Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat: Still Classic Video Game Movies?

In the early days of video game movie adaptations, many thought the format just couldn't be done. Super Mario Bros and Double Dragon were embarrassing financial flops, but in 1994, Street Fighter opened to solid business. While the Jean-Claude Van Damme-led film was no critical darling, it made money and has since become a cult classic, and we dive into its making here. And, in 1995, the movie that really made Hollywood realize the format had promise, Mortal Kombat, came out and was a smash hit. But, its journey to the big screen was fraught with controversy, as we examine here.
Which of the two movies is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
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#StreetFighter #mortalkombat #wtfhappenedtothismovie

[@NavajoNinja]

"...for Me, it was tuesday." -Bison

[@jamesabernethy7896]

It's such a terrific line, delivered with such conviction

[@rockoorbe2002]

Mortal Kombat is still a fun movie. Even as bad as it is, Street Fighter has a "so bad it's good" charm to it.

[@davidcurry332]

Oh yeah still a favorite of my I’ll have both films. I haven’t found a Mortal Kombat movie print poster but I have the streetfighter actual one. I think I got it on eBay about three years ago. It was only 10 bucks actual 3-D theater poster so I have nobody else wanted it so you know I have a a fuzzy memories for both Mortal Kombat and streetfighter so you know the newest Mortal Kombat movie was a joke I didn’t watch it. Do you know why you don’t have to have fatalities in the movie to draw crowned the reason that Paul Anderson was Loose so they could sell toys just like the street fighter 🍿 movie 🎥 that Steven D’Souza directed to sell toys so yeah

[@ChrisAndrewsHeavenAngel]

@@davidcurry332 They have actual toyline models of Jean- Claude Van Damme as Colonel Guile and Raul Julia as General M. Bison and they look awesome buddy. Do you want the links to how they look. Mortal Kombat The Movie has nothing on this bro ?

[@RudolfJvVuuren]

Its not a bad movie

[@ChrisAndrewsHeavenAngel]

@@RudolfJvVuuren I agree buddy. Street Fighter as people have publicly posted on KZbin is actually a good movie. It was one of the two better video game based films of the mid 1990s along with Mortal Kombat.

[@MrRoda8143]

I still prefer the 1995 MK movie to the recent one. When I went to see it at the movie theater for the first time, and "Mortal Kombat" blasted from the speakers, the whole audience just went nuts and clapped! At least the OG didn't have that boring non-canon character Cole. Just the soundtrack by itself blows the 2021 film out of the water. Much respect to the late, great Raul Julia for his final screen performance in SF. Sure, the movie was a disaster, but doing it solely for his kids, despite his weak and frail condition at the time, you can't help but admire the man's dedication to his craft. He was truly perfect as Gomez in the Addams Family films. RIP Raul!

[@Cheeks730]

i'd give my left nut to have been able to experience mk 95 in theaters day 1

[@tomrodgers6629]

Mortal Kombat was one of my favorite 90s movies. I still use the soundtrack for training music.

[@crunchyfresco]

Even when I was young as an adult I still love, double dragon, super mario bros movie, street fighter and mortal kombat. Movies that brought me closer to my brother and I couldn't wait to see them as soon as they came to vhs. Made my life brighter

[@MBDB666]

Raul Julia was one of those impressive actors, where anything he is in, will be a great performance. He is one of my favorite actors, alongside James Woods, Edward James Olmos, and Louis Gossett Jr. All of which have been severely underated and underappreciated in recent years.

[@ChrisAndrewsHeavenAngel]

MBD great actor choices my man. I'm a fan of all of them.

[@brorjordas1979]

No matter how bad SF actually was made - I totally enjoyed the movie. Too many memorable good things to write about it here.. I absolutely loved MK!! Went to watch it immediately when it hit the theaters. Scorpion and Sub-Zero were absolitely my favorite fighters in the movie. Lambert shined as always with his nasty trademark grin/laugh..❤❤

[@davidagiel8130]

I used to love the b grade movies back in the day, they were entertaining, not every movie needs a multimillion dollar budget. Now movies are so expensive you just don’t get the same experimentation

[@SirMeowsAlot89]

I love both of these movies! I have street fighter Blu ray steelbook. MK still have my original dvd from back in the day!

