By Daniel R. Durrett
@FilmDitz
Borderlands is an action comedy film co-written and directed by Eli Roth (Thanksgiving, Hostel), based on the video game series developed by Gearbox Software. The film stars Cate Blanchett (The Lord of the Rings, Carol) as Lillith, an infamous outlaw who returns to the planet where she grew up and forms an alliance with a team of misfits to find the missing daughter of the most powerful man in the universe. Most of the population of the planet as well as most of its visitors are there in hopes of finding a rumored treasure that is hidden.
The ensemble cast also features Kevin Hart (Ride Along, Central Intelligence) as the soldier Roland who has taken up the task of keeping Tiny Tina safe. Tiny Tina who is portrayed by Ariana Greenblatt (Barbie, Ashoka) may be the funniest member of the cast which says a lot when one of her castmates is Jack Black (School of Rock, Nacho Libre). Black provides the humor-filled voiceovers for Claptrap (CL4P-TP) a general-purpose robot and mainstay from the video game.
Atlas, the makeshift father of Tina also hopes to find this treasure, played by Édgar Ramírez (Gold, Point Break) may not have the best of intentions for her future.
Roland and Tina are assisted by Krieg a monster of a man with massive mental issues but a love for Tiny Tina. Kreig is portrayed by Florian Munteanu (Creed II, Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings).
Lilith is hired by Atlas to find his daughter because of her Bounty Hunter skills, but upon meeting Roland and Tina chooses to join their treasure-hunting team. Blanchett rounds out the Mötley Crüe in search of the Pandora planet treasure and works diligently to hold her crew together amongst an exasperated belief in anyone who searches for this treasure on her home planet. Lilith is not the only one searching for this cadre of treasure seekers. but another Soldier Knoxx, played by Janina Gavankar (The Morning Show, The Way Back). Knoxx brings the Army with her in support of running her prey to ground.
However, Lilith has many resources at her disposal being that Pandora is her home planet. Both Gina Gershon (Killer Joe, Bound) Moxxi and Jamie Lee Curtis (True Lies, Everything Everywhere All at Once) Tannis assist in that same stepped way a videogame would add MPCs to interact with the Role Playing Characters.
It can be said that Eli Roth did a substantial job bringing the video game feel of borderlands to the video game movie. Though most of the characters within the casting, provide some standard tropes in their performances possible to link the ofter two dimensional delivery to the standard videogame storylines.
The CG does much to add to the feel of this film, and though shaky at its depth does provide a visual and connective nature to the original video games. Will this go down as one of the greatest video game films ever far from possibility but is this film fun for the fans of the Borderland game series. And yes, though the die-hards may hold the Roth liberties with their original stories in a negative way. The origins can often work against a cinematic process. So please see how Roth has given much reverence to the game series and its visualization does appear on the screen.
I was lucky enough to view this film at the Richardson location of the Alamo Drafthouse. It is hard to describe how truly giddy and happy I am to see Sony add the DFW locations to their roster in the draft purchase.
From now through August 22 all movies are only $5 and each of the other locations are opening in the following order; Richardson is currently open, Lake Highlands opens Tuesday, August 13th, followed by Cedars location which will open Friday, August 16th. The following week, Denton and Las Colinas come back to life on Tuesday, August 20th and Friday, August 23rd respectively. The special prices run for two weeks after each locations opening.
One of the greatest things about viewing a movie in the Alamo Drafthouse is the pre-movie screenings, all of the nerd reverence that is given to the film you’re about to see, should always be treasured. Traditional films have a mass amount of commercials and other for profit viewing it might as well be a break between two TV shows Cable television. These pre-screenings before the movie at the Drafthouse where you’re coming to see are the strongest arrow in the quiver of the Alamo Drafthouses’ cinema experience.
I highly suggest if you’ve never been to an Alamo Drafthouse this is the greatest time for you to experience it. Take advantage of all the discounts during their grand reopening (Tickets $5 and 25% discount on food and non-alcoholic beverages at each location for two weeks after each locations opening).
I believe this film is going to bridge a nice gap for the upcoming Borderlands three video game and will do much. Should they take this film into account for that video game release? However, with all of the connective threads to the video game itself, Borderlands is a bit of a hodge podge and seems to go a little all over the map at times, lagging for new plot points to take over. Much of these difficulties could be pointed to the films needed, re-shoots were helmed by Deadpool’s Tim Miller due to Roth’s commitment to the shooting schedule for his horror film, Thanksgiving.
I love almost everything Jack Black does however Claptrap would have best been served bringing the stylings of Claptraps, original voice, David Eddings back within the fold for this film outing of a Videogame story.
Overall, it is a fun video game film that has a perfectly acceptable PG-13 rating to make it family-friendly and as a good introduction, should the parents who take their children want to play the Borderlands video game series as an accompaniment to this film and it’s possible introduction for kids into the world of Borderlands.
*Pictured below is a screen-shot from the Video game Borderlands*
