In this American-made martial-arts filmthat features spectacular special effects, three misanthropes find themselves responsible for the fate of all Humanity as they prepare to do battle with a legion of evil beings led by a wicked sorcerer. The trouble begins when three important planets spin out of alignment and evil alien forces come forth to engage in an enormous tournament. The stakes are high for if the three heroes lose, the human race will be enslaved. Nine rounds of the infernal tourney have been fought before and each time the alien invaders have won. All they need now is one more victorious match. The heroes are the arrogant egomaniacal martial-arts actor Johnny Cage, who desperately needs to prove that he is a real fighter and not the fake the press makes him out to be; Sonya Blade, a voluptuous but tough-as-steel drug task-force leader; and a reluctant hero, Liu Kang, who is forced into participating. The good guys are led by a good sorcerer, Lord Rayden, who is as adaptable as he is intelligent. The opposition is lead by the great black magician Shang Tsung and is comprised of an army of horrific shape-changers.