WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Mortal Kombat, now in theaters and streaming on HBO Max.
Ironically, the temperatures Mortal Kombat's actors fought in during the climactic battle against Sub-Zero were the exact opposite of its cryogenic set design.
Lewis Tan, who plays protagonist Cole Young, revealed to USA Today that shooting the arena fight scene wore him, Joe Taslim (Bi-Han/Sub-Zero) and Hiroyuki Sanada (Scorpion) out due to the heat clashing with their costumes. "It's very hot and you can't just take those outfits off," he revealed. "When I say we were sweating, we were sweating during like, 8 hours straight of full-on exertion. We had ice packs, fans, electrolytes. It was extremely difficult."
While Cole Young is a completely original addition to the Mortal Kombat franchise, the ex-MMA fighter eventually learns his direct connection to Scorpion and Sub-Zero's infamous rivalry over the course of the reboot's story. As revealed by Lord Raiden, he's a descendant of Hanzo Hasashi's surviving child, whom Raiden rescued centuries ago after Bi-Han murdered Hanzo, his family and entire Shirai Ryu clan.
Mortal Kombat's finale saw Sub-Zero lure Cole back to the fighting cage he regularly participates in for money by using his wife and child as hostages. With the entire building frozen over and Cole's family at risk of freezing to death, he attempts to quickly defeat Sub-Zero one-on-one until their battle is interrupted by a revived Hasashi as Scorpion, who had "risen from Hell" to claim vengeance against his family's killer. Eventually, the duo manage to team up and defeat him, with Scorpion delivering a fatality by burning Sub-Zero alive.
The synopsis for Mortal Kombat can be read below:
In "Mortal Kombat," MMA fighter Cole Young, accustomed to taking a beating for money, is unaware of his heritage -- or why Outworld's Emperor Shang Tsung has sent his best warrior, Sub-Zero, an otherworldly Cryomancer, to hunt Cole down. Fearing for his family's safety, Cole goes in search of Sonya Blade at the direction of Jax, a Special Forces Major who bears the same strange dragon marking Cole was born with. Soon, he finds himself at the temple of Lord Raiden, an Elder God and the protector of Earthrealm, who grants sanctuary to those who bear the mark. Here, Cole trains with experienced warriors Liu Kang, Kung Lao and rogue mercenary Kano, as he prepares to stand with Earth’s greatest champions against the enemies of Outworld in a high stakes battle for the universe. But will Cole be pushed hard enough to unlock his arcana -- the immense power from within his soul -- in time to save not only his family, but to stop Outworld once and for all?
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 streaming on HBO Max.
Source: USA Today
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