The movie adaptation of the popular Borderlands video game franchise has disappointed both critics and fans since its release in early August. Starring well-known actors like Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, and Jamie Lee Curtis, the $110-120 million film has grossed only $1.3 million so far and received overwhelmingly negative reviews.
Many reviewers found issues with the movie’s plot, characters, and inconsistent tone. Audiences also felt that some casting choices did not fit the roles well. Additionally, the film strayed too far from the popular storylines and elements in the Borderlands games by blending different game plots and omitting key characters. This left fans feeling the adaptation did not accurately represent the essence of the source material.
The PG-13 rating further concerned fans, as the violent action and dark humor of the games was reportedly toned down. Stunt coordinator Jimmy O’Dee revealed cut scenes were more intense initially but removed in post-production to secure a lower rating. Borderlands’ troubled seven-year development involving multiple screenwriters may have also led to an unfocused narrative with too much content crammed in.
Critics issued scathing reviews, assigning the film a 10% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences responded only slightly more favorably at 51%. Despite the negative reception, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick urges giving the movie a chance, praising the vision, talented cast and crew’s hard work. However, he notes the box office performance will not significantly impact the company financially or the franchise creatively.
In contrast to recent successful game adaptations like The Last of Us and Fallout, Borderlands has highlighted the challenges of transitioning beloved interactive worlds to a non-interactive format. While fan word-of-mouth and rumors of Borderlands 4 offer hope, this cinematic misstep makes clear faithful storytelling remains pivotal for such adaptations to succeed.
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