Bloody, brutal fight scenes are the follow-up’s highlight but information-heavy story lacks punch.

Picking up where the 2021 flick left off, Earth’s champions – including Johnny Cage (Karl Urban) – are pitted against the dark rule of Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) in a battle that threatens the planet’s existence.

Anyone wondering where the heck the familiar tournament from the hit games was in the first film will be satisfied as it’s here in all of its bloody, brutal glory.

The fight scenes are the highlight of returning director Simon McQuoid’s sequel as characters face off in a variety of imposing, colourful locations armed with superpowers and wild weapons.

The showdowns reach their apex during a clash at the blue portal which feels ripped straight out of the video games, while a fiery trip to the Netherrealm also packs a punch.

Urban, long suggested as a fans’ dream casting choice as Cage , adds much needed star power and wit, Adeline Rudolph’s brave, strong-willed Kitana gets a lot of focus and Josh Lawson remains a funny, zinger-laden anti-hero as the back-from-the-dead Kano .

But while Ford is physically intimidating and wields a mighty hammer, Kahn is a generic villain who completely sidelines previous movie baddie Shang Tsung (Chin Han), and Tadanobu Asano’s Lord Raiden also spends much of his screen time laid out on a slab.

It’s very difficult to adapt a fight-heavy game like Mortal Kombat and this follow-up struggles with its story beats.

The script’s tactic is basically throw fireballs of information dumps at the audience and hope we take it all in and the flick follows a face-off, little bit of chat then another face-off format throughout.

READ MORE: MOVIE REVIEW: We see if sequel ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ was worth the two-decade wait

A side mission regarding an all-powerful amulet swells the running time but feels otherwise unnecessary – and its possession would surely make the whole tournament redundant?

Outside of nostalgia increasing love for the 1995 film, the bombastically brutal Mortal Kombat II is probably as close to an effective live-action take on the games as we’re likely to get – frustrating flaws and all.

● What is your favourite flick based on a video game?

Pop me an email at ian.bunting@reachplc.com and I will pass on your comments – and any movie or TV show recommendations you have – to your fellow readers.

● Mortal Kombat II is showing in cinemas now.

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Guardiola has insisted he has “one more year” left on his contract at City amid speculation over his future. Asked in his pre-match press conference before the FA Cup final whether it could be his final trip to Wembley, Guardiola said “no way”.

He then playfully suggested, while smiling, that he has “one more year [on his] contract” – before making a swift exit from the room. Guardiola was scheduled to leave anyway as it was the last question.

Available for over a year

NYC’s new mayor says his new budget will save the city billions without having to cut key services. In a social media post, Zohran Mamdani told New Yorkers his administration “uncovered a $12 billion budget deficit. Today, I’m proud to say we brought it down to zero. We didn’t close the gap on the backs of working people.”But beyond the headlines, how accurate is this, and what do New Yorkers say about it?

In this episode, Justin, Anthony and Marianna answer your questions with Matt Chorley on 5 Live.They also talk about whether Trump’s social media posts now carry less weight, particularly when it comes to Iran, and a new move by Senate Democrats to take funding away from the president’s plans for a new ballroom. And, how the US president is further expanding the brand of Donald Trump, including with a Trump-branded gold phone.

HOSTS:
• Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter
• Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent
• Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations Senior Correspondent

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This episode was made by Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. The technical producer was Jack Graysmark. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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Here are your Cardiff City headlines for Monday, May 18.

Cardiff City set to land another Premier League talent

Cardiff City are poised to sign another highly-rated Premier League academy talent after agreeing a deal to bring teenage midfielder Pedro Araujo to south Wales from Crystal Palace.

The 16-year-old attacking midfielder will sign a scholarship agreement with Cardiff and is set to officially join the club ahead of the 2026/27 season.

Araujo, who can also play as a striker, is regarded as an exciting attacking prospect and enjoyed an impressive campaign in Palace’s youth system last season, registering 12 goals and 11 assists.

The Brazilian-British youngster began his academy journey with Arsenal, spending four years there between Under-7 and Under-11 level before a spell with Stevenage at Under-12s.

He then joined Crystal Palace as an Under-13 and has spent the last four years developing in the Premier League club’s academy system.

