Borderlands Movie Struggling Despite Favorable Pre-Release Hype

The Borderlands movie is facing a double whammy: scathing reviews and a credit controversy. Despite its recent premiere, the film has garnered overwhelmingly negative critical reception, boasting a dismal 6% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 49 critic reviews. Prominent critics have been particularly harsh, with some describing the film as uninspired and lacking in humor.

While audience scores are slightly more favorable at 49%, the critical panning has been widely reported. Negative comments from early viewers and critics paint a picture of a "lifeless" and "terrible" cinematic experience. However, a segment of Borderlands fans did appreciate the film's action and crude humor, though some lore changes have caused confusion.

Adding to the film's woes, a freelance rigger, Robbie Reid, who worked on the Claptrap character, publicly revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that neither he nor the character modeler received screen credit. Reid expressed disappointment, especially given his consistent credit history on previous projects. He speculated that the omission might be due to him and the artist leaving their studio in 2021, highlighting a persistent problem within the film industry's crediting practices. He concluded by expressing hope that this incident might spur industry-wide change regarding artist recognition.