Poor 'Borderlands' Movie Criticized

The Borderlands movie adaptation, currently in its premiere week, is facing a barrage of negative reviews from major critics and a crediting controversy.

Borderlands Movie Premiere: A Rough Start

Uncredited Film Crew Member Speaks Out

Eli Roth's Borderlands film is experiencing a difficult opening week, burdened by overwhelmingly negative critical reception. Rotten Tomatoes currently shows a dismal 6% rating based on 49 critic reviews. Prominent critics haven't pulled any punches; Donald Clarke of the Irish Times suggested viewers might want to "imagine hitting an X button" to escape the film's "nonsense," while Amy Nicholson of the New York Times, while praising certain design aspects, found the humor largely ineffective.

Early social media reactions, once the embargo lifted, echoed the negative sentiment, describing the film as "lifeless," "terrible," and "uninspired." However, a segment of Borderlands fans and moviegoers seemed to appreciate the film's action-packed style and crude humor. Rotten Tomatoes' audience score is slightly higher at 49%. One user commented, "I initially disliked the cast, went in with low expectations, but genuinely loved it." Another fan praised the explosive action and humor, but acknowledged that "lore changes might confuse some. Personally, I didn't mind, as it improved the film's narrative."

The film's problems extend beyond poor reviews. A recent controversy involves Robbie Reid, a freelance rigger who worked on the Claptrap character. Reid revealed on Twitter (X) that neither he nor the character modeler received film credit.

Reid stated, "I've been fortunate to receive credit on every previous film," expressing his disappointment that "the one film to break that streak was my last studio project, and for such a significant character." He speculated that the omission might be due to him and the artist leaving their studio in 2021, adding that this is a sadly common industry issue.

Reid concluded, "My disappointment lies with the industry's treatment and crediting of artists. It's a persistent problem, and I'm disheartened to see it's still widespread. However, I'm encouraged by the support and hope it can lead to industry change."