Standing at 6ft 1in and comfortable with both feet, Araujo is expected to link up with Cardiff’s Under-18s squad next season as the Bluebirds continue a major push to strengthen their academy pipeline.

He is set to join fellow new arrival Cass Machin, the midfield talent Cardiff are also expected to sign from Manchester City.

Machin, another technically gifted young midfielder, has been with Manchester City since Under-9 level and is viewed as one of several ambitious academy additions being targeted by Cardiff this summer.

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Dylan Lawlor reveals Cardiff City dream

Dylan Lawlor says he dreams of playing in the Premier League with Cardiff City after opening up on his breakthrough season and the academy pathway finally opening up for young Bluebirds.

The centre-back has emerged as one of the success stories of Cardiff’s youth system over the last year, taking advantage of the opportunities presented following the club’s relegation to League One and subsequent rebuild under Brian Barry-Murphy.

And the defender admits he now hopes he can continue climbing with his boyhood club in the Championship and beyond.

“Obviously I’ve got aspirations to play at the highest level,” Lawlor told Cardiff City TV.

“I’d love to do that with Cardiff. Fingers crossed. We’ll see what happens in the Championship.”

Lawlor also passionately defended Cardiff’s academy setup, insisting the work being done behind the scenes has not received enough recognition amid the turbulence surrounding the club over the last 18 months. Join the Cardiff City breaking news and top stories WhatsApp community.

“The academy is unbelievable,” he said. “It hasn’t been given enough credit with the club’s situation.

“Going down to League One has maybe made it easier to get players into the first team. There are so many good players in there who never really made it.

“But there is now opportunity and you’ve got to credit the manager, too.”

For years, one of the biggest criticisms levelled at Cardiff was the lack of a genuine pathway into the first team for academy players.

Lawlor admits that uncertainty was something he himself wrestled with while coming through the ranks.

“For me, coming through, there was always the question: ‘Is there a pathway?’ Because you never saw players coming through,” he explained.

But seeing the likes of Rubin Colwill, Joel Bagan and Isaak Davies establish themselves gave Lawlor belief that it was possible.

“Then when you saw Rubin, Joel and Isaak break through, there was that bit of hope and inspiration you could get there,” he added.

“I hope that gets passed down to the boys in the academy now and they can see there is a pathway to the first team.

“I loved it when Rubin, Isaak, Kingy (Eli King) broke through. It gave me that enjoyment as a fan and I hope I give that to the fans now.”

Wintle reacts to Ng contract news

Ryan Wintle has reacted to the news that close friend and team-mate Perry Ng has signed a new long-term contract with Cardiff City.

The Bluebirds confirmed on Monday that Ng had extended his stay in south Wales until 2028 in what is being viewed as a major boost ahead of the club’s return to the Championship.

And Wintle was among the first to publicly congratulate the defender, reposting Cardiff’s announcement on his Instagram story alongside the message: “Congrats Perry laaaa.”

The pair go way back, having both come at Crewe before later reuniting at Cardiff during lengthy spells in the Welsh capital.

Their friendship has been clear to see throughout their time at the club, with both players becoming key figures during difficult periods as well as Cardiff’s successful promotion-winning campaign this season.

Ng’s new deal comes at an interesting time for Wintle himself, however.

The midfielder is currently due to fall out of contract next month, alongside fellow promotion hero Joel Bagan, with uncertainty still surrounding both players’ futures.

Ng’s contract extension was viewed internally as hugely important business by Cardiff, particularly given interest from clubs in the top half of the Championship and concerns among supporters that the 29-year-old could move on this summer.

Since joining Cardiff in January 2021, Ng has made 233 appearances, scored 15 goals and won the club’s Player of the Season award twice.

The right-back enjoyed another outstanding campaign under Brian Barry-Murphy, reclaiming his starting place after competition from academy graduate Ronan Kpakio before starring in the second half of the season as Cardiff secured promotion back to the Championship.

Speaking after signing his extension, Ng said: “I’m delighted to have signed this new deal. I’ve loved my time at the Club so far.

“I’ve grown a lot in my five-and-a-half years in South Wales. I feel like I’ve made a home for myself here.”

While Ng’s future is now secure, attention may soon turn towards whether Cardiff can also tie down Wintle and Bagan as preparations continue for life back in the Championship. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here.

