Mortal Kombat II Director Talks Surprise Cameo, Karl Urban’s Improv | Interview
Mortal Kombat II director Simon McQuoid spoke with ComingSoon about the well-received action movie sequel. McQuoid discussed filming with Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon for the movie’s funniest cameo, Karl Urban’s improvisation, and more. Available now on Digital, Mortal Kombat II will also come out on 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD on July 28.
“From New Line Cinema comes the latest high-stakes installment in the blockbuster video game franchise in all its brutal glory, Mortal Kombat II. This time, the fan favorite champions — now joined by Johnny Cage himself — are pitted against one another in the ultimate, no-holds-barred, gory battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders,” says the official synopsis.
Tyler Treese: At first, I thought Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage felt off. I think I was just comparing him to the game version too much. Then, after a few scenes, I was completely on board and loved his variation. Can you speak to allowing Karl to really put his own spin on Johnny Cage rather than doing an imitation? I thought it ultimately worked for the better.
Simon McQuoid: I’m glad you felt that. We knew we needed Johnny to go on a journey. His story needed to grow from here to here, and Karl really understood that task. One of the reasons I loved having Karl in the film so much was that he’s this really unique and lovely blend of being able to deliver genuine, authentic, and honest dramatic performances while also having a very keen understanding of comedic rhythm and where the comedy belongs without ever overplaying it.
If you look at what he did in the Bourne film and then what he did in Star Trek as Bones, that’s one of the reasons I loved that performance so much. I thought every actor in those films was beautifully handled, and Karl was really funny without ever going over the top. He really knows how to hold back and control it. It never gets broad with Karl.
First and foremost, he understood the really tough journey that Johnny needed to go on. He understood the honesty inside that, and he was clearly on it instantly. It didn’t require an enormous amount of long conversations because he just got it.
He was also always helping to inform things within the action. He’d say, “Maybe he should do this,” or, “What if…” It was this really great collaborative process. Honestly, he made my job really easy because he understood the character so well. He’s also got great improv skills, and several moments in the film came from the homework he did and the improv he brought. I love improv because it makes everything feel honest and spontaneous.
Certainly, Josh Lawson and Karl together had a wonderful spirit of improvisation, and when that’s going on, I just get out of the way and make sure I’m pointing the camera in the right direction. Those guys were brilliant.
Karl just understood it instantaneously. I couldn’t be happier. He absolutely nailed it. He’s brilliant.
Tyler Treese: He’s great. I need a Baraka and Karl spin-off someday. That’d be fantastic.
I also loved the Ed Boon cameo. How was filming with Ed?
Simon McQuoid: Oh, he’s great. He’s such a lovely guy. When you first meet Ed, he’s really humble, very polite, and very respectful of the creative process.
As we’ve spent more time together, I’ve realized he’s hilariously funny. He’s a really funny guy with amazing wit. It’s sort of obvious when you look at what Mortal Kombat is and what it’s done. There’s a lot of Ed in there.
He was great. He allowed us to rely on him, and having him so heavily involved on the second one made my job easier. It made the movie better. I just love him. We were just in Vegas together doing a gaming panel, and that was great fun. Anytime I get to hang with Ed, I’ll always say yes. He’s a lovely guy.
Thanks to Simon McQuoid for taking the time to talk about Mortal Kombat II.
Source: Comingsoon.net