‘Just a complete mess’: Initial impressions of the Borderlands movie are mostly negative

The initial reactions to the Borderlands movie are generally negative.

Premieres took place in numerous locations this week and the social media embargo lifted earlier, allowing those who attended to share their intial views ahead of full reviews coming later.

The vast majority of these initial impressions are critical of the film, with many criticising its humour (or lack thereof), its unconvincing CGI and its lack of excitement.

Only the cast, including Cate Blanchett and Jack Black, manage to escape with some plaudits based on the first tweets about the film.

Film critic Edgar Ortega wrote: “Borderlands feels like what an out of touch executive thinks the ‘cool kids’ find appealing.

“There is not a single earnest character moment here, just obnoxious quips that feel dated as soon as they leave the actors’ mouths. It’s not even so bad it’s good, just a complete mess.”

Bitesize Breakdown critic Adriano Caporusso said: “Borderlands is a disaster. Filled with every cliché you can ponder, this film swaps the mayhem and imagination of the games for a lifeless, unfunny, and visually repulsive dud with annoying characters and a cast with not one ounce of chemistry.”

Hs co-worked Nick van Dinther added: “Borerlands is borderline unwatchable. The violence is bland ad uninspired, the chemistry is non-existent and the trajectory of the story is both boring and painfully obvious. I had no expectations for this and yet I was somehow still let down.”

Movies We Texted About critic Matthew Simpson wrote: “Oh hey, I can tell you I’ve seen Borderlands now and that it’s really bad. I really wanted to like it, but an uninspired plot + several phoned in performances + being stuck in a weird place where it looks both expensive and cheap at the same time make it a huge misfire.

“Jack Black is great though. He’s the only one that matches the energy that the game and trailers promise.”

Freelance critic Sean Patrick Kelly wrote: “The social media embargo has now lifted and I can say that Borderlands has an exceptional level of detail for those who have played the video games, but I don’t know if that’s enough to stop people from accusing it of being a Guardians of the Galaxy rip-off.”

Movie Scene Canada writer Darren Movie Reviews added: “Borderlands is a baffling video game adaptation. There is potential for great world building, but it never happens due to a rushed and dull screenplay – the set design is impressive but the film looks cheap due to poor CGI.

“Cate Blanchett, Ariana Greenblatt and Jack Black are all great, even if their characters are underdeveloped and the majority of the jokes fall flat, and while the video game carries a M rating, the film carries a PG-13 rating and you can tell it forced Eli Roth into an uncomfortable space as he tried to create a fun and bizarre space adventure. Not bad, but utterly forgettable.”

Critic Kurt Morrison wrote: “As predictable as films come these days, Borderlands is borderline unwatchable. With such great talent in front and behind the camera, it’s astonishing to me that this ended up being the finished product.

“Blanchett and Hart are having a lot of fun here & save this from being a trainwreck. Geared to be a franchise starter, it’ll be a big surprise if this film finds an audience.”

The Hollywood Handle was more positive, saying: “Borderlands is a fun PG-13 action movie. It completely relies on Cate Blanchett’s star power to carry itself to the finish line — and she delivers.

“While there’s nothing that particularly makes it stand out from the crowd, the film is enjoyable from start to finish and has decent pacing throughout. Jack Black is also a comedic powerhouse.

“Aside from some corny flashback scenes and acting decisions that don’t always land, Borderlands is nothing to complain about but nothing to rejoice over.”