What is this no story crap? MK has a story, and a potentially deep one at that. People consider Enter the Dragon to be one of the greatest martial arts film ever and it has LESS of a story than Mortal Kombat.
Hell, you can make a trilogy that chronicles that rise and fall of Shang Tsung and Goro. Obviously the TV series had no problem doing part of it.
Kung Lao is the monk's savior who is sent to kill Goro and Shang Tsung. After laying waste to every living thing in Outworld, he ultimately loses his life to Goro. The hundred year reign of the Champion Goro has begun. Present day, Liu Kang is called upon to finish what is ancestor started nine tournament ago. Along the way he meets allies with their own agenda, and finally defeats Shang Tsung.
And that is just the barest of the bones of the official story of MK.You cannot tell me MK is not cinematic. And why was it so hard for him to make a pitch film that resembled Mortal Kombat when another group of individuals with relatively the same budget was able to make a EXTREMELY accurate depiction of Street Fighter, complete with signature moves?
Or, take for example the story of Scorpion and his rivalry with Sub Zero. Scorpion's clan, the Shirai Ryu had a long and bloody rivalry with the Lin Kuei (Sub Zero's clan) that ultimately resulted in a confrontation between Scorpion and Sub Zero. Scorpion was killed by Sub Zero, but his hated was so strong even in hell that he made a deal with the evil spirits to ressurect him with the strength to take revenge.
Ultimately, Scorpion did have his revenge and killed Sub Zero. However, this younger Lin Kuei decided to follow in his brother's footsteps, and take up the Sub Zero mantle himself, and train intensively to defeat Scorpion and avenge his brother. Eventually, his exploits would take him to the ruins of an ancient race of cryomancers from outworld, who migrated to earthrealm, and the Lin Kuie clan eventually descended from them. He learned their secrets, which enhanced his powers and turned his hair white, and he also took up their traditional armor as his own.
Also, the the elder, deceased Sub Zero was be resurrected as a hellspawn much like Scorpion, because like Scorpion, the he was wicked in life and without honor. The current, younger Sub Zero would have to fight each of them, which would be emotionally difficult due to his own brother now being his enemy.
You could practically make a whole movie out of Sub Zero's story. At the very least, it would be very compelling as a large part of the narrative in a bigger movie with multiple protagonists.
