The upcoming Borderlands movie, directed by Eli Roth, is generating significant buzz, but early critical reception paints a largely negative picture. Let's delve into the initial reactions and what moviegoers can anticipate.
A Critical Mauling, Despite Star Power
Early reviews for the Borderlands film adaptation are overwhelmingly harsh. Critics, following its initial US screenings, have voiced their disappointment across social media platforms. Common criticisms include weak humor, unconvincing CGI, and a lackluster script.
Edgar Ortega of Loud and Clear Reviews tweeted, "Borderlands feels like a clueless executive's idea of 'cool.' The humor falls flat, and it's not even 'so bad it's good,' just a mess."
Darren Movie Reviews from Movie Scene Canada called it "a baffling adaptation," praising the potential world-building but faulting the rushed and uninspired screenplay, stating the impressive set design is undermined by poor CGI.
However, not all reviews were entirely scathing. Film critic Kurt Morrison noted that Cate Blanchett and Kevin Hart's performances were highlights, preventing a complete disaster, though he doubts it will find a wide audience. The Hollywood Handle offered a slightly more positive perspective, describing it as a "fun PG-13 action movie" carried by Blanchett's performance.
Despite a star-studded cast, which has always faced skepticism from fans of the game franchise, the film, re-announced in 2020 after a period of inactivity, is facing significant headwinds.
The film follows Lilith (Cate Blanchett) as she returns to Pandora to find Atlas' missing daughter (Edgar Ramirez). She teams up with an eclectic group: Roland (Kevin Hart), Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt), Krieg (Florian Munteanu), Tannis (Jamie Lee Curtis), and Claptrap (Jack Black).
As major film critics release their full reviews in the coming days, audiences will soon have the opportunity to form their own opinions when Borderlands hits theaters on August 9th. Meanwhile, Gearbox has hinted at a new Borderlands game.