[@ChrisAndrewsHeavenAngel]

SirMeow. I also, have Street Fighter Steel Box blu- ray dvd set and the Mortal Kombat films in 1995 and 2021. I also, have Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie and Final Fantasy Advent Children.

[@Deathstroke4200]

Raul Julia made Street Fighter memorable with his take on M. Bison.

[@zqrahll]

As dumb and cheesy as it is, I've got a soft spot for Street Fighter in large part due to how much fun Raul Julia was having as Bison.

[@Giovanni-Giorgio]

As a kid i thought van Damme had multiple biceps on one arm. This movie was wild.

[@7fkogames]

The Mortal Kombat script is richer in detail: It is said that Scorpion and Sub-zero are mortal enemies, but they are slaves of Shang Tsung. The question arises whether Scorpion does not have another reptilian soul under the sorcerer's control through the scenes that occur later in the film itself. They are one of the most attractive elements in the script that could occasionally be used and studied in future games or films!

[@HereticalKitsune]

Raul Julia was an absolute legend as an actor! Absolutely stellar work!

[@platinumpagoda3079]

Ming Na❤. Perfect casting choice.

[@jaredrobinson7071]

I've always liked the MK movies. Were they great, hell no, were they fun? FUCK YES!

[@derfdilla]

I agree, just like the Mario bros movie, I was young to genuinely enjoy it, so even though it's a terrible mario bros movie, it's an entertaining movie

[@projectgraham414]

The first MK was, and still is, really fun. Annihilation though? Absolute garbage, and I knew it when I walked out of the theater in my teens. Not even cheesy fun, just cheap garbage.

[@masaharumorimoto4761]

Man, I was sure stealth boats would be everywhere by now.

[@rdpruett88]

I consider both of these movies gulity pleasures

[@mxmxm85]

Street Fighter is legend. For me is it a 90s Classics Movie. 🥊🔥🔥🔥

[@ChrisAndrewsHeavenAngel]

Street Fighter The Movie and Mortal Kombat The Movie are still my all- time favorite video game films of the 1990s. Jean- Claude Van Damme, Raul Julia, Cary Tagawa and Robin Shou are still big names.

[@Dr_1212]

"Quick, Change the channel!"

[@tkskagen]

The only thing that the Mortal Combat film that impressed me was the Soundtrack. I still listen to it everyday!

[@Cheeks730]

Kombat* you uncultured swine

[@LP2Life]

18:18 Good editing man...

[@airem5861]

My favorite video game movie adaptation to this day is the first Silent Hill. I love that movie even with it's problem's

[@jamesbounds]

Both Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter are a fun watch.

[@venom74799]

I was so mad at street fighter when it came out because it was nothing like I imagined it was going to be. Now it’s one of my favorite so bad it’s good movie and the most memorable line from Raul Julia!!

[@flynaty25]

mortal kombat 1995 i still love it and i have soft spot for street fighter 1994 love Jean Claude van damme

[@user-zf2ru4eq4w]

It was a shame van Damme turned down the role of Johny cage seeing as that character was based off of him. But I'd love to see this channel talk about the live action adaptation of the king of fighters movie. Side notes: conquest is a prequel to the Anderson movies, and Johny Cage did die in the MK game lore but was revived later. I wonder if in the third movie it was going to have Fujin take over for Raiden and then revive Johny Cage.

[@DeathCultFan]

The game DOA isn't fondly remembered, but as braindead entertainment goes, the 2006 film isn't that bad.

[@MackyFermion]

They will both always have a nostalgic place in my heart despite their shortcomings. They're pretty watchable to be honest.

[@JokersVsZombies]

Raul Julia is the only thing SF has over MK.

[@Made_In_Heaven88]

I'm hoping next year for it's 30th anniversary Mortal Kombat is re-released in theaters I would love to see it on the big screen again!

[@Jose-se9pu]

For Street Fighter, it really was De Souza and Julia against the world. For Mortal Kombat, the PG13 rating saved that movie, because it forced the studio to make an actual movie instead of just relying on cheap gore.

[@dudefromtheearth]

The Mortal Kombat movie was part of my childhood memories. It was a movie my dad was more interested in seeing.