Scanlon issues message to fans

Calum Scanlon has issued a heartfelt message to Cardiff City supporters following the end of his loan spell in south Wales.

The young left-back joined Cardiff on loan from Liverpool during the second half of the season but found opportunities limited due to the outstanding form of Joel Bagan, who established himself as arguably the best left-back in League One during the Bluebirds’ promotion-winning campaign.

Scanlon ultimately made eight appearances after arriving from Anfield and, although it was perhaps not the volume of minutes he would have hoped for, the 21-year-old did well when called upon.

The defender has now reflected positively on his time at Cardiff in an end-of-season social media message.

“A pleasure being part of such a good team,” he wrote.

“Thank you to all the staff, fans and players who helped me every day, and made me feel welcome from the start.

“Time to rest and keep pushing.”

Despite fierce competition for places, Scanlon remained a well-liked figure around the squad and benefited from being part of a successful dressing room under Brian Barry-Murphy.

Bagan’s form meant opportunities were difficult to come by, with the academy graduate producing arguably the best football of his Cardiff career and cementing himself as the club’s first-choice option on the left side of defence.

But Scanlon still managed to show flashes of his quality during his cameo appearances and gained valuable senior experience during Cardiff’s successful return to the Championship.

The Liverpool youngster is expected to head back to Merseyside this summer before a decision is made on the next stage of his development.

—

*Sign up to our daily Bluebirds newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here. Cardiff City correspondent Glen Williams is also on social media. He can be found on his X account here, on Instagram, on TikTok and on Facebook.

Why might boiling tofu work better than pressing it?

Did it work?

‘Let’s just get this sorted’

A Northern Ireland “city without a toilet” is to make a new public facility a top priority.

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council’s recent corporate committee heard concerns of years of delays and cross-party lobbying without a plan for a loo.

A report on council priority projects was presented to the chamber for the next 12 months with Dundonald Ice Bowl’s £64m redevelopment first on the list, but no sign of toilets.

READ MORE: NI council to combat ‘horrendous’ online abuse of councillors.

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Downshire West DUP Alderman Allan Ewart said: “As you know I have been pushing for toilets in Lisburn city centre. If that was agreed by the council that we push ahead, is this report saying we won’t be able to do it in the next year?”

New signage to direct people to usable toilets in Lisburn were recently put up in March after four years of campaigning by a councillor with a kidney disorder.

Lisburn South DUP Alderman Paul Porter added: “I think Allan might be being too soft there. I am very proud of what we do here as elected members, but for years we were known as the city without a toilet.

“The fact that we have to lobby so hard. Several councillors from several parties. So I don’t think there is any confusion in the direction of travel.

“But I just want to make sure we are not here at the end of September or November and before you know it we are round robin again. Let’s just get this sorted.”

The council website shows that the local authority operates four public toilets in the total district of more than 150,000 people, with two in Lisburn at Wallace Park and Castle Gardens and one each in Moira and Royal Hillsborough. There are no opening times listed for the toilets.

The most up-to-date public survey carried out by the council (2022) revealed 64% of respondents still being dissatisfied by the public toilet provision even after being shown an online map of their location.

CEO David Burns responded: “The report is definitely not saying that. What we will do is for the governance and audit committee to bring forward a report in June to identify the projects of each directorate.

“I would fully expect your request to feature on there. Members did give a clear indication that they would like a report back and the workload has been reprioritised to deal with that.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

She added: “I think what was interesting for me to see is where I haven’t changed, and I still feel the same way I do about life and why I’m doing this and how I interact with people around me and that’s moving, because I can kind of see myself, which is hard for us to ever really see ourselves, so I can see what my DNA is.

In January a decision was made by councillors in secret to give up the community hall

Ards and North Down Council has “acknowledged” it will be giving up an important local resource by turning a community hall in Holywood to a film industry hub.

Elected members at a committee meeting in Newtownards have agreed to a motion that states a decision made by the council in secret and away from the public and press might be a threat to an “important community asset.”

In January councillors chose to earmark Queens Hall Hollywood for development as the potential site for the Screen Industries Digital Innovation Hub. The full details of the vote in the restricted debate are not available, so it is unverified what parties pushed the decision through.

