Mortal Kombat

In Japan in 1617, Hanzo Hasashi is out collecting water when he finds his wife and son frozen to death, his home sacked and his allies, the Shirai Ryun ninja clan, dead at the hands of the Chinese Lin Kuei assassin clan, led by the cryomancer Bi-Han. After killing the attackers, Hanzo fights Bi-Han but is mortally wounded; after he tells Bi-Han to remember his face and attempts to reach his hidden infant daughter, he dies of his injuries and his soul is condemned to the Netherrealm. Raiden, god of Thunder, later takes Hanzo's daughter to safety.

By 2021, the realm of Outworld had defeated Earthrealm in nine tournaments known as "Mortal Kombat". The rules state that if Earthrealm loses a tenth one, it will be conquered by Outworld. An ancient prophecy states that the "blood of Hanzo Hasashi" will unite a new generation of Earthrealm's champions to prevent Outworld's victory. Sorcerer and Outworlder Shang Tsung sends his warriors to preemptively eliminate Earthrealm's champions, identified by a dragon mark, before the tenth tournament begins. Elsewhere, MMA fighter Cole Young and his family are attacked by Bi-Han, who now calls himself Sub-Zero. Special Forces Major Jackson "Jax" Briggs rescues the Youngs, directing them to find his partner, Sonya Blade. Jax stays to battle Sub-Zero but loses his arms in the process.

Cole goes to Sonya's hideout, where she is interrogating a captive Australian mercenary named Kano. Jax and Sonya have been investigating Mortal Kombat's existence. They are attacked by Shang Tsung's assassin, Syzoth, whom Kano kills with Cole and Sonya's help. They travel to Raiden's temple and meet Earthrealm champions Liu Kang and Kung Lao and Raiden himself, who is critical of the newcomers. They also find Jax, whom Raiden rescued and fitted with a set of mechanical arms. Shang Tsung attempts to attack the temple but is stopped when Raiden shields it from intrusion. Cole and Kano train with Liu Kang and Kung Lao to unlock their "arcana", a power unique to all dragon mark bearers.

During an argument, Kano awakens his arcana, granting him the ability to shoot lasers from his scarred eye, much to his delight. Meanwhile, Cole is unable to awaken his arcana. Disappointed, Raiden sends Cole back to his family, revealing that he is a descendant of Hasashi. Shang Tsung gathers his warriors, including Kano's former ally, Kabal, to attack the temple. Kabal convinces Kano to defect and sabotage the shield. During the fray, Jax awakens his arcana, granting him superhuman strength and upgraded arms. Concurrently, the Youngs are attacked by Goro. Cole rouses his arcana, gaining a suit of armor that can absorb kinetic energy from physical attacks and a set of tonfas, and kills Goro before helping repel the attack on the temple. As Raiden teleports the Earthrealm fighters to the Void, a safe space between realms, Sub-Zero attempts to stop Cole. However, Kung Lao saves Cole from Sub-Zero, only for Shang Tsung to take his soul.

Cole proposes a plan to force Outworld's champions into single combat with them before neutralizing Sub-Zero together. Agreeing with the plan, Raiden gives Cole Hanzo's kunai, which still has Hanzo's blood on it. Raiden transports Cole and his allies to their targets. While defeating Outworld's champions, Sonya kills Kano and acquires his dragon mark, gaining the ability to fire energy blasts from her arms. Sub-Zero abducts Cole's family to lure him into a one-on-one fight. Overpowered, Cole uses the kunai and drains the blood from it, releasing Hanzo as the vengeful specter Scorpion. Recognizing Cole as his descendant, Scorpion helps him kill Sub-Zero and free his family. Thanking Cole for freeing him and requesting that he take care of the Hasashi bloodline, Scorpion departs as Raiden, the other champions, and Shang Tsung arrive.

Shang Tsung threatens to bring armies instead of individual fighters next time they meet. Raiden banishes him, declaring his intention to train new warriors for the next tournament and assigning his current champions to recruit them. Cole then departs to Los Angeles to search for martial arts film star Johnny Cage.