In what could have been a brilliant adaptation of a beloved video game franchise, “Borderlands” concluded a short run at the box office this summer after a mere month. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 10%, an IMDB score of 4.5/10, and a 3/10 from IGN, a reputable video game reviewer, it’s plain to see that this film fell short of film critics’ and gamers’ expectations.
Adapting any form of media is never a guarantee of success. Just ask Atari, in 1982 they made “ET: The Extra Terrestrial,” a video game based on the Spielberg classic. The release was so poorly managed that it nearly destroyed the entire video game industry and led to a majority of the game’s physical copies to be buried in the middle of a New Mexico desert.
It would be a stretch to draw comparisons to “Borderlands” here, but with all of the amazing video game movies and TV series released in recent years it is bewildering to see such a step backwards in quality.
In the last two years, the movies “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” and “Super Mario Bros” as well as the TV series “The Last of Us” graced the screens with faithful, yet original interpretations of video games.
“Sonic the Hedgehog” nearly didn’t see a sequel with its nightmare-inducing interpretation of the titular rodent in early previews. Fans of the long-running game were quick to point out the flaw, inspiring the filmmakers to fix it. Despite the initial slip-up, Sonic has a third movie in the works due to the film creators’ dedication to its fan base.
“The Last of Us” TV series would have seen success even if it had been a point for point recreation of the post-apocalyptic video game. Instead, the series creators opted to work alongside the game’s visionaries and delved into the untold stories of the beloved characters that gamers met along their journey. This paid off, earning the show awards and rave reviews from fans and critics alike.
“Borderlands” failed where these adaptations succeeded.
“Borderlands” was advertised as a prequel to the first game in the series; a clear sign there was no intention for a sequel unless the movie was profitable. With a star-studded cast and over $100 million in production costs the film appeared to be nothing but a cash-grab from the start.
The film took an already established cast in Lilith, Roland, Tiny Tina, and Claptrap and completely rewrote their personalities and motivations, proving it had no intention of pleasing its fan base. The finished product appears ashamed of its source material.
In addition to not pleasing fans of the game, “Borderlands” failed to be a good movie both critically and financially. According to Forbes, the movie had a total budget of $145 million and grossed $31 million worldwide before moving to streaming services.
The size of the video game fan base now, compared to its early days, is like comparing the attendance at a Taylor Swift concert to an open mic at your local coffee shop. Thinking money and fame leads to more money and more fame won’t save a video game film that isn’t true to its roots.
In order to create a successful video game adaptation, the final product should strive to please fans of the base game while also telling an original story; one that captivates even those who haven’t played it. By alienating either side, a video game film or TV series won’t fair well.
Recent years proved that video game adaptations appeal to both fans of the original medium and those that do not partake in the world of games. “Borderlands” attempted to replicate the success of those that came before in a soulless manner. For the sake of video game fans, movie-goers, and those just looking for a good show to binge I hope this does not become a trend.
