Eli Roth's highly anticipated Borderlands film is poised for theatrical release, but early critical reception paints a bleak picture. Discover the overwhelmingly negative reviews and what audiences can expect.
Borderlands: A Critical Miss?
The live-action adaptation of Gearbox's popular space western looter shooter has garnered overwhelmingly negative reviews following early US screenings. Critics have voiced concerns about weak humor, unconvincing CGI, and a lackluster script.
Edgar Ortega of Loud and Clear Reviews tweeted, "Borderlands feels like what a clueless executive thinks is 'cool.' The humor falls flat, and the film lacks any genuine emotional depth. It's not even 'so bad it's good,' just a complete mess."
Darren Movie Reviews (Movie Scene Canada) called it "a baffling adaptation," praising the potential world-building but criticizing the rushed and dull screenplay. He noted impressive set design undermined by poor CGI.
Despite the overwhelmingly negative response, some critics found glimmers of hope. Kurt Morrison highlighted Cate Blanchett and Kevin Hart's performances as saving the film from 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 film relying heavily on Blanchett's star power.
Announced in 2020 after a period of silence, the Borderlands movie boasts a star-studded cast, despite initial fan skepticism.
The film centers on Cate Blanchett's Lilith, returning to Pandora to find Atlas's 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.As major publications release their full reviews in the coming days, audiences will get a chance to form their own opinions when Borderlands hits theaters on August 9th. Meanwhile, Gearbox has hinted at a new Borderlands game.
