New to Theaters: Borderlands
Video game adaptations for film and television were a cursed proposition in Hollywood for decades, but the subgenre has since experienced newfound vitality. From “Super Mario Bros” and “Sonic: The Hedgehog” on the big screen to acclaimed TV adaptations of “The Last of Us” and “Fallout,” video game adaptations have never before earned consistent goodwill from their loyal gamer audience.
Nothing in Hollywood is ever an automatic win — a fact the creative team behind the latest video game adaptation “Borderlands” is now painfully well aware of. Despite bolstering an all-star cast and a revered brand in modern gaming, “Borderlands” continues to receive vigorous jeers from critics and fans. Such unanimous vitriol is almost unprecedented; the film even possesses a meager 6% Rotten Tomatoes score as of my time writing this.
You may expect me to participate in this communal hate party, but after watching “Borderlands,” I admit I am slightly miffed. While certainly not an accomplished film, “Borderlands” stays somewhat afloat as a competent action/comedy hybrid that only superficially embraces its source material’s allures. Don’t get me wrong; it is still a meandering mess.
Why the “Borderlands” mass hysteria? Some of the negativity is certainly well-deserved. After sitting on the shelf for nearly three years, “Borderlands” arrives as a mangled byproduct of source material, studio influences and creative ideas. You can parse out moments of promise within the clutter, yet the untangled thread mostly leaves viewers with a wayward morass to sit through.
I am no expert on “Borderlands” lore; I played “Borderlands 2” and dabbled in some of its post-launch content. Even with that limited knowledge, I can confidently say this adaptation does not understand the source material’s allures. The movie feels like a cheery yet cheap imitation of the colorfully chaotic post-apocalyptic landscape the video game revels in. There is an assortment of oddball characters and off-kilter dystopian imagery throughout. Still, they all lack the vulgar charm and distinctive edge that made games stand out.
The narrative is similarly perplexing. Fans of the games will notice several familiar faces and well-traveled locations. That said, these ingredients have been reassembled into an incongruent mishmash that reads as a distant mirage to the vibrant video games. Developing a concise vision becomes an impossible task when multiple visions compete for attention. I can see why the film’s original screenwriter, Craig Mazin, decided to remove his name from the project before release.
“Borderlands’” cinematic gloom extends to its direction. Writer/director Eli Roth is the ultimate auteur wild card; his movies are either deliciously amoral genre films (“Cabin Fever” and 2023’s “Thanksgiving) or deranged farces that fall flat on their face (“Green Inferno” and the “Death Wish” remake). With “Borderlands,” Roth never commands a comfortable grasp. He aims to infuse his kinetic visual style and penchant for juvenile pratfalls, although it feels like he constantly compromises to fit into a studio-friendly sensibility (the film is PG-13 despite the games being rated M for mature audiences). The beige visuals hurt the action setpieces the most. Each explosive encounter lacks artistry and innovation; they come across as listless sequences directed on auto-pilot.
Still, for all its falterings, “Borderlands” is never unpleasant. The all-star cast imbues some amusement. Jack Black, Cate Blanchett and Kevin Hart all have a blast stepping into the shoes of these offbeat characters. I was particularly impressed with Blanchett, who steers away from serious dramas to display her sardonic wit as the bounty hunter Lillith. “Borderlands” also wins points for its extreme self-awareness. The movie never strives for grander aspirations; it is comfortable operating as a fast and furious, 100-minute piece of popcorn entertainment. I found enough creative flourishes and silly gags in the film to prevent it from veering into disastrous waters.
I cannot recommend audiences see “Borderlands” in theaters, but I think the film will find a suitable audience for half-invested viewers on streaming. The best compliment I can give this film is it is not the cinematic travesty many are making it out to be.
