The first reactions for Borderlands have crash-landed online and critics don't seem to be concerned with softening their blows for this one. Following the movie's premiere in LA on August 6, many have taken to social media to share their thoughts and, well, claim it's "unfunny", "uninspired", and "a disaster".
Directed by Eli Roth, the star-studded action comedy, which is inspired by the popular looter shooter video game of the same name, sees Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Cate Blanchett bring the likes of Claptrap, Roland, and Lilith to life, as the latter reluctantly returns to her home-planet of Pandora. There, she embarks on a treacherous mission to steal some treasure from a secret vault, alongside a bunch of newfound accomplices including Tiny Tina (Barbie's Ariana Greenblatt) and Krieg (Florian Munteanu).
"BORDERLANDS is a disaster. 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," wrote Bitesize Break's driano Caporusso.
"Borderlands feels like what an out of touch executive thinks the 'cool kids' find appealing. There is not a single earnest character moment here, just obnoxious quips that feel dated as soon as they leave the actors' mouths," Loud and Clear Reviews' Edgar Ortega echoed. "It's not even so bad it's good, just a complete mess."
"Oh hey, I can tell you I've seen #BorderlandsMovie now, and that it's really bad. I really wanted to like it, but an uninspired plot + several phoned in performances + being stuck in a weird place where it looks both expensive and cheap a the same time make it a huge misfire," wrote Awesome Friday! reporter Matthew Simpson.
Not everyone disliked the flick, however, with The Hollywood Handle's critic saying: "[Borderlands] is a fun PG-13 action movie. It completely relies on Cate Blanchett's star power to carry itself to the finish line — and she delivers. 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. Jack Black is also a comedic powerhouse."
"I had a lot of fun with Borderlands! I do think those who have not played the games might struggle with some of the lore, and those who have might struggle with the differences, but I loved feeling like I was part of one of my favorite gaming franchises," tweeted Mama Geeky's Tessa Smith.
Embargo is lifted & I have a full length review to come after my angry morning coffee but yep, you guessed it, #Borderlands is a mess. Lazy, unfunny, an insult to game fans and offers nothing to newcomers. I haven’t hated a movie this much since Vice (if you know you know)August 8, 2024
#BorderlandsMovie is a baffling video game adaptation. There is potential for great world building, but it never happens due to a rushed and dull screenplay; the set design is impressive but the film looks cheap due to poor CGI. Cate Blanchett, Ariana Greenblatt and Jack Black… pic.twitter.com/6FX04UAebCAugust 7, 2024
#BorderlandsMovie hell of a film, very happy with the new addition to the Borderlands universe! pic.twitter.com/iIdWACdq3aAugust 7, 2024
The social media embargo has now lifted and I can say that #BorderlandsMovie 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. pic.twitter.com/PiShS2NVyCAugust 7, 2024
#Borderlands is borderline unwatchable.An excellent cast wasted on an unfunny script with dull, chaotic action sequences. The final act becomes a ridiculously goofy CGI mess.With boring heroes and villains, this film has almost nothing to offer. pic.twitter.com/RM4NxvISSVAugust 8, 2024
Regardless of what people are saying about the film before it reaches theaters, Greenblatt is prepared for the inevitably intense fan reaction, having appeared in two of the biggest franchises around.
"I've dealt with the Marvel and the Star Wars people, and I love them with my whole heart," she recently told GamesRadar+. "So diving into this one, I was like, 'All right, I'm ready.'"
"But I understand, as a fan myself, I get kind of the connection that they have to these characters and these kind of worlds that you might spend so much time in. I definitely went out of my way to ask fans of the game myself before I went to go film, and ask what they really loved about it," she continues. "But, you know, it's also such a longer format of what they're used to.
Borderlands releases in the UK on August 8, and August 9 in the US. For more, check out our round-up of the most exciting upcoming video game movies heading our way.
