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Borderlands (film)

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Not to be confused with The Borderlands (2013 film).

Borderlands
A group of eccentric people characters pose next to stacks of cases in front of a colorful background.
Theatrical release poster
Directed byEli Roth
Screenplay by
  • Eli Roth
  • Joe Crombie
Story byEli Roth
Based onBorderlands
by Gearbox Software
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyRogier Stoffers
Edited by
Music bySteve Jablonsky
Production
companies
Distributed byLionsgate
Release dates
  • August 6, 2024 (2024-08-06) (TCL Chinese Theatre)
  • August 9, 2024 (2024-08-09) (United States)
Running time
102 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$110–120 million[2]

Borderlands is a 2024 American science fiction action comedy film co-written and directed by Eli Roth, based on the video game series developed by Gearbox Software. The film stars Cate Blanchett as Lillith, an infamous outlaw who returns to the place where she grew up and forms an alliance with a team of misfits to find the missing daughter of the most powerful man in the universe.[3] The ensemble cast also features Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Édgar Ramírez, Ariana Greenblatt, Florian Munteanu, Gina Gershon, and Jamie Lee Curtis.

A film adaptation of the video game series was announced in August 2015, with Lionsgate developing the project with Ari and Avi Arad producing, and Leigh Whannell in talks to direct it. By February 2020, Erik Feig joined as a producer and Roth was attached to direct the film from a screenplay by Craig Mazin. Casting occurred from May 2020 to April 2021, with Blanchett cast first and others added the following year. Principal photography began in April 2021 in Budapest, Hungary, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and wrapped in June. Two weeks of reshoots occurred in early 2023, directed by Tim Miller due to Roth's commitments to Thanksgiving (2023). Later, in June that same year, Mazin removed his name from the project and was replaced by Joe Crombie.

Borderlands had its world premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on August 6, 2024, and was released in the United States by Lionsgate on August 9. The film received negative reviews from critics.

Plot

On the planet of Pandora, Roland, a mercenary soldier apparently gone rogue, kidnaps Tiny Tina, a teenager, with the help of Krieg, a "Psycho" who was institutionalized in the same facility.

Later, on planet Cytherea, Lilith, a bounty hunter, is contacted by Atlas, a powerful corporate magnate. He convinces her to rescue Tina, his daughter. Lilith goes back to Pandora, her home planet, for the first time since she was a child. With the help of Claptrap, a robot that was mysteriously programmed to wait for her on Pandora, she locates Tina.

After realizing that Atlas wants his daughter back against her will, Lilith teams up with Roland and Krieg while they are attacked by the "Crimson Lance", the private army of Atlas. Lilith is informed that Tina is an Eridian, the ancient race that inhabited Pandora and that only she can open the Vault, where the secrets and powers of this lost civilization are kept.

With the help of Tina's long-ago foster mother, Dr. Patricia Tannis, they locate the key to open the Vault in a underground maze occupied by a tribe of "Psychos". They manage to take the key to the surface. When Lilith destroys the device Atlas has entrusted her with to communicate with him, he sends a drone with an holographic projection of himself and explains that he still wants the girl. Tina catches the end of the conversation and believes Lilith has betrayed them and sends her a grenade, leaving her unconscious.

The next day, the team leaves without Lilith and Claptrap. They find the Vault, only to realize Atlas has preceded them and wants them to open it. But Tina is not able to open the Vault. Lilith appears and explains she is the one who can do it, being an Eridian too: she's even the Eridian deity known as the Firehawk. Atlas threatens to kill Tina if she does not open the Vault. She obeys but traps Atlas inside, where a creature takes him.

Cast

Additionally, Penn Jillette has a cameo in the film as a preacher overseeing a wedding, after voicing Pain in the video game Borderlands 3 (2019).[15]

Production

Writer and director Eli Roth (left). Tim Miller (right) took over directing duties during reshoots.

