, Sub-Zero drops someone into an ice clone of himself, before punching into the enemy's chest cavity and ripping it downwards, so their head's actually dangling at the bottom when he completes the pull. It subverts the usual finisher, which has also seen him freezing his opponent's body and yanking the head and spine out. The point is, while no heroes die in the film, this could have been a great exclamation point against one of Hanzo Hasashi's clan members to further add an air of horror to their feud.
The fatality would have also been perfect karma for when Hanzo returns as Scorpion to roast him at the end, showing no mercy like how Sub-Zero did in feudal Japan centuries before. While Sub-Zero still comes off as Shang Tsung's most badass enforcer in Mortal Kombat (2021), even beating down Liu Kang, it's a shame he didn't get that epic fatality to paint him as a lethal cryo-force of nature.
Directed by Simon McQuoid and produced by James Wan, Mortal Kombat stars Lewis Tan as Cole Young, Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Josh Lawson as Kano, Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden, Mehcad Brooks as Jackson "Jax" Bridges, Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Chin Han as Shang Tsung, Joe Taslim as Bi-Han and Sub-Zero, Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi and Scorpion, Max Huang as Kung Lao, Sisi Stringer as Mileena, Matilda Kimber as Emily Young and Laura Brent as Allison Young. The film is now in theaters and available to stream on HBO Max.