Highlights

  • Some Borderlands fans have expressed concerns about the movie trailer's portrayal of beloved characters from the games, like Tiny Tina and Lilith.
  • On the positive end of the spectrum, the Borderlands movie trailer successfully captures the series' signature tone and vibe, showcasing the harsh desert biome of Pandora and its eccentric inhabitants.
  • Despite some criticisms, the movie seems to get some characters right, such as Claptrap and Psycho Kreig, so it will interesting to see if it turns out being good or bad.

Gearbox Software's Borderlands series has risen to prominence over the course of its 15-year tenure as one of the premier looter shooter franchises. With three games and multiple spin-offs under its belt, Borderlands has steadily built a wide following as well as an extensive history and background lore around its comical spin on a future sci-fi setting running rampant with exaggerated excess, bygone alien civilizations, and cosmic monstrosities. With such a vibrant cast and world to draw from, it was almost a natural progression that a big screen adaptation would eventually follow, and one was indeed announced in 2015, with Eli Roth penning the script and in the director's chair.

Now set for release later this year, the Borderlands film boasts an ensemble cast with some big star power behind it, and of the characters featured in the Borderlands film trailer, a few well-known and expected ones take center stage. And although it will obviously contain a number of established aspects/personalities of the setting and characters seen in the games, the movie will also not be a 1:1 ratio in every case, as some artistic liberties will be taken to bring Borderlands to life in live-action. A consequence of this, though, means that some will inevitably clash with existing elements, and there are pros and cons to these changes in portrayal and design.

The Borderlands movie premiers in theaters on August 9, 2024.

Borderlands film Jack
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The Borderlands Movie is Smart Not to Be Too Similar to The Games

The Borderlands film set to release this summer looks like a faithful adaptation in some ways, but it's made the right choice with some differences.

Things the Borderlands Movie Looks to Gets Wrong About the Characters

Some Interpretations Seem at Odds with the Original Depictions

Most movie adaptations of an IP with a large and dedicated fan base will usually be heavily scrutinized, and Borderlands has been no exception. Some Borderlands fans were quick to comment on discrepancies in the movie trailer that they felt fell short of adhering to the tone and presentation of some characters in-game. In particular, the sentiment toward fan-favorite Tiny Tina led to some negative reactions, with fans somewhat divided about the film's version of the explosion-loving peppy pre-teen.

In another case, mercenary Roland in the games is a more serious and down-to-earth commander of the Crimson Raiders. Played by comedian Kevin Hart in the film, his jovial and mercurial attitude appears as the biggest difference in terms of established traits. Similarly, Borderlands' resident Siren, (portrayed by Cate Blanchett) Lilith's demeanor is less mysterious and aloof, instead looking more like a straight-up action figure, which does match in some ways, but also creates a sort of dissonance between the two characterizations.

Things the Borderlands Movie Appears to Get Right for the Characters

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The Setting and Banter Is Spot On

First and foremost, the trailer looks to nail the aesthetics of Borderland's setting. It showcases the harsh desert biome of the planet of Pandora and its Mad Max-influenced wasteland ravaged by roving gangs of bandits and hostile creatures, both of which are just another fact of life for the inhabitants. In a humorous scene that could be taken directly from the first title, the whole group drive through territory known as "P--s Wash Gully" and predictably suffer the consequences. The entire interaction is a microcosm of Borderlands' tone and vibe, and perhaps is the standout moment from the trailer that captures the series' overall feel.

And despite the above criticism, Tiny Tina's trademark fondness for explosions is on full display, and her accompanying off-the-wall antics are in line as well. The incompetently overconfident but endearing Claptrap may be the most encouraging and accurate portrayal, as Jack Black's patented over-the-top vocal presence is a perfect fit for the constantly beleaguered robot whose greatest foe is a set of stairs. Psycho Kreig, while not seen or heard from as much, also looks to at least be aligning with expectations so far.

First impressions are certainly important, and while this is based only on what can be gleaned from the trailer, there are still positive and negative components to be found in its representations of Borderlands characters as compared to the games. It thus remains to be seen how and what other deviations the film might take, but hopefully it will end up being an enjoyable romp for fans of the franchise and audiences in general.