[@ThatSoddingGamer]

Makes you wonder what sort of Street Fighter movie we could have gotten instead, if Capcom was more reasonable and kept to the original 7 main cast members deal, and they had double or triple the schedule.

[@josec7113]

Missed opportunity in that thumbnail not being JCVD and Johnny Cage seeing that's who the character was based off of....

[@Aivottaja]

25:11 = Pde0berg isn't a "video game fan". He has said of video games: "Until I cry on stage 4, video games are not art".

[@nathanstephens4600]

Last Starfighter next pls

[@TyyTheFlyGuy]

I recall everyone loving MK and everyone disliking Street Fighter. Only with time did people like Street Fighter to a degree because of the M. Bison actor which I agree with him being awesome. MK original movie was considered the only good video game adaptation movie for most of my life; I think there’s been a few decent ones since then like Resident Evil (1) which also happens to be a Paul W.S. Anderson flick (I forgot he did MK I just remember him doing Event Horizon and AVP aside from his RE stuff).

[@cupidstunt22]

Street Kombat Mortal Fighter

[@johnpaulgontor2362]

I hope that Street Fighter reboot is better than the old one

[@ChrisAndrewsHeavenAngel]

JohnPaul the rebooted Street Fighter will be better then the old one because it will return to it's video game roots. It will use Manga material which, will make this future Street Fighter film more original and different from the 1994 film.

[@jayquanvo5134]

I love the MK 1995 film. Although I did like the new reboot film which had the grittyiness, gore, ultra violence.etc. I still prefer the original with all its charm.

[@80srocknroller]

Yes

[@velociraptorcodeblue5398]

Awesome I grew up with these games 🎮

[@ArtLike]

Ooof, what’s with all the musical edits in the Mortal Kombat segment? Listen to those musical backdrops! Ouch…pain in my ears.

[@fredm2144]

I saw your comment after writing mine, I stopped the video when I realized that I couldn't even concentrate on what was being said...

[@magicmagicman]

Street Fighter is the only film i've ever considered walking out of the theater midway through.

[@erictorres8133]

Both were a go to rental ❤

[@as5who13]

The way to watch street fighter without being disappointed. Turn on street fighter, fast forward to the scene where the truck is rolling downhill towards the tent. Zangief sees the truck on a security camera and says quick change the channel. Laugh at this scene and turn off street fighter.

[@PureEvil1138]

I love street fighter, both mortal combat movies and the super Mario brothers movie and I’m not afraid

[@flynaty25]

I love mario brothers i dont give a f i have all 4 movies on DVD ...mortal kombat 1&2 and street fighter

[@elijahbrooks8589]

Yall so full of it. I saw this as a kid in the theater and loved this movie. Still love this movie

[@brunospfc8511]

Both movies are God to Resident Evil....

[@leo2nd261]

Mortal Kombat is not a perfect movie, a bit outdated but I still have it on dvd and watched in a couple weeks ago.The soundtrack is always the best still. I will always love Cage's lines and the acting is not perfect but that is what makes it work. As cheesy as these movies are...that is what makes them great and I would prefer them or any remake today. The original MK, SF, Mario Bros gets a huge 👍👍👍👍

[@dafrog491]

Lambert got the most pay outta the actors? Never woulda known that.

[@handznet]

These movies are objectively not that great BUT the cheesiness acting fits the genre well. Also, the fact they tried to make characters look like they look in the game is a huge plus. Many videogame adaptations for some reason totally messed this up

[@forresthunter1483]

I don't know, maybe I just have bad taste in movies, but I think Street Fighter is a banger. It's so cartoony, so quotable, and just oozing with '90s charm. Is it a good adaptation of Street Fighter? No. Certainly not as good as the adaptation of Mortal Kombat. But SF sits up there with the '93 Super Mario Bros as an endlessly watchable film with hints of the source material that I love.

[@MashedUpHorror]

I love Street Fighter. I’m sorry. I know it’s not good, but I still love it.

[@theshadowman1398]

I still love the original mortal kombat to death and like the original street fighter

[@Cheeks730]

MK is extremely fun and it respect the mythology outfits look the same, same story etc etc SF is bad bad but its so bad that it's good idk if i'd like it as much as i do if it wasn't for Raul Julia giving it a 110% while basically dying from cancer just cause his kids like SF game

[@thecunninlynguist]

Yes. I will also die on the hill of movie > mk

[@jakobholgersson4400]

Can someone please release the R-rated version?

