After watching the new Borderlands movie, directed by Eli Roth and featuring a star-studded cast including Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Ariana Greenblatt, I find myself struggling to write about the experience. Given that the film is based on the popular gaming franchise from 2K and Gearbox, one would expect a burst of inspiration due to its intriguing visuals and A-list performances. However, what I encountered was not just disappointing but profoundly disheartening.
The atmosphere at the early screening I attended was unusually somber, with an absence of the anticipated cosplay from the audience. Instead, the theater felt more like it was preparing for a somber documentary than a quirky action film. The trailers featured R-rated content, leading me to question whether Roth’s film held an R rating, which it ultimately does not.
The film begins with Blanchett’s voice narrating the history of an alien race, but she delivers her lines with such lackluster energy that it feels as if she were reading from a script without any real enthusiasm. The vibrant aesthetic of the movie is overshadowed by jarring editing and uninspired CGI, which appears hastily assembled.
The plot is straightforward, following Lilith, a bounty hunter played by Blanchett, on a quest to find a missing girl named Tiny Tina on Pandora, guided by the head of Atlas Industries. The introduction of characters is rapid, with Kevin Hart as Roland and Florian Munteanu as a Psycho named Kreig. The action sequences feel generic, lacking the excitement one would expect from a film adapted from a game known for its chaotic energy.
Much of the dialogue sounds like it could have been generated by AI, filled with tired clichés and wit that fails to resonate. Characters speak in a forced, overly enthusiastic manner, delivering jokes that feel flat and lifeless. Significantly, references to familiar pop culture elements do little to enhance the experience and instead serve as distractions.
The film’s brief runtime is a relief, as we soon meet Jamie Lee Curtis’s character, Tannis. While her attempt to infuse the role with quirks gives a glimmer of personality, it unfortunately only highlights the lack of depth in the script. Blanchett appears to be coasting through her role, and Hart struggles to embody a convincing straight man beside Greenblatt, who deserves commendation for her efforts given the limitations of the material.
A significant issue arises from the character choices, particularly with Tiny Tina, who is depicted as childish and reliant on outrageous antics rather than relatable depth. This creative decision detracts from emotional investment, reminiscent of a well-known character in another franchise that lacks maturity.
Visually, the film struggles to find cohesion, alternating between striking visuals and a muddled, chaotic haze that detracts from its overall impact. The characters’ overly exaggerated outfits and the blatant emphasis on physical appearance feel out of place, contributing to an overall sense of mismatched storytelling.
In the end, as the credits roll and Jack Black’s character expresses a quirky lament, I’m left disheartened. The Borderlands film does not reach the highs of a great adaptation nor the lows that make it so-bad-it’s-good. Instead, it settles into a melancholic territory, resembling an outdated attempt at quirky charm without the necessary storytelling backbone.
The experience overall encapsulates a missed opportunity, leading one to long for a show with genuine character and flair. It feels like a product of a bygone era that fails to connect with modern audiences, leaving viewers wishing for something that resonates beyond its colorful, chaotic surface.