Borderlands Took the Wrong Approach From the Very Start

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Borderlands Took the Wrong Approach From the Very Start

Summary

  • Borderlands
    is a massive disaster, grossing less than $10 million in its opening weekend on a $120 million budget with a 9% Rotten Tomatoes score.
  • Plagued with production issues, the film went through multiple directors and writers before hitting the big screen.
  • The characters don’t match fan favorites, the plot mimics
    Guardians of the Galaxy
    , and technical flaws hinder the enjoyable viewing experience.

As a long-time fan of the Borderlands video game franchise, I must say that I was initially excited about the prospect of seeing my beloved characters come to life on the big screen. However, after watching this PG-13 adaptation, I can’t help but feel let down and disappointed.

In less than a week since its launch, it’s become clear that Borderlands is one of the biggest disappointments of summer 2024. Unfortunately, this misstep arrives at an unfortunate time, as video game adaptations have only recently gained respectability, demonstrated by positive reviews and box office triumphs for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, as well as acclaim and accolades for The Last of Us. Regrettably, Borderlands feels like a step back to a previous era, recalling a time when films based on video games seemed embarrassed by their origins.

Critical reception for the movie has been brutal; currently, it holds a dismal 9% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and earned less than $10 million during its first weekend, despite a production budget of $120 million. It’s safe to say that even Madame Web didn’t flop this hard financially. The worst part is that the negative feedback is entirely warranted; Borderlands, from top to bottom, is a poor film. While other movies this year may have made more mistakes, it’s challenging to find examples of many that got so few things right. With both fans of the games and newcomers asking themselves the same question, let’s delve into why Borderlands missed the mark.

Borderlands Was Plagued With Production Problems

Read Our Review

It’s now common knowledge that the journey of Borderlands to the big screen wasn’t a smooth one. The movie project was initiated back in 2015, based on the widely popular video game series, combining elements of the Diablo-style action RPG with a Mad Max vibe. Originally, Leigh Whanell (the man behind The Invisible Man) was assigned to write and direct, but he soon departed, leading the film into a long period of stagnation in development, cycling through three different directors and no less than ten screenwriters.

Eventually, Eli Roth from “Hostel” accepted the role and Craig Mazin (“Chernobyl” and “The Last of Us”) wrote the script. Filming eventually commenced in 2021, but following its completion, there was an unusual silence regarding the project. The film “Borderlands” remained untouched for two years before it was announced in January 2023 that the movie would undergo a fortnight of reshoots. Since Eli Roth had already started working on “Thanksgiving”, Tim Miller, who worked on “Deadpool”, took over as an interim director.

It became quite clear that Mazin was no longer involved in the project, with Joe Crombie taking his place instead. There were whispers about poor test screenings, leading many to believe that Lionsgate was heading towards a catastrophe. However, it’s worth noting that production difficulties don’t always lead to failure – as demonstrated by World War Z turning out to be a box office success and Apocalypse Now becoming one of the all-time great films.

It’s unfortunate to admit that the movie feels like it went through significant changes, much like the rumors hinted at. The dialogue, reminiscent of Marvel’s quips, seems to have been added later, almost like it was dubbed in post-production. Instead of showing action sequences, lengthy explanations are used, which leaves one feeling as if crucial scenes were skipped over entirely. The signs of reshoots are glaringly obvious, as demonstrated by the noticeable age difference between Ariana Greenblatt’s character from scene to scene. The film appears to have been pared down to just the essentials, stripping it of any narrative or character development that would give depth and meaning to the story. Borderlands undeniably shows the effects of extensive post-production alterations and a desperate effort to rescue a film from impending disaster.

Borderlands Probably Always Would Have Been Bad

Borderlands Took the Wrong Approach From the Very StartBorderlands Took the Wrong Approach From the Very StartBorderlands Took the Wrong Approach From the Very Start

To be completely fair to Borderlands, the troubled production isn’t as evident onscreen as Suicide Squad or 2015’s Fantastic Four (which is to say it’s still fairly obvious). But like those films, the scraps of coherence on display suggest a project that probably always would’ve been bad even before it was hacked to pieces. To start with, it’s a baffling decision to take a video game franchise so beloved for its over-the-top violence and make a PG-13-rated adaptation out of it. It’s an even more baffling decision to give Eli Roth those project mandates, considering how, on paper, he seems like a perfect fit for an R-rated Borderlands.

The characters in this version of the franchise appear far removed from the beloved heroes that long-time fans have known. Characters such as Mordicai and Brick are missing, while others like Lilith and Tannis seem to have aged significantly. It’s also disappointing that a third of the cast appears visibly disengaged on screen (Cate Blanchett before her role in “Tár”), another third seems miscast (the choice of Kevin Hart for a Han Solo-like character is questionable), and the remaining third is underutilized, particularly Jamie Lee Curtis. Jack Black, as the voice of Claptrap, makes an effort to embody the character from the games, but even he struggles to find humor in the poor quality material provided.

Before delving into the similarities between this storyline and “Guardians of the Galaxy”, it’s worth noting that while Eli Roth disputes it, many find the plot remarkably similar. However, “Borderlands” does offer a unique perspective on how James Gunn managed to blend action, humor, and character development so seamlessly in his trilogy. While Gunn excelled at delivering thrilling action and clever dialogue, he also genuinely cared for his characters’ flaws. Unfortunately, this emotional connection is not as evident in “Borderlands”. The most apparent attempt to emulate Gunn’s empathy is when Ariana Greenblatt’s character, Tiny Tina, shares a glimpse of her troubled past only to abruptly abandon the topic and never revisit it afterward.

The film disappointingly lacks finesse, particularly in its technical aspects. The action scenes are cut at such a fast pace that clarity of space is sacrificed, possibly to conceal Eli Roth’s limitations when managing large-scale action sequences for big-budget productions. Although parts of the set design and costumes could potentially be effective, they required a more extravagant, over-the-top aesthetic. Due to Roth’s meticulous cinematography, the film often appears as if we’re watching actors in Halloween costumes against a green screen.

Borderlands Gets Almost Nothing Right

Borderlands Took the Wrong Approach From the Very StartBorderlands Took the Wrong Approach From the Very StartBorderlands Took the Wrong Approach From the Very Start

Instead of focusing on what made “Borderlands” go wrong, let’s explore the aspects that made it successful despite its apparent flaws. The movie is almost a complete mess, oozing an undeniable badness that permeates nearly every aspect, from production to storytelling, dialogues, direction, and performances. However, what stands out most is the lack of enjoyment; it seems like no one involved in its making had any genuine passion for it beyond capitalizing on a popular IP that has long overstayed its relevance.

If Eli Roth and his team truly had a deep love for the project, it’s hard to see that on-screen, as this apparent lack of enthusiasm seems to permeate the entire film, ultimately setting Borderlands up for failure before any flaws in post-production become noticeable. Unfortunately, it appears their dreams of a cinematic universe may be delayed, if not altogether abandoned, given the current state of the movie. Borderlands is now showing in theaters.

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2024-08-14 23:31