Eli Roth's highly anticipated Borderlands film is poised for theatrical release, but early critical reception paints a bleak picture. Discover what critics are saying and what moviegoers can expect.
A Critical Mauling: Borderlands Falls Short
The live-action adaptation of Gearbox's popular space western looter shooter has been met with overwhelmingly negative reviews following early screenings. Critics across social media platforms have voiced concerns about the film's humor, CGI, and screenplay.
Edgar Ortega of Loud and Clear Reviews tweeted, "Borderlands feels like a misguided attempt to capture 'cool.' The humor falls flat, and the film lacks genuine emotional depth, resulting in a chaotic mess."
Darren Movie Reviews from Movie Scene Canada called it "a baffling adaptation," praising the potential world-building but criticizing the rushed and uninspired screenplay, noting that the impressive set design is undermined by poor CGI.
Despite the largely negative feedback, some critics found glimmers of hope. Kurt Morrison noted that Cate Blanchett and Kevin Hart's performances were highlights, preventing the film from being a complete disaster, though he doubts it will attract a wide audience. The Hollywood Handle offered a slightly more positive assessment, describing it as a fun, PG-13 action film carried by Blanchett's star power.
Despite a star-studded cast, the Borderlands movie, re-announced in 2020 after a period of inactivity, has faced skepticism from fans of the game franchise.
The film follows Cate Blanchett's Lilith as she returns to Pandora to search for Atlas's missing daughter. Teaming up with an eclectic crew—including Kevin Hart as Roland, Ariana Greenblatt as Tiny Tina, Florian Munteanu as Krieg, Jamie Lee Curtis as Tannis, and Jack Black as Claptrap—Lilith embarks on a dangerous adventure.As major film publications 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. In related news, Gearbox has hinted at a new Borderlands game.
