WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Mortal Kombat
Genre:Action Adventure

Reviewed In Issue 18 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Linden Ashby, Robin Show, Bridgette Wilson, Christopher Lambert.

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 3
Sound Rating: 5
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
Internet Links

Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): New Line Home Video
(Catalog Number): ID3021LI
(MPAA Rating): PG13
(Retail Price): $39.99
(Running Time In Minutes): 101
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1995
(LD Release Date): 1/1/96
(THX® Digitally Mastered):

Credits Information
(Director): Paul Anderson
(Screenplay/Written By): Kevin Droney
(Story): NA
(Music): George S. Clinton
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Jonathan Carlson
(Visual Effects): MetroLight Studios, R/Greenberg Associates West, Buena Vista Visual Effects & Hunter Gratzner Industries, Inc.
(Costume Designer): Ha Nguyen
(Editor): Martin Hunter
(Supervising Sound Editors): Marc Fishman
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Bob Engleman & Danny Simon
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Lawrence Kasanoff

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1

DVD Sound Information
(DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Surround
(Theatrical Sound): DTS, SDDS & Dolby Digital
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital):
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
(Additional Languages):

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Three martial arts experts are deviously lured by a demon sorcerer to a mysterious island in the parallel realm of the Outworld to compete in Mortal Kombat—an ancient tournament and ultimate battle of good and evil. With the help of the immortal Lord Rayden (Lambert), the fighters (Wilson, Shou and Ashby) overcome their weaknesses to exact revenge. Filled with eye-popping visuals.

LaserDisc Picture:
This viscerally entertaining and visually stunning picture exhibits eye-popping color fidelity that enhances the game style sets and computer graphic imagery. While the colors are appealing, the 1.85:1 transfer is tarnished by instances of digital over enhancement in an attempt to sharpen picture detail, which is overall lacking in fine definition. Some scenes exhibit excessive noise and lack contrast. Overall, there is slight noise throughout, and no apparent artifacts.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
Both matrix and discrete soundtrack versions deliver extremely deep bass response and a pounding music score, but the discrete is dramatically more defined and spatially articulate.
(Surround Bass Below 50Hz):
(Aggressive System Surround):
(Intense 25Hz Bass):
(Deep Bass Challenging):
(Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
(Holosonic Soundfield):
(Aggressive Split Surround):
(Center Back Surround Imaging):
(Directionalized Dialogue):
Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
Superb Color Fidelity:
Superb Cinematography:
Reference LaserDisc:
Collector Edition: