Borderlands Movie: Why It Flopped & What Went Wrong

What's the Deal with the "Borderlands" Movie?

It’s kinda sad, really. They took this awesome video game with cool characters and a wild story - but then, the movie...well, it didn’t do so well!

Why Did The "Borderlands" Movie Flop?

The biggest problem? The Borderlands box office was totally disappointing. The film cost a fortune to make - think over $100 million!
People were stoked! They've loved the Borderlands game, since 2009! That whole sci-fi action comedy thing with a treasure hunter and unlikely allies like a wise-cracking robot and a teenage demolitions expert. But even though they got an amazing cast like Cate Blanchett and Kevin Hart, they just didn’t bring enough fans to theaters to justify that big box office!

How About The "Borderlands" Reviews?

A whole bunch of people had some really harsh things to say about this movie - the Borderlands critical reception was totally rough. They had the chance to get the cool atmosphere from those Borderlands games - that weird planet Pandora!
But, the critics just thought it was a total snoozefest! Like, the story was kinda bland and the actors didn't really seem like they cared. Not so great reviews from the Borderlands fandom!

Were the "Borderlands" Characters A Problem?

That was a big thing - those Borderlands characters got really messed up in the film! Some of those original game characters didn't even make it into the movie - we never even saw Mordecai! It’s kinda messed up that the makers didn’t keep to that sci-fi action-comedy we love so much - and a few of the actors really didn’t feel like a perfect fit! Cate Blanchett - well, she’s great. But Lilith was supposed to be a 22 year-old in those games, and Cate was already way older! Maybe this was a mistake by the film makers?

What About "Borderlands' PG-13 Rating?

They messed up the PG-13 rating for a sci-fi action-comedy movie that is famous for its intense action. We love the Borderlands games for their insane gore - especially with those wacky weapons. They really got rid of a bunch of violent bits that people expected. Maybe if they had kept the R rating like the games, it would have felt better!

There's a lot to be said about this whole thing! You can totally check out the "Borderlands" game - you get that whole Borderlands story!

And maybe, just maybe, someone will pick up the story and try to do a better job - it could even be a whole Borderlands reboot down the line! They're making so many great video game adaptations right now. We’ll see what happens, but for now, the "Borderlands" movie is just kinda meh!