Eli Roth's highly anticipated Borderlands movie is on the verge of release, but early critical reaction paints a bleak picture. Discover what critics are saying and what to expect on the big screen.
A Borderlands Film Too Rough Around the Edges?
Stellar Cast Shines Despite Negative Early Buzz
The initial critical response to the Borderlands film adaptation has been overwhelmingly negative. Following early screenings this week, critics took to social media to express their disappointment. Common complaints centered around weak humor, unconvincing CGI, and a lackluster script.
Edgar Ortega of Loud and Clear Reviews tweeted, "Borderlands feels like a studio exec's misguided attempt at capturing 'cool.' The humor falls flat, feeling dated the moment it's uttered. It's not even 'so bad it's good,' just a mess."
Darren Movie Reviews (Movie Scene Canada) called it "a baffling video game adaptation," acknowledging the potential for impressive world-building, but criticizing the "rushed and dull screenplay." He added that while the set design is impressive, poor CGI makes the film appear cheap.
However, not all reviews were entirely scathing. Film critic Kurt Morrison noted, "Blanchett and Hart inject some fun, preventing a complete disaster," though he added, "it'll be a surprise if this finds an audience." The Hollywood Handle offered a slightly more optimistic view: "Borderlands is a fun PG-13 action movie. Cate Blanchett's star power carries it to the finish line – and she delivers."
Despite skepticism from fans of the game franchise since its re-announcement in 2020, the Borderlands movie boasts a remarkable cast.
The film follows Cate Blanchett as Lilith, returning to Pandora to search for Atlas' missing daughter (Edgar Ramirez). She teams up with an eclectic group: Kevin Hart as Roland, Ariana Greenblatt as Tiny Tina, Florian Munteanu as Krieg, Jamie Lee Curtis as Tannis, and Jack Black as Claptrap.With major film publications set to release their full reviews shortly, audiences will soon decide for themselves when Borderlands hits theaters on August 9th. In related news, Gearbox has hinted at a new Borderlands game.
