Borderlands Movie's Poor Reviews Aren't Its Only Problems

The Borderlands movie, currently in its premiere week, is facing a barrage of negative criticism from major film reviewers, adding to its already troubled release. A recent controversy further complicates matters, with a crew member revealing they were uncredited for their work.

Borderlands Movie Navigates a Rough Premiere

Uncredited Crew Member Speaks Out

Eli Roth's Borderlands adaptation is off to a rocky start, burdened by overwhelmingly negative reviews. Rotten Tomatoes currently shows a dismal 6% rating from 49 critics. Prominent reviewers haven't held back; Donald Clarke of the Irish Times suggested viewers might wish to "hammer an imagined X button" to escape the film's perceived flaws, while Amy Nicholson of the New York Times, while acknowledging some positive design aspects, criticized the humor as largely ineffective.

Social media reactions following the embargo lift echoed the critical consensus, with descriptions like "lifeless," "terrible," and "uninspired" frequently appearing. Despite the harsh critiques, a segment of Borderlands fans and general moviegoers seem to appreciate the film's action-packed style and crude humor. Rotten Tomatoes reflects this disparity, showing a more favorable, though still lukewarm, 49% audience score. One user commented, "Not gonna lie, I was a hater when I saw the cast. I went into it with low expectations, but I truly loved it." Another praised the explosive action and humor but acknowledged that "some of the lore changes could leave people puzzled."

However, the negative reviews aren't the only challenge facing the film. Robbie Reid, a freelance rigger who worked on the Claptrap character, recently revealed on Twitter (X) that neither he nor the modeler received screen credit. Reid expressed disappointment, stating, "Up until this point I've been exceptionally lucky to have received a credit for every film I've worked on...It just stings that the one to finally break the streak was the last film I worked on at a studio. And for such a significant character too." He attributed the omission potentially to him and the artist leaving their studio in 2021, acknowledging that such oversights are unfortunately common in the industry. He concluded, "My disappointment lies with the general industry and how it treats/credits artists. It's a long on-going problem, and I'm sad to see it's still widespread based on replies. But I'm heartened by the support shown, and I hope it can lead to change for our industry."