The Borderlands movie, currently in its premiere week, is facing a barrage of negative reviews from prominent critics, adding to its already troubled release. This isn't just about bad reviews, however; a recent controversy highlights further issues.
Borderlands Movie Suffers Rough Premiere
Uncredited Crew Member Speaks Out
Eli Roth's Borderlands adaptation is off to a disastrous start. Rotten Tomatoes currently shows a dismal 6% rating from 49 critics. Harsh critiques abound; Donald Clarke of the Irish Times suggests viewers might wish to "hammer an imagined X button" to escape the film's perceived flaws, while Amy Nicholson of the New York Times, while acknowledging some positive design aspects, finds the humor largely ineffective.
Social media reactions following the embargo lift echo these sentiments, with descriptions like "lifeless," "terrible," and "uninspired" frequently appearing. Despite the overwhelmingly negative critical response, a segment of Borderlands fans and general moviegoers seem to appreciate the film's action and crude humor. Rotten Tomatoes' audience score sits at a slightly more favorable 49%. One user commented, "Not gonna lie, I was a hater when I saw the cast. I went into it with low expectations, but I truly loved it," highlighting the divergence in opinion. Another fan praised the explosive action and humor, but acknowledged that "some of the lore changes could leave people puzzled. Personally, I didn't mind too much as it made for a more compelling storyline for the film."
However, the film's problems extend beyond poor critical reception. Robbie Reid, a freelance rigger who worked on the Claptrap character, recently revealed on Twitter (X) that he and the character's modeler were not credited.
"Up until this point I've been exceptionally lucky to have received a credit for every film I've worked on," Reid tweeted, expressing his disappointment. "It just stings that the one to finally break the streak was the last film I worked on at a studio. And for such a significant character too." He attributed the omission to him and the artist leaving their studio in 2021, acknowledging that such oversights are unfortunately common in the industry.
Reid concluded, "My disappointment lies with the general industry and how it treats/credits artists. It's a long-ongoing problem, and I'm sad to see it's still widespread based on replies. But I'm heartened by the support shown, and I hope it can lead to change for our industry."