In 2011, Gearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford had his first conversation about a possible film adaptation of Borderlands with producers Avi and Ari Arad of Arad Productions.[16] In May 2015, Leigh Whannell was in talks with Lionsgate to write and direct an adaptation of the video game series.[17] The film was officially announced in August 2015; however Whannell's involvement was left omitted.[18] Aaron Berg was tapped to pen an R-rated take on the material in April 2016.[19] By June 2018, Oren Uziel assumed scripting duties from Berg.[20][21]

In February 2020, Eli Roth was attached to direct the film from a screenplay written by Craig Mazin, with Erik Feig joining as producer through his production company Picturestart.[22] Cate Blanchett was cast as Lilith in May 2020.[4][23] Speaking of her decision to join the project, Blanchett said: "The gun-slinging stuff was so much fun. I got really absorbed in that whole world. I think there also may have been a little Covid madness — I was spending a lot of time in the garden, using the chainsaw a little too freely. My husband said, 'This film could save your life.'"[24] The rest of the ensemble cast was announced between January and April 2021.[5][10] By that month, Mazin's script had been rewritten by Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier; and again by Roth.[25]

Filming began on April 1, 2021, in Budapest, Hungary, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and wrapped on June 22.[26][27][28] On June 4, 2021, first look images of the cast were released, with black and white images obscuring all but the cast's silhouettes.[29] In January 2023, it was announced the film would be going through two weeks of reshoots directed by Tim Miller, due to Roth's commitments to Thanksgiving (2023).[30] Zak Olkewicz wrote new pages for Miller.[31] In June 2023, Mazin removed his name from the project, replaced by Joe Crombie; Mazin denied reports that Crombie was his pseudonym.[32] Additional literary material was credited to Berg, Uziel, Taylor, Rettenmaier, Olkewicz, Chris Bremner, and Sam Levinson.[33] Steve Jablonsky composed the film's score after replacing Nathan Barr.[34][35]

Release

The film premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on August 6, 2024.[36] It was theatrically released in the United States by Lionsgate Films on August 9, 2024.[37] The film cost $110–120 million to produce, and Lionsgate spent $30 million on print and advertising. International presales reportedly covered 60% of production costs.[2]

Reception

Box office projections

In the United States and Canada, Borderlands was released alongside It Ends With Us, Cuckoo, and the wide expansion of Dìdi, and is projected to gross $8–16 million from 3,000 theaters in its opening weekend.[2][38][39]

Critical response

Reviews for the film were negative.[40][41][42] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 7% of 57 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 3.3/10. The website's consensus reads: "Glitching out in every department, Borderlands is balderdash."[43] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 29 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews.[44]

The Guardian called the film "janky" and a "juvenile and derivative adaptation"[45] while Variety found it was a "generic gaming adaptation that deprives audiences of the most valuable ingredient of its source: surprise."[46] The Independent went as far as to state it was a "total disaster"[47] while Rolling Stone wondered if Borderlands was the worst video-game movie ever,[48] and the Evening Standard, if that was the worst film of the year.[49]

Blanchett's performance was mildly praised by Tim Grierson, of Screendaily, who contrasted it with the rest of the ensemble cast: "Not many in the starry ensemble shine. Vivid character actors like Gina Gershon and Jamie Lee Curtis, who, respectively, play an alluring club owner and a respected scientist, are trapped in stale genre types. Even the potentially intriguing change-of-pace performances — such as Hart in a far more sombre turn than we expect from the explosive comedian — flatline."[50]

Among the more positive reviews, MovieWeb noted, "Roth displays his cinematic prowess with solid combat scenes. Munteanu's Krieg is a beast and a half, twisting baddies into human pretzels with unabashed glee. The violence is brutal but not graphically disturbing." The review insisted, "It's stunning to see a Roth film without even a hint of blood. The producers made a business calculation to avoid the R-rating and allow children who also enjoy the games to see the film. Die-hard Roth fans expecting his trademark gruesome torture should sit this one out."[51]

