The Borderlands movie adaptation, currently in its premiere week, is facing significant backlash, extending beyond overwhelmingly negative critical reception to include a credit dispute.
Borderlands Movie Premiere Week: A Tumultuous Start
Uncredited Film Staff Member Speaks Out
Eli Roth's Borderlands film has had a rough debut. Rotten Tomatoes currently registers a dismal 6% rating from 49 critics, with prominent reviewers like Donald Clarke (Irish Times) calling it "wacko BS" and Amy Nicholson (New York Times) criticizing its humor despite praising some design aspects.
Early social media reactions echoed the negativity, describing the film as "lifeless," "terrible," and "uninspired." However, a segment of Borderlands fans and general audiences expressed a more positive view, appreciating the action and crude humor, giving it a 49% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. One viewer stated, "I went into it with low expectations, but I truly loved it," while another acknowledged lore changes but found the altered storyline more engaging.
The controversy extends beyond critical reviews. Freelance rigger Robbie Reid, who worked on the Claptrap character, publicly revealed on Twitter (X) that neither he nor the character's modeler received screen credit. Reid, who previously received credit on all his film projects, expressed disappointment, particularly given Claptrap's significance. He speculated that the omission might stem from him and the artist leaving their studio in 2021, acknowledging that such oversights are unfortunately prevalent in the industry. He concluded by expressing hope that the situation could spur industry-wide change regarding artist crediting.
