Borderlands lands dismal Rotten Tomatoes rating following first reviews

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As a longtime fan of video games and action-packed films, I must admit my anticipation for “Borderlands” was through the roof. With an all-star cast led by the legendary Cate Blanchett, I was expecting nothing short of a cinematic masterpiece that would transport me back to my youth spent conquering virtual worlds.

The first reviews for Borderlands have arrived, but the critics aren’t impressed.

Inspired by a critically acclaimed video game, the Eli Roth-directed movie features Cate Blanchett portraying Lilith, a notorious bounty hunter. In this story, she is compelled to revisit her home world Pandora in search of Tiny Tina (played by Ariana Greenblatt), the missing daughter of Atlas, a character from the game.

In their journey, Lilith teams up with an unconventional group of outcasts, comprising of ex-elite soldier Roland (Kevin Hart), Krieg, the guardian of Tina (Florian Munteanu), eccentric scientist Patricia Tannis (Jamie Lee Curtis), and the chatty robot Claptrap (voiced by Jack Black).

As a passionate gamer, I’ve dived headfirst into Borderlands, expecting a thrilling adventure with its star-studded cast. However, it seems I’m swimming against the current, as this game has left critics less than enthused. In fact, at the time of writing, it’s scored an underwhelming 7% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 55 reviews. It’s a bit of a letdown for me, but maybe my gaming experience will differ.

Thus far, the overall sentiment seems to be that the film version of Borderlands, as it stands now, lacks depth and presents flat characters, along with an underutilized ensemble cast. However, this assessment may shift as additional reviews come in.

Here’s a round-up of what reviewers have been saying:

Digital Spy

“Borderlands, despite being visually accurate, boasting catchy music cues, and an impressive comedic ensemble, lacks the necessary humor, zaniness, and violence to be engaging. It seems oddly tame.”

Rolling Stone

“Borderlands isn’t merely burdened by the typical challenges faced when transferring something highly popular from one format to another, hoping that key, cherished aspects don’t get misplaced during the transition. Instead, it is undeniably a squandering of time, skill, and digital space.”

Empire

A less successful attempt to emulate a Guardian character, falling short of the amusement one might expect based on the punky science fiction background of its video game origin and the star-studded cast led by Cate Blanchett.

Variety

“Given that gamers likely have preferred characters from this group, the movie aims to provide each main character with a heroic fight against stronger opponents – or for Roland, multiple adversaries. However, as the story unfolds, it becomes more apparent where things are leading. By the time Borderlands opens its vault, even the characters seem uninterested in what’s contained within.”

The Hollywood Reporter

It’s plausible that long-term fans of the video game “Borderlands” might find more enjoyment from it, but I wouldn’t expect the same for everyone. At one point in the storyline, Claptrap reactivates after a heavy weaponry attack and asks, ‘I lost consciousness. Was something significant taking place?’ However, this level of detail isn’t present in this adaptation.

Borderlands is in cinemas now.

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2024-08-09 15:48