See also

References

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  2. ^ a b c D'Alessandro, Anthony (August 6, 2024). "Ryan Reynolds Vs. Blake Lively At The Box Office: Deadpool & Wolverine To Slay Again With $50M, It Ends With Us To Begin With $23M-$30M+ – Preview". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 6, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  3. ^ Couch, Aaron (April 5, 2021). "Edgar Ramirez Joins Lionsgate's 'Borderlands'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  4. ^ a b N'Duka, Amanda (May 5, 2020). "Oscar Winner Cate Blanchett In Talks To Join 'Borderlands' Adaptation At Lionsgate". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 15, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Rubin, Rebecca (January 26, 2021). "Kevin Hart to Star Alongside Cate Blanchett in 'Borderlands'". Variety. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  6. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (February 11, 2021). "Jack Black Reunites With Eli Roth & Cate Blanchett For 'Borderlands' Movie". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  7. ^ Kroll, Justin (April 5, 2021). "'Borderlands': Edgar Ramirez to Play Atlas In Lionsgate's Adaptation Of Popular Video Game". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 5, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  8. ^ Kit, Borys (March 1, 2021). "Young Gamora Actress Ariana Greenblatt Joins Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart in 'Borderlands' Movie". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
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  19. ^ Ford, Rebecca (April 25, 2016). "Borderlands Movie Taps Section 6 Writer to Pen Script (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  20. ^ Chapman, Tom (April 17, 2018). "Borderlands Movie Characters & Director Possibly Revealed". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  21. ^ Melendez, Marcos (June 12, 2019). "Lionsgate's Borderlands Film Will Feature A Female Protagonist (Exclusive)". Full Circle Cinema. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
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  23. ^ Romano, Nick (May 28, 2020). "Cate Blanchett to star in Eli Roth's Borderlands movie". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  24. ^ Travis, Ben (February 7, 2024). "Borderlands Turns Cate Blanchett Into A Gunslinger: 'I Got Really Absorbed In That World'". Empire. Archived from the original on July 8, 2024. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  25. ^ Makuch, Eddie (April 20, 2021). "Borderlands Movie's Haley Bennet Shares First Look At The Script". GameSpot. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  26. ^ Dubey, Nivedita (July 12, 2023). "Borderlands Fans Can Expect a 'Wacky, 'Over-the-Top' Film, Says Jamie Lee Curtis". cbr.com. Archived from the original on August 24, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
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  29. ^ "'Borderlands' Cast Assembles in First Images". ScreenCrush. June 4, 2021. Archived from the original on June 14, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  30. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 7, 2023). "Tim Miller Steps In For Eli Roth To Handle 'Borderlands' Reshoot As Roth Cooks Up Feature Version Of 'Grindhouse' Trailer 'Thanksgiving'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  31. ^ "Heat Vision". The Hollywood Reporter. January 13, 2023. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
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  33. ^ "Borderlands Writing Credits". WGA Directory. June 21, 2023. Archived from the original on August 7, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  34. ^ "Nathan Barr to Score Eli Roth's 'Borderlands'". Film Music Reporter. Archived from the original on August 29, 2021. Retrieved August 29, 2021.
  35. ^ "Steve Jablonsky Scoring 'Borderlands' Film Adaptation". Film Music Reporter. October 9, 2023. Archived from the original on January 4, 2024. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  36. ^ Teti, Julia (August 7, 2024). "Borderlands Los Angeles Red Carpet: Cate Blanchett, Jamie Lee Curtis and More [Photos]". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  37. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 20, 2023). "Eli Roth's Feature Take of Videogame 'Borderlands' Lands Summer 2024 Release Date – Comic-Con". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 26, 2023. Retrieved July 20, 2023.
  38. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (August 7, 2024). "Blake Lively's It Ends With Us to Battle Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool & Wolverine at Box Office". Variety. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  39. ^ "Weekend Preview: Reynolds vs Lively as It Ends with Us Challenges Deadpool & Wolverine". Boxoffice Pro. August 7, 2024. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  40. ^ Scullion, Chris (August 8, 2024). "The Borderlands movie currently has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 0%". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  41. ^ Bolding, Jonathan (August 7, 2024). "The first impressions of the Borderlands movie are out, and include slightly worrying phrases like 'disaster' and 'visually repulsive dud'". PC Gamer. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  42. ^ Braca, Nina (August 8, 2024). "Early Borderlands Reviews Are Staggeringly Negative And Full Of Disappointment Over The Video Game Adaptation". Uproxx. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
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  45. ^ Hassenger, Jesse (August 8, 2024). "Borderlands review – Cate Blanchett is wasted in janky video game adventure". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
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  47. ^ Loughrey, Clarisse (August 8, 2024). "Borderlands review: This Cate Blanchett video game adaptation is a total disaster". The Independent. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
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  49. ^ Jessop, Vicky (August 8, 2024). "Borderlands review: is this the worst film of the year?". Evening Standard. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
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  51. ^ Roman, Julian (August 8, 2024). "Borderlands Review: Video Game Adaptation Is Just Barely Good Enough". MovieWeb. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
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