With the success of movies like The Super Mario Bros Movie and Sonic, it seemed like the video game adaptation era has been going pretty well lately. That, on top of hit shows The Last Of Us and Fallout, have proven that these beloved games can translate well onto the big (and small) screen with the introduction of well-rounded characters and a bit of action, or, in some cases, Walton Goggins.
So a game like Borderlands, with a massive fan base and an elaborate world, would make total sense for a big-screen adaptation, as long as it’s done right. It sounds like it was not done right.
Borderlands, based on the post-apocalyptic video game of the same name, is the latest movie adaptation from director Eli Roth. In the film, Cate Blanchett stars as Lilith, an outlaw who returns to where she grew up in order to find the missing daughter of the most powerful man in the universe. The stacked cast also includes Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Edgar Ramírez, Ariana Greenblatt, Florian Munteanu, Gina Gershon, and Jamie Lee Curtis, so you might have thought that it would be a guaranteed blockbuster hit, but these things aren’t very predictable these days. Early reactions are not very promising and call the film “forgettable” even while (mostly) praising the actors:
Borderlands is easily one of the worst movies of the year. Fans will be pissed off with how much they get the characters wrong (especially Tina), casual moviegoers will be unimpressed at how much it feels like a half-baked GOTG ripoff.
Full review coming soon to @CGMagonline.
— Shak Lambert (@ShakExcellence) August 7, 2024
Borderlands feels like what an out of touch executive thinks the “cool kids” find appealing. There is not a single earnest character moment here, just obnoxious quips that feel dated as soon as they leave the actors’ mouths. It’s not even so bad it’s good, just a complete mess. pic.twitter.com/M7WCc1cUj3
— Edgar Ortega (@edgorteg) August 7, 2024
#BorderlandsMovie is a baffling video game adaptation. There is potential for great world building, but it never happens due to a rushed and dull screenplay; the set design is impressive but the film looks cheap due to poor CGI. Cate Blanchett, Ariana Greenblatt and Jack Black… pic.twitter.com/6FX04UAebC
— Darren Movie Reviews 🔜 #TIFF24 (@dmoviereviews) August 7, 2024
BORDERLANDS is the worst movie I’ve seen this year. There is no heart or emotion in a lackluster script based off a video game. Some humor from Jack Black. Not even Cate Blanchett or Jamie Lee Curtis can save this. Too many ideas and all over the place. 3/10 #review #borderlands pic.twitter.com/tZ3TmRGzYm
— Josh Blumenkranz (@JoshBlumenkranz) August 7, 2024
BORDERLANDS is a disaster. Filled with every cliché you can ponder, this film swaps the mayhem and imagination of the games for a lifeless, unfunny, and visually repulsive dud with annoying characters and a cast with not one ounce of chemistry.
Follow @bitesizebreak for more. pic.twitter.com/3iT70Kexgm
— Adriano Caporusso🔜TIFF (@AdriCaporusso) August 7, 2024
Oh hey I can tell you I’ve seen #BorderlandsMovie now and that it’s really bad. I really wanted to like it, but an uninspired plot + several phoned in performances + being stuck in a weird place where it looks both expensive and cheap a the same time make it a huge misfire. pic.twitter.com/nek6r0CuTm
— Matthew Simpson (@SmatthewAF) August 7, 2024
The social media embargo has now lifted and I can say that #BorderlandsMovie has an exceptional level of detail for those who have played the video games, but I don't know if that's enough to stop people from accusing it of being a Guardians of the Galaxy rip-off. pic.twitter.com/PiShS2NVyC
— Sean Patrick Kelly (@SKonMovies) August 7, 2024
BORDERLANDS is borderline unwatchable. The violence is bland & uninspired, the chemistry is non-existent & the trajectory of the story is both boring & painfully obvious. I had no expectations for this & yet I was somehow still let down. #BorderlandsMovie
Hit up @bitesizebreak pic.twitter.com/EAuPdeRihY
— Nick van Dinther 🔜 #TIFF24 (@nickvandinther) August 7, 2024
#FIRSTREACTION
Kurt Morrison #Top5FilmDiveAs predictable as films come these days, #BorderlandsMovie is borderline unwatchable. With such great talent in front and behind the camera, it's astonishing to me that this ended up being the finished product. Blanchett and Hart are… pic.twitter.com/U3U1UWVWo2
— Movie Scene Canada 🇨🇦 (@MovieSceneCan) August 7, 2024
The movie has had a rough start: the film was announced in 2015 and production began in 2020. Last year, Tim Miller stepped in for reshoots, while Craig Mazin denied any sort of screenplay involvement, which might not have been the best sign. Even Jack Black’s video game magic can’t seem to make it a crowd pleaser. You’ll have to see for yourself when Borderlands hits theaters on August 9th. Or don’t!
