Every Main Character In The Borderlands Movie, Ranked

Highlights

Borderlands movie pays homage to series with fan-favorite characters like Marcus and Mad Moxxi getting screen time.
New characters like Commander Knoxx and Deukalian Atlas add fresh elements but lack development as movie villains.
Kevin Hart portrays Roland well, but character’s comedic background is underutilized in movie adaptation.

As someone who has spent countless hours in the desolate wastelands of Pandora, I must say that the Borderlands movie does a commendable job of breathing life into the characters we all know and love. Lilith, with her snarky wit and unwavering determination, is portrayed beautifully by Cate Blanchett, even if she leans more towards Star Lord than the Lilith we knew from the games.

In the film adaptation of Borderlands, there are numerous tributes paid to the original series. Though the story primarily revolves around eight major characters, it doesn’t forget to acknowledge some lesser-known favorites from the fanbase as well. For instance, Marcus makes brief spoken and background appearances. Marcus is well-known among fans for narrating most of the games, voicing machine vendors, and serving as the guide introducing Vault Hunters to Pandora in the game world.

In the proposed discussion, we’ll delve into the main cast of the Borderlands movie, evaluating how accurately they portrayed the original characters in terms of costumes and personalities. Beware, there are plot spoilers ahead.

8 Commander Knoxx

A New Character Without A Lot Of Time To Develop

Every Main Character In The Borderlands Movie, Ranked

In the movie, Commander Knoxx is a fresh face who has connections to characters from the game series. General Knoxx is a DLC character from Borderlands, and in this film, he’s introduced as Commander Knoxx’s father. It seems that Commander Knoxx had a more substantial role initially, possibly pursuing the heroes, but her appearances are relatively short. There may be romantic connections between her and Roland, but these details remain unclear. Despite having limited screen time, Janina Gavankar delivers a convincing portrayal of this new character.

7 Deukalian Atlas

A Villain Who Could Have Rivaled Handsome Jack But Lacked The Bite

In the film, Deukalian Atlas serves as the chief antagonist, a fresh character introduction, and holds Commander Knoxx under his command. One memorable moment for him is when he addresses one of his underlings via a holographic mask, ordering them to secure him while in the presence of Lilith. As the CEO of Atlas Corporation, he employs Lilith in an attempt to recover his daughter, Tiny Tina. This scene subtly portrays Deukalian Atlas as a cunning and elusive CEO, similar to Commander Knoxx, but regrettably, his development is insufficient for him to truly shine as a remarkable movie villain. However, he does receive a satisfying demise when he is offered up as a sacrifice to a colossal tentacle monster – the presumed final boss of the initial game, known as The Destroyer.

6 Roland

A Blank Slate That Shoots Guns

As a player, I found that Roland was among the four playable characters in the initial game. He’s a soldier, having served in The Crimson Lance, but his service came to an end within the game’s narrative. Following his discharge, he took on the role of a Vault Hunter.

1. The reason for his actions remains unexplained, just like in the movie, Roland’s connection to The Crimson Lance is shrouded in mystery. This ambiguity makes his character consistent across both the film and the game. It seems odd, though, that Kevin Hart was chosen to portray Roland, given his fame as a comedian, since he didn’t have many opportunities to showcase his humor in the role.

5 Tiny Tina

A Clone But Still One Full Of Chaotic Energy

1. The film nearly accurately depicts Tiny Tina, but surprisingly, it fails to illustrate that Deukalian Atlas, who is her father and clones her using Siren’s blood multiple times, is never depicted in the movie. This is a significant departure from the original lore, yet Tiny Tina continues to enjoy causing explosions. Her standout scene showcases her innocent singing voice tricking Lilith, complete with an array of stuffed animal traps. A highlight of this eccentric character is when she shows off her power by blasting Commander Knoxx with a massive rocket launcher.

4 Lilith

Going Beyond The Games, But Still Looking The Part

In the initial game, Lilith and the other Vault Hunters lacked distinct personalities, with their dialogue primarily focused on combat. However, they were significantly developed in the sequels when they became Non-Player Characters (NPCs), taking on leadership roles within the resistance against Handsome Jack. Lilith emerged as a strong, determined character who refused to retreat from a battle. The movie portrays some of this strength, but Cate Blanchett’s interpretation presents Lilith more like a sarcastic space pirate (similar to Star Lord), which deviates slightly from the original concept yet maintains her power as a Siren.

3 Krieg

A Man With Few Words And More Kills

In the games, Krieg doesn’t have many significant roles; he’s a downloadable character from Borderlands 2, portrayed as a bulky Psycho. His standout abilities involve destroying things, much like The Hulk, and he excels at this in the movie. Additionally, due to his lack of eloquence, Krieg often talks about meat.

That is something that changed from game to movie though. Krieg has an inner voice in the games like a sophisticated member of society. Even though that aspect is missing from the movie, Krieg is a good, albeit brainless, movie hero.

2 Dr. Tannis

A Woman Of Science And Not Humanity: Looks And Behaves Naturally

Midway through the movie, Dr. Tannis makes an appearance and undergoes a slight transformation in her role, hinted at by the revelation that Lilith’s mother had initially entrusted Lilith to Dr. Tannis for upbringing. However, this arrangement was short-lived as Lilith was subsequently sent away. This minor plot twist adds depth to the Borderlands backstory, but it doesn’t detract from Jamie Lee Curtis’ compelling portrayal.

1 Claptrap

A Perfect Encapsulation Of The Character And The Series

As a gaming enthusiast diving into the vibrant world of Borderlands, I can confidently say that Jack Black was the perfect choice to bring the chatty Claptrap robots to life. Being well-versed in the art of being quirky and unleashing humor, he managed to capture the essence of this character who, despite his intention to assist, tends to frustrate with his jumbled chatter. In the movie, the characters respond much like us players do – annoyed yet amused by Claptrap’s antics, be it his kung-fu grip or the unexpected bullet defecation moments that never fail to bring a chuckle.

2024-08-16 17:07