[@chr1998is]

The “Making of” street fighter is actually more interesting than the film itself. Why isn’t this a documentary ?

[@Haulinbassracing]

Kylie Minogue ❤

[@rosefarrell2440]

Mortal Kombat is still Awesome!!!!

[@Serevarno]

I am so glad JCVD turned down Mortal Kombat. I don't think the movie would have been nearly as good.

[@Lional]

For Street Fighter, which I remember being excited to watch when I was younger, was ruined with Jean Claude Van Damme. Guile is an American, not whatever Jean is...

[@ChrisAndrewsHeavenAngel]

Lionel. Jean- Claude Van Damme is European. His look and size made him a perfect casting choice for Colonel Guile. Raul Julia looked perfect for the role of General M. Bison.

[@miguelvelez7221]

There needs to be an honest distinction between things from when you were younger that deserve your wistful nostalgic remembrance and shit that was on cable a lot when you were a kid. MK and SF are both... Just shit that was on basic cable when you were a kid.

[@davidagiel8130]

If street fighter had Ryu vs Ken fighting it would have been better

[@Bangyourbirdnumb]

Street Fighter could have been so good & instead it was so bad. Hearing about people that were clueless about the source material butcher it to death is infuriating. At least Assassin's Fist got it right with respect for the IP. Oh dear, what could have been...

[@3styler1]

Street Fighter is a case of so bad it was good, Mario movie was just a mess, the Mortal kombat movie was the same as Street Fighter both I can still watch.

[@theresidentteacher2438]

Street Fighter: So Bad, IT'S GOOD.

[@AstralWolf86]

Both are god tier.

[@Zombiesnyder13]

Paul W.S. Anderson used to be a decent director Now he's the worst director working today

[@JoBloOriginals]

Agree

[@rosefarrell2440]

Yes he's a complete Hack!!!

[@grkpektis]

Bridgette Wilson is gorgeous in Mortal Kombat but I hate that she keeps showing off her chicken legs, Cameron Diaz would've been so much better

[@carl7667]

I prefer MK but SF has it's moments

[@rosefarrell2440]

Massive JCVD fan but him turning fmdown MK to do SF was a 💩 Decision!!! Awful choice but in saying that i loved Linden Ashby as Johnny Cage.

[@J0stAn0therJ0hn]

90s Mortal Kombat live action movie was better than 90s Street Fighter live action movie but Street Fighter animated movies were better than Mortal Kombat animated.

[@ScarysReviews]

MORTAL KOMBAT is the BEST video game movie, Street Fighter got very little right. it was a success, making 100 million dollars.

[@davidagiel8130]

How TF do you go from R to G? They should have kept it R.

[@The_Infamous_Boogyman]

Yes, still classic......but, good? Hell nah

[@hallowen]

Mortal Kombat? Yes Street Fighter? No. Never was.

[@DrKuryakin]

love the streetfighter movie, dont ask why, its horrible

[@user-fc2tj8lf2m]

I might not be able to explain wtf happened to Mortal Kombat, but as for Street Fighter it was about 100,000$ of cocaine and the nostrils of a Belgian Martial artist.

[@DannyMexen9]

Keeeeeeek😂

[@anonamos6086]

12 characters would be too difficult to follow. Very much proven by George RR Martin.

[@s1x6x1s]

Mortal Kombat (1995) is still the better one than the 2021 remake. the lore and the backstory were not as established as they are today, but the writers knew enough not to embelish stuff. they took elements from the game that they can use to create a simple story that doesn't take itself too seriously and made a fun movie with kickass soundtrack and some fight scenes that still hold up today. the problem with Hollywood writers in movies that deal with mysticism is they tend to go overboard. they have a difficulty understanding the concept "less is more". it showed in the 2021 remake. and selling it with a serious undertone made it cringy to watch. most notably, how the "arcana" was able to manifest itself in creating complex mechanical device that allows Kano to shoot laser out of his fake eye or 'juiced up' Jax's bionic arms. the movie already lost me less than halfway in, but that arcana sh!t flushed the whole thing down the toilet for me.

