Exploring Pandora's Easter Eggs: Secrets of the Borderlands Film
Hold onto your hats, fellow Vault Hunters, because the Borderlands movie is packed with hidden treasures - I mean, Easter Eggs! Even though they took some liberties with the game storyline, you can't help but notice they gave lots of love to the details that made the games so popular in the first place. So, get ready to unearth those hidden references, and if you happen to have a 'Badass' rank, this'll be the perfect game guide for those who just can't get enough Borderlands.
Imagine Cate Blanchett's Lilith as she makes her grand return to Pandora, that alien planet filled with bandit thugs, scary monsters, and wannabe treasure hunters – it's basically a Wild West-style space opera with awesome weapons and more mayhem than you can shake a stick at (I wouldn't actually recommend trying to shake a stick at something, but you get the point!) The movie's world, though different from the games in a few ways, still brings the original Borderlands vibes to life. They gave us plenty of Easter Eggs that would make even the most devoted Borderlands fan say, "Wow, that's awesome!" You might be seeing familiar faces (but with a new take!) or you'll see cool places from the game that feel just as much part of the movie.
Skags, Rakks and a Wild World
Those scary, pack-hunting monsters called 'Skags'? Yeah, they’re everywhere. They’re kinda like the scarier, greasier version of your typical wild dogs in a regular desert, except for that cool sci-fi vibe and those sharp teeth, of course! And if Skags aren't terrifying enough for you? Get ready for Rakks! These big flying creatures love to attack anything that moves and their attacks? Let’s just say it gets real dramatic! You'll even see them in one of those super cool movie scenes where a Rukk flies off with a Skag in its claws - kinda makes you wish those fights had a bit more time on the screen for some real action!
Imagine how intense it would be to get ambushed by a swarm of Rakks like you get in the game! Sadly, the movie never goes for that full "Oh, no! It’s a swarm!" moment which makes me kinda sad but the movie does a pretty good job with Pandora’s wild side.
Borderlands’ Gear - Weapons and More!
If there's one thing that Borderlands is famous for – besides all the shooting - it's the guns! There's literally tons of them, from those cool pistols to big, chunky machine guns and everything in between! And, if you're playing as Lilith, who's got the ability to turn into a siren (think a superhero who can manipulate the elements of the world), you will definitely want to be able to control her power! That's where 'Shields' come into play. In the game, shields are pretty much life-savers. But in the movie, it’s a little different. In this movie, we have a new kind of shield generator that's basically super powerful and designed by Atlas who is a really evil guy. They took the game element and gave it a whole new spin.
There's even that one scene in the movie, where we get to see Lilith in action, shooting a group of baddies, and guess what? That sniper rifle scope in the movie? It looks exactly like one of those you find in the game (with a little star in the middle!) The movie also gives a little nod to those amazing transport vehicles. They show those Catch-A-Ride vehicles.
Those Awesome Places: Sanctuary, Fyrestone and Beyond
Ever been to "Sanctuary", a major hub for Vault Hunters in the games? They made it happen in the movie too! The big city serves as a base of operations for our main crew of heroes. However, if you thought you'd see the city's exact design from the game – think again! In the movie, it’s already there! But in the game, you actually build up the city as the game goes on. It's just another one of those things that show the movie developers giving the universe a twist. If you are a huge "Borderlands" fan, you are probably getting hyped for the scene with 'Fyrestone'. It's that iconic place where Lilith lands when she returns to Pandora! You see all the ruins of buildings and the familiar town feel – almost exactly like you see it in the games! You'll even see the remnants of a few familiar businesses like the “Catch a Ride” signs, that make me feel like I'm right there in the game.
But just like how Fyrestone in the movie feels more deserted, they didn't make some of those awesome characters like 'Dr. Zed', or 'Claptrap' who play a big part in the game, as central to the story in the film!
The Movie Magic and What's Next
The "Borderlands" movie isn't a perfect recreation of the game! It gives a cool new perspective with new characters and a different spin on the classic characters. They brought those awesome monsters like Skags and Rakks to life on screen in a visual treat. And I totally loved that they made those cool weapons and the whole gear game part of the story.
But the movie didn't get to go deep enough on some of the game’s characters – like ‘Krom’ or ‘Captain Flynt’ - who were big parts of the game – but they gave those characters a slightly different feel. Who knows what the future of the franchise holds!
