TheBorderlandsfranchise began in 2009 and development had a rocky start. It wasn’t until the team switched the art style to cel-shading that the game truly popped at launch, followed by a slurry of great reviews across multiple platforms. There are three main games, the last of which came out in 2019.
There are also four major spinoffs, two of which came out in the same year, 2022. That would beTiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon KeepandNew Tales from the Borderlands. It makes sense then that at long last, Gearbox would want to put their franchise to the test in Hollywood with aBorderlandsmovie. While the criticism is mixed, diehard fans can at least agree the movie does pay homage to the franchise in several key ways.
6Getting Marcus In There
A Guide To The Vault Hunters
There are a lot of missing characters from the first game in theBorderlandsmovie. The movie adaptation seemed to handpick characters from across the first two games, leaving heroes like Brick and Mordecai in the dust. However, the movie pays homage to a lot of smaller characters which was nice to see in the exchange.
For example, Marcus is in the movie, the energetic shopkeeper from most of the games. He picks up Lilith when she arrives on Pandora, doing theusual Vault Hunterschtick even though Lilith refuses several times. That’s just the type of guy he is, a happy smooth talker just trying to make a buck. It was also great to see Mad Moxxi in a small role to help flesh out the cast.
5The Technology
From Guns To Hollow Faces
One thing that is apparent in the movie is that this future is full of weird tech. There are the hologram face shields that Lilith and the others use to sneak into Mad Moxxi’s bar. They aren’t as sophisticated as the face masks Ethan Hunt uses in theMission Impossiblemovies, but these holograms at least look interesting in the Borderlands movie.
The thing players like most about the series are the guns. While there weren’t a lot in the movie, there were a few with that oddballBorderlandscharm like the pistol with the spinning chamber Lilith uses. The vehicles look on-point too, especially that Outrunner Lilith steals early on with Claptrap.
4Claptrap
This Funny Piece Of Gadgetry Deserves Its Own Nod
Claptrap is easily one of the most recognizable charactersin the film because Jack Black plays him as close to the games as possible. He doesn’t understand humans and wants to help, but also doesn’t care about spelling out their doom. Claptrap is an enigma wrapped in a yellow metallic box.
The version in the film looks great too even though the production team decided to go with CG instead of using a practical robot like BB-8 or R2-D2 from theStar Warsfilms. That would have been a cool practical effect but thankfully the CG of Claptrap blends in well enough with the other characters. There’s a bit of wear and tear to his body to make Claptrap look more lived-in. That’s what this film universe really has going for it, a lived-in feeling wherein everyone looks like they are done with it.
3The Corporations Are Everywhere
From Atlas To Vladof
In the opening narrative, Lilith explains that the galaxy is run by corporations. Their billboards can be seen from buildings to spaceships to guns. All of these corporations pay homage to the ones found in the game. Hyperion and Dahl are two big ones but the star of the film isAtlas headed by the new character, Deukalian Atlas.
The oppression these corporations distill on planets is immense and viewers can easily get that sense by watching the movie. It’s a message that can be found in so many pieces of media from games to films, so even people that haven’t playedtheBorderlandsgameswill get it. The movie stays true to this oppressive regime of corporations that are stand-ins for evil empires or kingdoms.
2The Costumes
Dressed To Impress
All of the main characters look like they should. She has a strange sequence blue vest on that throwsthe Lilith characteroff a bit but it was discarded once she reached her true Siren form. The look then became more iconic and she even got her arm tattoo. Roland, Tiny Tina, Mad Moxxi, Dr. Tannis, and all the rest look authentic too.
Krieg deserves his own shoutout as one of the Psychos. His mask looks ripped from the game and the rest of the Psychos in the film fit the terrifying part. The other big offensive group in the film is The Crimson Lance who look equally as menacing as the Psychos but in a more authoritarian way.
1The Cel-Shaded Influence
It’s Hard To Pull Off This Color Scheme
WhenBorderlandswas first being developed, it looked like any other shooter at the time likeGears of War. Late into development, the color pallet was brightened and the team incorporateda cel-shaded design. It’s the thing that helped make it distinct from other shooters and the color scheme works in the movie’s favor too.
The costumes would not look as good if not for their bright colors. Mad Moxxi’s costume and makeup perhaps pop the most. Also, the movie itself has some cel-shaded art in the background, or at least sometimes it appears to have that quality. How they pulled that off is unknown but technology can do a lot of things in post-production now. People may not be living in since yet, but it still sometimes feels like the future thanks to the advancement of cinematography.
