Borderlands Movie Struggles Beyond Bad Reviews

As the premiere week for the Borderlands movie unfolds, the film has faced a barrage of negative reviews from top critics on a prominent film review site. Adding to its woes, a staff member has come forward to disclose that he was not credited for his work on the project.

Borderlands Movie Faces Rocky Premiere Week

Film Staff Says He Wasn't Credited

The Borderlands movie, directed by Eli Roth, has encountered a challenging premiere week, marked by overwhelmingly negative reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, a leading platform for film critiques, the movie currently stands at a mere 6% approval rating, compiled from 49 reviews by critics. High-profile reviewers have been particularly harsh. Donald Clarke of the Irish Times suggested that fans might want to "hammer an imagined X button" to escape the film's "wacko BS," while Amy Nicholson from the New York Times praised some of the design elements but criticized the humor as largely ineffective.

Following the lifting of the social media embargo earlier this week, early viewers and critics echoed these sentiments, describing the film as "lifeless," "terrible," and "uninspired." Yet, a segment of Borderlands fans and movie-goers found the movie's loud, action-packed style appealing. The film has garnered a more favorable audience score of 49% on Rotten Tomatoes. One viewer confessed, "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 fan appreciated the explosive action and crude humor but pointed out that "some of the lore changes could leave people puzzled. Personally, I didn't mind too much as it made for a more compelling storyline for the film."

However, the Borderlands movie's challenges extend beyond its poor reception. A controversy has emerged involving a member of the production staff, Robbie Reid, a freelance rigger who contributed to the character "Claptrap." Reid took to Twitter (X) to reveal that neither he nor the artist who modeled the character were given credits in the film.

"Up until this point, I've been exceptionally lucky to have received a credit for every film I've worked on," Reid shared, expressing his disappointment. "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 suggested that the oversight might be due to him and the artist leaving their studio in 2021, and lamented that such issues are common in the industry.

"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," Reid concluded.