Lionsgate’s Borderlands Movie Was Doomed From the Start

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Lionsgate's Borderlands Movie Was Doomed From the Start

Highlights

  • Lionsgate’s Borderlands film is a critical flop at 0% on Rotten Tomatoes.
  • Eli Roth was not the right fit to direct this video game adaptation.
  • The film attempted to appeal to a wider audience, but failed due to its mature content.

As a gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt and countless hours spent traversing the vibrant, chaotic world of Pandora, I can confidently say that Lionsgate’s Borderlands film has left me utterly disappointed. With an abysmal 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a directorial choice that left many scratching their heads, it seems Hollywood has once again missed the mark when adapting a beloved video game to the big screen.

Movie adaptations from popular video games into live-action have historically faced challenges in Hollywood. But things appear to be improving after hit shows like “The Last of Us” and Amazon’s “Fallout,” which have garnered positive responses from both audiences and critics. Unfortunately, it seems that Lionsgate’s “Borderlands” movie might not live up to expectations right from the start.

As a die-hard fan, I’m eagerly anticipating the release of the big-screen adaptation of “Borderlands” this weekend. Directed by Eli Roth and boasting an impressive ensemble including Kevin Hart and Cate Blanchett, it seemed destined for success. However, upon its debut on Rotten Tomatoes, it received a staggering 0% rating – making it one of the worst-reviewed adaptations ever. So, what happened with “Borderlands”? Was it merely a film that audiences didn’t want to watch, or did Lionsgate somehow set it up for failure before it even started?

Why Eli Roth Was Never the Right Director

Lionsgate's Borderlands Movie Was Doomed From the Start

Eli Roth is well-known for being a significant figure in modern horror movie direction. He’s recognized for his willingness to experiment with graphic content in his films and leaving a distinctive imprint on them, as demonstrated in movies like “Hostel” and “The Green Inferno.” Though Roth’s work is appreciated by horror enthusiasts, he isn’t typically a widely recognized director. Most of his movies have been intended for mature audiences. This is why it seemed odd when Lionsgate hired Roth to direct the live-action adaptation of “Borderlands,” a project that was likely to have limited appeal beyond a mature audience. Roth’s style of direction doesn’t often fit within the limitations of a PG-13 rating. While he has ventured outside his comfort zone before, with 2018’s “The House with a Clock in Its Walls,” the PG-rated movie didn’t perform well, earning only $131 million worldwide and receiving negative reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. After completing work on the “Borderlands” film in 2021, Roth returned to making his typical R-rated horror films with “Thanksgiving” beginning production in 2023. As Roth moved on to his next directing project, Lionsgate had to bring in the director of “Deadpool,” Tim Miller, to handle reshoots for “Borderlands.”

At this point, whispers were spreading that the film was disorganized and that Lionsgate wasn’t satisfied with it. Although unverified, rumors suggested that test showings for the movie had not gone well, and the studio seemed determined to salvage it through reshoots. Regrettably, it appears those efforts didn’t succeed, as the film opened to a startling 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which later rose to a disappointing 4%. However, the shortcomings of the movie shouldn’t necessarily be pinned on Roth. While he has achieved success in the horror genre, he was never the ideal director for Borderlands. Particularly given that the film aimed for a PG-13 rating.

Borderlands Isn’t Meant to be a Family Film

One significant concern with the Borderlands movie adaptation is that Lionsgate appears to have attempted to transform it into a family-friendly film. However, Borderlands isn’t a franchise that should be toned down; rather, it’s a mature game unsuitable for younger audiences due to its graphic violence and language. Consequently, attempting to convert the movie into a generic popcorn flick, blending elements of Guardians of the Galaxy and recent popular action films, made little sense. Moreover, by diluting the film for a broader audience, Lionsgate also compromised the production quality, as evidenced by the subpar costuming and set designs. Regrettably, it appears that Lionsgate recognized this issue too late. Despite an impressive showing at San Diego Comic-Con to excite fans about the film, the studio never seemed fully committed to the final product. Unlike Fallout and The Last of Us, which received extensive promotion from their streaming platforms, Borderlands felt like it was hastily released with minimal marketing efforts.

Currently, it appears that “Borderlands” will generate between $13 million and $18 million during its debut weekend, putting it behind Marvel Studios’ “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which is in its third week, as well as the film adaptation of the top-selling book, “It Ends With Us.” Lionsgate has partnered with T-Mobile to provide discounted $5 tickets for subscribers as part of their weekly special deals. However, these late attempts seem insufficient. The original “Borderlands” project could have been a significant success for the studio if they had invested time in finding the right director. Unfortunately, the choice of director for this film felt unusual, and the attempt to maintain the video game’s tone within a PG-13 rating proved challenging. In future adaptations of “Borderlands,” one can only hope that producers and the studio will take note of what made the adaptations of “Fallout” and “The Last of Us” so successful.

Borderlands is now playing exclusively in theaters everywhere.

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2024-08-09 17:04