[@haldundere5865]

no. fuck em.

[@fredm2144]

What the hell is up with the music choices in the MK segment? Did we really need a different music for every sentence spoken? I mean the content is great as always, but the music editing makes this thing feel amateurish, and very painful to listen.

[@Siegbert85]

das "boot", lol

[@SergioMach7]

Street fighter was not a classic. Mortal Kombat felt true to the source material, apart from the lack of an R rating.

[@ChrisAndrewsHeavenAngel]

SergioMach. Street Fighter is a cult classic video game film with Jean- Claude Van Damme and Raul Julia playing Guile and M. Bison. Mortal Kombat was a cult classic video game film as well. It doesn't change Street Fighter being one as well. Both, epic action films.

[@SergioMach7]

@ChrisAndrewsHeavenAngel ah now Street Fighter was pretty bad even on those terms. Raul Julia is by far the best thing in the film and watching him do his thing is fantastic. But it's the only thing I truly like about it.

[@ChrisAndrewsHeavenAngel]

@@SergioMach7 Raul Julia was the best thing about Street Fighter but so was Jean- Claude Van Damme. His martial arts choreography was incredible. Great martial arts choreography from the majority of the Street Fighter film cast except, Grand L. Bush as Balrog.

[@dhgodzilla1]

Street Fighter was soo bad. Still like Mortal Kombat though

[@popixel]

When you started talking about Dwayne Johnson, I thought you were going to say DOOM. LOL that movie was trash.

[@MackTatum]

Fei Long is the only character not in Street Fighter the movie. Sucks.

[@ChrisAndrewsHeavenAngel]

MackTatum. Feilong yes didn't appear in the 1994 live- action " Street Fighter" film. Feilong does appear in the Street Fighter movie arcade video game.

[@Krassus7101]

I can admire what Raul Julia did for Street Fighter, I think Mortal Kombat is still the superior movie

[@ChrisAndrewsHeavenAngel]

Krassus. Mortal Kombat isn't the superior video game film over Street Fighter. Street Fighter received two Saturn awards one for Raul Julia's outstanding role of General M. Bison.

[@Krassus7101]

@@ChrisAndrewsHeavenAngel That’s your opinion

[@ChrisAndrewsHeavenAngel]

Krassus. Mortal Kombat didn't have it's original video game material in the film from the arcade games. Most of the MK characters did not have their original video game costumes. No it is not the superior film to Street Fighter. Street Fighter had references to the Street Fighter II video games. Most of the cast members wore their video game outfits. The two best cast members that had their costumes to a tee were Jean- Claude Van Damme as Colonel Guile and Raul Julia as M. Bison. Raul Julia was awarded a Saturn award for his role as the madman dictator M. Bison. Fans said, Mortal Kombat was slightly better than Street Fighter. Street Fighter was better with better fight scenes especially, at the end with M. Bison vs. Guile in SF The Movie and Liu Kang vs. Shang Stung. They were dance fighting. That is a weak seen dude compared to JCVD vs. RJ's actual fighting.

[@ChrisAndrewsHeavenAngel]

@@Krassus7101 It's not my opinion it is a fact because I'm not the only person saying, Street Fighter was better than Mortal Kombat. The SF movie cast were more well- known than the cast from MK The movie. So your response doesn't fit Krasses.

[@Krassus7101]

Whatever you say, chief

[@atlboo98]

The only good thing about this movie is that van damme was hot!!! He was definitely a coke head but he was fine!

[@drpeppaerdrpeppaer5434]

Street fighter sucked, Mortal Kombat was good

[@Formakiwi]

If by "classic" you mean "risibly awful, clunky, cartoonish and badly directed chopsocky nonsense", then yes.

[@javi__...]

Both of these movies are bad. I don't know why mk has a good reputation. It's bad.

[@deetzyboywonder9312]

Street fighter was never a classic

[@ChrisAndrewsHeavenAngel]

Deetz that is a lie. It is a classic because the story references terrorist groups that threaten world peace. Shadowlaw is a reference to Nazism, and the future Holy Roman Empire that " The Beast" will rule for a season before Jesus Christ the " King Of Kings and Lord Of Lords" will rule forever and ever.