REVIEW: “Borderlands” (2024)

As a cinephile who has spent countless hours immersed in the wild and chaotic world of “Borderlands” video games, I approached this film with a mix of excitement and trepidation. On one hand, the prospect of seeing the vibrant, violent, and hilarious universe I’ve grown to love on the big screen was enticing. On the other, I knew that adapting such an intricate and beloved franchise would be no easy task.

Despite “Deadpool & Wolverine” dominating cinemas, it’s been a challenging prospect for “Borderlands”, the movie adaptation of the renowned Gearbox Software video game franchise, given its lackluster pre-release buzz. Furthermore, projected opening weekend box office figures as low as $8 million have sparked significant concern among studio executives.

I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing almost every installment from the “Borderlands” video game series. The film adaptation, while not without its flaws, generally stays true to the source material, which is both a strength and a weakness. The world portrayed in “Borderlands” resembles a desolate Wild West landscape, characterized by vastness, violence, and an underlying chaotic humor. This same essence can be found in the game’s eccentric cast of characters and creatures, all of whom are vividly depicted in the movie.

But for me the games could be exhausting. The action could turn repetitive; some characters grew obnoxious; the humor wore thin. Those very same things are true about “Borderlands” the movie. Directed and co-written by Eli Roth, this $120 million sci-fi action-comedy attracted a terrific and overqualified cast that includes two Oscar winners, Cate Blanchett and Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Gina Gershon, Ariana Greenblatt, Edgar Ramirez, Haley Bennett, and Florian Munteanu. They keep the film watchable but can’t cover its blemishes.

The narrative, written by Roth and Joe Crombie, centers around an unconventional gang of outcasts who find themselves united under unusual circumstances. A renegade soldier named Roland (portrayed by Hart) embarks on a mission to abduct Tiny Tina (Greenblatt), the child of powerful businessman Atlas (Ramirez), from a space station. With the assistance of the massive “Psycho” Krieg (Munteanu), Roland succeeds in kidnapping her and escapes to the dangerous world of Pandora.

In a twist of events, Atlas enlists the services of a bounty hunter named Lilith (Blanchett) to journey to her native planet Pandora and recover his daughter. Accompanied by a loquacious one-wheeled robot named Claptrap (Black), Lilith manages to locate Roland. However, what Lilith discovers is not entirely unexpected – Atlas’ concern for his daughter’s wellbeing is merely a facade. The real reason behind the search is revealed: Tina holds the key to unlocking a concealed vault containing potent ancient technology. If this tech falls into the wrong hands, it could spell disaster. Atlas seeks Tina to gain access to the vault and lay claim to the technology for his own selfish purposes.

Initially, Lilith, Roland, Tina, Krieg, and Claptrap enlist the assistance of Dr. Patricia Tannis, a Pandora expert, and embark on a journey to locate the vault. However, Commander Knoxx, relentless in pursuit, is close behind with Atlas’ private military force at his disposal, sporting an alarmingly bad haircut. Along the way, they run into a group of mad subterranean lunatics, colossal monster titans, and ultimately, Atlas himself. This adventure includes a variety of action scenes that span from wildly enjoyable to painfully ordinary.

Roth and their team successfully design an aesthetically captivating Pandora, replete with sandy deserts and rusted landscapes, featuring sharp canyons and gritty cities. It’s unsavory and uninviting yet brimming with intricate details, both physically and digitally. However, it lacks the populous that could make it captivating. As avid fans know, the “Borderlands” series is renowned for its quirky characters. Although they introduce figures such as Mad Moxxi (played by Gershon) and Marcus Kincaid (portrayed by Benjamin Byron Davis), they don’t give insight into what makes these characters endearing to fans.

However, the film’s flaws go beyond mere surface issues. To begin with, the choice to cast Hart seems questionable. He lacks the ruggedness required for a convincing tough guy character and is not provided with humorous dialogue to excel in comedic roles. On the other hand, Jack Black’s performance is gratingly over-the-top and challenging to watch. To make matters worse, Atlas emerges as yet another uninteresting corporate antagonist. The plot, pieced together haphazardly, is largely devoid of substance. As a result, the film fails to capture the essence of what made the games so popular, merely imitating their visual style.

2024-08-12 17:56

REVIEW: “Borderlands” (2024)

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