Borderlands Movie's Struggles: Reviews Only Part of Woes

The Borderlands movie adaptation is experiencing a tumultuous premiere week, plagued by scathing reviews and a credit controversy. Early critical reception has been overwhelmingly negative, leaving the film with a dismal rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Borderlands Movie's Rough Start

Uncredited Staff Member Speaks Out

Eli Roth's directorial effort currently boasts a mere 6% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 49 critic reviews. Prominent critics have delivered harsh judgments, with some suggesting the film is an unmitigated disaster. While acknowledging certain design merits, many critics found the humor lacking.

Social media reactions following the embargo lift echoed the negative sentiment, with descriptions ranging from "lifeless" to "terrible" and "uninspired." However, a segment of Borderlands fans and general moviegoers seem to appreciate the film's action-packed nature and crude humor, resulting in a more positive, though still lukewarm, audience score of 49% on Rotten Tomatoes. Some viewers even expressed surprise at enjoying the film despite low initial expectations. Others, while enjoying the action, noted that alterations to established lore might confuse some fans.

Beyond the poor reviews, a credit dispute has further marred the film's launch. Freelance rigger Robbie Reid, who worked on the Claptrap character, publicly revealed on Twitter (X) that neither he nor the modeler received screen credit. Reid expressed disappointment, highlighting that this omission is a recurring issue within the industry, potentially stemming from their departure from the studio in 2021. He concluded by expressing hope that this incident might spur positive change regarding artist crediting practices in the film industry.