Borderland Movie Reviews Rip It To Shreds

Eli Roth's highly anticipated Borderlands movie is about to hit theaters, but early critical reaction paints a bleak picture. Read on for a summary of the initial reviews and what audiences can expect.

A Critical Mauling, Despite Star Power

The early US premiere of the Borderlands film adaptation has yielded overwhelmingly negative reviews. Critics across social media platforms have voiced their disappointment, citing weak humor, unconvincing CGI, and a poorly conceived script as major flaws.

Edgar Ortega of Loud and Clear Reviews tweeted, "Borderlands feels like a studio exec's misguided attempt at capturing 'cool.' The humor falls flat, the dialogue feels dated, and the overall result is a chaotic mess – not even 'so bad it's good.'"

Darren Movie Reviews from Movie Scene Canada called the film "a baffling adaptation," praising the potential for world-building but criticizing the rushed and uninspired screenplay. He noted that while the set design is impressive, the poor CGI detracts from the overall visual quality.

Despite the largely negative reception, some critics found glimmers of hope. Kurt Morrison noted that Cate Blanchett and Kevin Hart's performances were highlights, preventing the film from being a complete disaster, although he questioned whether it would find a wide audience. The Hollywood Handle offered a slightly more positive assessment, describing it as a fun, PG-13 action movie that relies heavily on Blanchett's star power to succeed – a task she reportedly accomplishes.

Despite a star-studded cast, the Borderlands movie, re-announced by Gearbox in 2020 after a period of inactivity, has faced skepticism from fans of the game franchise since its inception.

As major film review publications release their full reviews in the coming days, audiences will get a chance to form their own opinions when Borderlands hits theaters on August 9th. Meanwhile, Gearbox has hinted at a new Borderlands game.