As a lifelong gamer, I am always amazed at how much video games have evolved since their inception. In just a few decades, playing Pong simple gameplay and jagged gray pixels to visually stunning, story-driven epics like God of War (2018).
The gaming industry is grown up and sexy, but the video game film industry is still stuck in its rough patch. Hollywood keeps finding new ways to screw up adaptations of what should have been sure-fire hits, like Street Fighter, Assassin’s CreedAnd Warcraft.
After 30 years and nearly 50 live-action adaptations, expecting a great video game movie is like Charlie Brown believing Lucy wouldn’t steal his football. But something strange has happened in the last five years, and this cursed genre has given audiences reason to hope.
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu And Sonic the Hedgehog were solid, if unspectacular, films. Both films took iconic video game characters and told stories based on their mythologies in exciting new ways. And then with 2021’s Werewolves insideDirector Josh Ruben took a niche VR game and turned it into one of the best comedies of the year.
And then it is 2023 The Last of Us flew in with a flying elbow drop from the top rope, proving that video game franchises can stay true to the source material while still delivering thrilling, emotionally stirring, and critically acclaimed stories.
So forgive me for being a little excited when I heard that Lionsgate was releasing a movie based on Gearbox Software’s hit series. Borderland.
The Borderland Games are hyper-brutal first-person shooters that seem like a mixture of Mad Max And Indiana Joneswith the comedic tone of Deadpool and WolverineWhat’s not to like?
Borderland‘ Director Eli Roth does his best to please fans by incorporating popular characters and locations from the game into the film, while largely staying true to the lore of the series.
In the story, Cate Blanchett plays Lilith, a tough and strong bounty hunter. Atlas (Edgar Ramírez), one of the most powerful men in the galaxy, recruits her to bring back his kidnapped daughter Tina (Ariana Greenblatt). Tracking down the girl sounds like easy money, but Atlas doesn’t tell Lilith the whole story.
Tina is hidden away on Pandora, a place overrun by deadly creatures and bloodthirsty, low-IQ bandits. Somewhere on Pandora lies a secret vault containing priceless alien technology. It seems Tina has the answer to how to open the vault, making the child one of the most prized possessions in the galaxy. To protect Tina, Lilith reluctantly teams up with a ragtag group of weirdos, including a soldier (Kevin Hart), a robot (Jack Black), a scientist (Jamie Lee Curtis), and a muscle-bound psychopath (Florian Munteanu).
It is clear that the people who made this film had a lot of love in their hearts for the Borderland games. Visually, this is one of the most accomplished adaptations of a video game. Roth clearly understands the comic book aesthetic and the crazy energy of the series.
Most characters look like their digital counterparts, and the creatures, vehicles, and locations are instantly recognizable to anyone who has played the games before.
Gamers will appreciate how the action sequences capture the frenetic pace and emotional intensity of gaming. I didn’t find the film’s action scenes well choreographed or entertaining, but it does convey the feeling of mowing down waves of enemies in a first-person shooter.
Borderland Die-hard fans will feel at home in Roth’s authentic vision of Pandora, but that doesn’t mean they’ll have fun there. This film is a mixed bag; a hail of bullets and bad writing that left me in a brain fog for 100 minutes. I can’t imagine what this film offers non-gamers, as the underdeveloped characters and poor story won’t win any new fans.
There is no doubt that Borderland has a strong cast. Unfortunately, they are terribly miscast and lack any trace of chemistry.
Cate Blanchett is a Hollywood treasure who can bring depth and charm to almost any character. But not in this film. She just never finds her rhythm as a cocky Han Solo type. She stays cool under pressure and kicks a lot of people’s butts, but you never get the feeling that she’s having fun.
Part of the problem is Roth and Joe Crombie’s script, which doesn’t give the cast much room to maneuver. The lame writing and disappointing performances make the game’s most popular characters seem like watered-down versions of themselves.
This is an action comedy that lacks wit and charm. The dialogue in this film could use a few punches to accommodate the many embarrassing jokes. This becomes a glaring problem as the Borderland Games are hilarious. There are two-minute cutscenes in Borderland Games that made me laugh more than this whole movie.
Borderland is a gutted version of a James Gunn flick. If you want to see an entertaining story about a ragtag group of misfits coming together, you better watch The suicide squad or PeacemakerFor a PG-13 option there is always The Goonies, “Jumanji”And Zathura (if you are looking for a deep cut).
Borderland is visually vibrant, aurally chaotic and emotionally lifeless. Roth imitates the look and feel of the games pixel-perfectly, but tells a story without heart and soul. The film is a powerful reminder of why classics like star Wars stand the test of time. X-wing dogfights and lightsaber duels offer dazzling eye candy, but it was a lonely farm boy on a desert planet that captured our hearts and imaginations.
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