Critics Aren't Holding Back On Borderlands

We might be in a golden age of video game adaptations, but that doesn't mean every new show and movie is going to become a fan favorite. As just one example, fans have been worried about the "Borderlands" movie for quite some time. Now that critics have gotten their first look at the completed movie, their reactions have us even more worried than before.

Directed by Eli Roth (with reshoots helmed by Tim Miller), "Borderlands" boasts a star-studded cast. Front and center are Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Edgar Ramírez, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ariana Greenblatt, and Jack Black. The movie tells an original story, but there are plenty of plot elements that fans will recognize from various moments throughout the "Borderlands" timeline. With its healthy combination of over-the-top action and quirky humor, "Borderlands" might seem like an easy slam dunk for a big screen translation. The critics who've gotten to see the movie for themselves, however, almost unanimously agree that this one feels like a massive missed opportunity.

Some of the reviews coming out of the "Borderlands" premiere are utterly scathing. Critics really aren't holding their feelings back, and it seems like some of them truly hated their experience with the movie. Adriano Caporusso, a reviewer for Bitesize Break, took to X (formerly Twitter), to post his initial reaction to the movie: "Filled with every cliché you can ponder, this film swaps the mayhem and imagination of the games for a lifeless, unfunny, and visually repulsive dud with annoying characters and a cast with not one ounce of chemistry." Bitesize Break founder Nick van Dinther echoed these sentiments, posting, "'Borderlands' is borderline unwatchable ... I had no expectations for this & yet I was somehow still let down."

Film critic Matthew Simpson had a similar (but slightly gentler) take on the movie, writing, "I really wanted to like it, but an uninspired plot [plus] several phoned in performances [plus] being stuck in a weird place where it looks both expensive and cheap a the same time make it a huge misfire." A more measured response came from Darren of Movie Scene Canada, who said, "There is potential for great world building, but it never happens due to a rushed and dull screenplay." Darren went on to praise the performances of Blanchett, Greenblatt, and Black specifically, but said that the movie feels noticeably restrained by its PG-13 rating. Fans were still holding out hope that "Borderlands" would turn out great, but reviews like these make that hope hard to hold onto. Unfortunately, even the reviews that skew more positive still point out some serious problems with "Borderlands."

Not every critic who sat down for the "Borderlands" premiere hated what they saw on screen. That said, even the ones who seemed to have an enjoyable time with the movie still admit that it's not exactly a generation-defining theatrical experience. "['Borderlands'] has an exceptional level of detail for those who have played the video games, but I don't know if that's enough to stop people from accusing it of being a 'Guardians of the Galaxy' rip-off," wrote reviewer Sean Patrick Kelly.

"Borderlands" might be a little derivative, then, but it's not a surefire disaster just yet. At least some people are giving the movie a bit of praise, like The Hollywood Handle: "While there's nothing that particularly makes it stand out from the crowd, the film is enjoyable from start to finish and has decent pacing throughout." After sitting for a special screening, one fan also admitted to having a good time with the movie, writing, "Hell of a film, very happy with the new addition to the Borderlands universe!"

Those few positive reviews aren't quite enough to quell our concerns, though. If looking for easter eggs from the game is the most enjoyable part of the "Borderlands" experience, then the movie might be in serious trouble. The "Borderlands" franchise changed gaming in many ways and it still has some serious diehard fans, but this adaptation might be something that those fans try their best to forget. We'll see when "Borderlands" opens this weekend.