Go back to the bloody beginning with first 7 minutes of 'Mortal Kombat' right here, right now

Though it's been out in other parts of the world for a few days now, American audiences won't get to feel the full force of the long-awaited Mortal Kombat film until this weekend. It's been a long wait, but to help tide us over, Warner Bros. just dropped the first seven minutes online to watch for free. 

Directed by Simon McQuoid from a script by Greg Russo and Dave Callaham, and featuring an all-star cast led by Lewis Tan, Mortal Kombat is the fulfillment of years of fan wishes for an updated, R-rated big-screen take on one of the most beloved video game franchises of all time, and so far it seems to be delivering. Anticipation among fans continues to build, reviews from overseas are largely positive, and everyone's jaw is still on the floor from that moment in the trailer when Sub-Zero made a knife out of someone's frozen blood. Now, after months of waiting, we get a more substantial taste of what the film has to offer.

The footage below sets the film up with a prologue sequence set in 17th century Japan, where a warrior named Hanzo Hasashi (Hiroyuki Sanada) and his family are interrupted by a rival clan of warriors led by Bi-Han (Joe Taslim), a brutal fighter with a dark power. Longtime fans of the franchise will know who these two titanic figures are right away, but even if you're just a casual Mortal Kombat fan we're betting you'll catch on pretty quickly.

Check it out below:

This opening scene sets up the larger journey of the fighters in present-day, as a ragtag group of warriors from Earthrealm struggle to prepare themselves for a tournament against the champions of Outworld, with the fate of all of humanity hanging in the balance. The film also stars Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Tadanobu Asano, Mehcad Brooks, Ludi Lin, Max Huang, and more.

Mortal Kombat arrives in theaters and on HBO Max this Friday.