Borderlands First Reactions Confirm What We All Suspected
Is "Borderlands" worth a visit? Or is this one alien planet that's much more of a "No Man's Land"?
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00:00Is Borderlands worth a visit, or is this one alien planet that's much more of a no-man's land?
00:06Twitter didn't hold back with its criticisms of the Borderlands trailer,
00:10with some people comparing the video game adaptation to a poor man's version of
00:13Guardians of the Galaxy. Of course, trailers can be deceiving and don't always sum up a
00:17film's overall quality, so should people give this one a fair shake? Well, if the
00:22early reactions are anything to go by, Eli Roth's sci-fi blockbuster is a dud.
00:27Well, destiny awaits.
00:30Featuring a star-studded ensemble that includes Kevin Hart, Jack Black,
00:34Cate Blanchett, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Edgar Ramirez, Borderlands follows a group of
00:38misfits who must navigate hostile terrains and find a missing girl. This brings them into contact
00:43with all types of creatures and criminals, and while that premise sounds fun, the execution
00:48leaves a lot to be desired. One user on X wrote,
00:50"'Borderlands' is the worst movie I've seen this year. There is no heart or emotion in a
00:55lackluster script based off a video game."
00:58Despite not liking the movie, the commentator noted that the film has some enjoyable humor,
01:02thanks to Jack Black, but concluded by saying it's an unfocused mess.
01:06The early reactions to Borderlands suggest that it's a messy affair,
01:10but some viewers went into it with cautious optimism. Sadly, the film doesn't live up to
01:14those expectations, with one viewer noting that it's a missed opportunity. They complained,
01:19"'I really wanted to like it, but an uninspired plot plus several phoned-in performances plus
01:24being stuck in a weird place where it looks both expensive and cheap at the same time
01:28make it a huge misfire.'"
01:30"'God, I hate this planet.'"
01:32Director Eli Roth is known for making movies that are disturbing to finish,
01:35with Hostel, Cabin Fever, and Death Wish proving that he likes pushing people's buttons.
01:40Unfortunately, he had to tone it down for Borderlands, and one reviewer believes that
01:44the family-friendly approach is detrimental to the overall experience. While the video game
01:49carries an M rating, the film carries a PG-13 rating, and you can tell it forced Eli Roth into
01:54an uncomfortable space as he tried to create a fun and bizarre space adventure — not bad,
01:59but utterly forgettable. Some critics were even harsher with their lambasting,
02:03with one user claiming that the movie feels something from a bygone era — and
02:07not in a good way. Borderlands feels like what an out-of-touch executive thinks the
02:10cool kids find appealing. There is not a single earnest character moment here,
02:14just obnoxious quips that feel dated as soon as they leave the actors' mouths.
02:18These critiques make Borderlands sound terrible, but if you're interested in giving it a chance,
02:22you'll be pleased to know that not every viewer hated the experience.
02:26I want people to go, that is the best time I've had in a movie theater in years.
02:29For the sake of a robust debate, let's highlight some of the positive sentiments for Eli Roth's
02:34latest effort. One ex-user said that they had a good time with the film and the performances,
02:38writing,
02:39"'Jack Black's Claptrap' is the standout of the film. Comedy gold with fun action sequences.
02:43The audience will eat him up."
02:45Crowd-pleasing adaptation that's faithful to the legacy of the games,
02:48while also defining Borderlands for a new generation.
02:50Meanwhile, another fan appreciates that Borderlands has unified social media users
02:55who've seen the film, even if it's for the wrong reasons.
02:58I like how everyone is in agreement the Borderlands movie is going to be
03:01just an absolutely massive pile of dog s—. Of course, praising a movie because everyone agrees
03:06it's bad isn't exactly a glowing review, but it's rare to see people agreeing with
03:10each other on social media. Unfortunately, this sentiment is also one of the nicest
03:14things that's been said about Roth's film thus far. It goes without saying that Borderlands
03:18isn't winning people over, but you'll have the chance to see for yourself when the film
03:22premieres on August 9th.