READ MORE: DUP proposes cross-border cooperation for coastal defences

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But at the May meeting of the council’s Active and Healthy Communities Committee, elected members unanimously carried a motion forwarded by the Alliance Party. The motion states: “This council acknowledges that the decision taken in January 2026 to adopt Queen’s Community Centre as the preferred site of the proposed Holywood screen industries innovation hub has the potential to remove an important community asset from Holywood.

“The council therefore resolves to undertake an exercise to assess the need for community space in Holywood, with a report assessing need to be brought back to the relevant committee.” The motion does not attempt to reverse the decision, and will have to be ratified at the full council later this month.

The hall was built as a community centre in the 1950s, and a leisure centre was added in 2000. Although the council officially regards it as a leisure asset, the old part of the Queen’s Leisure Complex is still predominantly used as a community centre.

In October 2022 the council approved a cross-party notice of motion requiring engagement with the community in Holywood to ascertain needs and desires in respect of community use of Queen’s Hall. In 2010 Serco took over management.

Green Party Councillor Lauren Kendall said her party voted against the original proposal to develop the hall, and added the motion was “an attempt to retrospectively justify decision-making.” She said the January decision was “taken in confidence, without the community’s knowledge or consent.”

At the committee meeting, Alliance Alderman Councillor Martin McRandal, who tabled the motion, said: “In recent years the non-leisure part of the facility has been allowed to deteriorate. Sound and lighting equipment in the main hall has been removed, the stage in the main hall is unsafe to use, floors are in desperate need of repair, and the working kitchen is dilapidated.

“The management of Queen’s Hall in Holywood stands in stark contrast to Queen’s Hall in Newtownards, where the facility has been animated over the years by the council putting on a programme of events. In regards to the 2022 Holywood motion, very little has been done – in the following three years there was one community engagement station in Holywood, that was poorly attended.”

He said: “Under the Belfast Regional City Deal, this council was awarded sizable funding to establish an Innovation Hub. It was decided that a specialist hub, serving the digital and creative industries be established in Holywood. That was very welcome news.

“Late in 2025, Holywood and Clandeboye councillors were informed that negotiations for the preferred site had broken down, and that time was running out to identify a site, and thereby secure the funding. Having reviewed all other options, the only viable option in Holywood was the site of Queen’s Hall.

“Holywood and Clandeboye councillors were effectively presented with a Sophie’s Choice scenario. On the one hand we have a secured pot of funding that can be used to provide an economic boost to the town, on the other we have a community need, the case for which still needs to be properly made. And once that case is made, we need to seek a source of funding in order to regenerate the building.

“The decision was made by the council in January to proceed with Queen’s Hall in Holywood as the preferred site of the Innovation Hub. But nothing there is set in stone, this is the start of a process which will take some time to work through.”

He said: “The decision has the potential to remove a sizable and well-loved community asset in the heart of Holywood. Holywood has one other community hall at Redburn, away from the town centre.

“It is our concern that the potential for losing Queen’s Hall would result in Holywood being underprovided in community space. The notice of motion calls for a report assessing need for community space in Holywood, and in undertaking the work I would like officers to carry out further engagement with the community stakeholders to assess the need, and compare community provision of space in Holywood with that of other towns of similar size, within our borough and outside.”

The Lord Mayor of Ards and North Down Borough, Alliance Councillor Gillian McCollum, seconded the motion. She told the committee: “The heart of this motion is about balance, it is about ensuring that as a council we make decisions that are both ambitious and responsible, that builds prosperity but also creates trust.”

She added: “For many years the message from the community in Holywood has been consistent – Queen’s Hall is needed and it should be maintained as a dedicated community venue.”

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Sir Keir Starmer insisted his premiership is not over and he wants to lead Labour into the next general election, according to PA.

He said: “I do want to fight the next election. Obviously, I recognise that after the local election results, the elections in Wales and Scotland as well, that the first task is obviously turning things around and making sure that my focus is in the right place.

“The last 10 days, there’s been a lot of activity, which hasn’t been as focused in my view as it should have been, and I remind myself every day that I was elected to office to serve the people, to serve the country, that’s what I believe in, and that’s what I’ll be getting on with.”

He said he would not “walk away” and would not set out a timetable to stand down if Andy Burnham wins the Makerfield by-election.