Eli Rothis set to release the video game adaptationBorderlandsthis weekend, but unfortunately, those who managed to catch the world premiere of the movie last night in Los Angeles were not impressed. Boasting an all-star cast featuringthe likes of Cate Blanchett, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Gina Gerson, Roth’s movie looks to bring the popular franchise to the big screen for the first time in what many were hoping would be a fun romp, but instead the film is being called a “disaster” by more than a few moviegoers.
Reactions on social media have been swift following theBorderlandspremiere on August 6, with users onX(formerly Twitter) bashing the adaptation as a watered down PG-13 version of the R-rated game they’ve come to know and love. @edgorteg calls it “a complete mess” filled with “obnoxious quips.”
@AdriCaporusso went one step further, callingBorderlandsa “disaster filled with every cliché you can ponder.”
@nickvandinther says that despite having no expectations going into the film, he somehow managed to still be let down. Ouch!
@MovieSceneCan was a little gentler, praising the efforts of Blanchett and Hart, but saying that even they couldn’t saveBorderlands.
Finally, we have @ShakExcellence, who calls Eli Roth’s latest offering “the worst movie of the year.” Perhaps he hasn’t seenMadame Web.
It’s Not All Doom and Gloom for Borderlands
Borderlands
Based on the video game franchise, Borderlands is a sci-fi action-comedy film that follows Cate Blanchett as Lilith, a treasure hunter who returns to her home planet, Pandora, to find a tycoon’s missing daughter. Together with a group of unlikely allies, such as a soldier, a teenaged demolitions expert, a wise-cracking robot, and an eccentric scientist, the group will work together to save the girl - all while learning to deal with each other’s unyielding quirks.
First announced in 2015,Borderlandshas had a long road to the silver screen. Leigh Whannell (Saw,Insidious) was originally tapped to direct the project by producers Ari and Avi Arad, but the version penned by Craig Mazin never saw the light of day. By 2020, Eli Roth has been brought on board to get things rolling at Lionsgate, working on the script himself alongside Joe Crombie. Casting was swift, and production got underway in 2021, with Blanchetteven taking a crack at the gamesto help inform her acting choices.
While the success of other video game adaptations as of late, such asThe Last of UsandTwisted Metal, have certainly set the bar high forBorderlands, it’s not all doom and gloom. While yes, the majority of reactions have been negative, there is stillsome positive feedback coming from social mediafrom those such as @HollywoodHandle, who call it a “fun PG-13 action movie.”
@theatomreview says thatBorderlandsis “a crowd pleasing adaptation,” while at the same time heaping praise upon Jack Black’s character of Claptrap.
Claptrap Just Had a Funny All-American Road Trip Ahead of Borderlands' Release
Claptrap, the robot voiced by Jack Black in the Borderlands movie, went to major cities and engaged befuddled onlookers and fans alike.
As always, moviegoers are free to make their own opinions on the film, but again, with the majority of the feedback thus far being negative, it’s hard to imagine that longtime fans of the video game franchise will find satisfaction here. Whether or notBorderlandsmanages to kick off an entirely new cinematic universelike those at Gearbox are hoping forremains to be seen, but so far it’s not looking good.
Borderlandsopens nationwide on July 04, 2025, and you can check out the trailer below.
