The Borderlands video games have enjoyed critical acclaim for their enthralling lore, engaging gameplay, and overall aesthetic, but there’s one crucial aspect that the games came up short on that the movie’s trailer already addresses. Although some video game characters are missing from the Borderlands movie, the trailer makes it perfectly clear that the main characters set to appear in the movie will be distinct, which is necessary to give the movie a greater sense of faithfulness to the source material. Furthermore, each character’s quirks that made them so beloved in the games are already on display as well.
One of Borderlands‘ greatest strengths in addition to its gameplay and lore is the handling of its unique heroes, villains, and even non-playable characters (NPCs). While some characters like Roland and Brick were rooted more in classic action-adventure tropes, characters like Claptrap and Tiny Tina helped keep the gameplay feeling fresh, as they were completely subversive both in appearance and attitude. While Borderlands is already comparable to other similar science fiction action-adventure movies, the energetic trailer still proves the Borderlands movie is handling one thing better than the games.
The Borderlands Movie’s Controversial Casting Avoided 1 Of The Biggest Problems With The Video Games
The decision to have Jack Black voice Claptrap in the upcoming Borderlands movie was initially controversial, but it managed to solve a huge problem.
The Borderlands Movie’s Casting Makes Female Characters More Prominent Than The Games Did
Lilith, Dr. Tannis, and Tiny Tina will have more prominence in the Borderlands movie than in the video games.
Despite Cate Blanchett being older than Borderlands‘ Lilith, the two-time Academy Award-winning actress already embodies the essence of what makes Lilith so special in the games. In addition to her abilities with various weapons and her powers as a Siren, Lilith’s attitude regarding the vault hunters’ missions, and her chemistry with her fellow team are some of the things that make her special. While the actress’s age might skew audience perception of viewers expecting a younger take on the live-action depiction, Blanchett’s mastery of her craft suggests she’ll bring something new to the character not seen in the games.
Jamie Lee Curtis and Dr. Patricia Tannis and Arian Greenblatt as Tiny Tina respectively also bode well for the upcoming sci-fi action-adventure comedy, as both characters are among some of the most respected in the franchise. While Curtis as Tannis provides similar challenges as Blanchett as Lilith, she’s already shown in the trailer a more subdued side to the otherwise proactive doctor. Greenblatt as Tina is perfect since she’s in the right age range, embodies the chaotic and frenetic energy of the character, and contributes significantly to the much-needed diversity of ages in Borderlands.
Why Diversity Is So Important For The Borderlands Universe
A diverse range of characters, species, weapons, etc. highlights just how vast and expansive the Borderlands world is.
The diversity in Borderlands is crucial to better representing the games, as each installment in the main series centers around a diverse range of humans, aliens, flora, and fauna to give the world of Pandora more depth and scope. While the three male characters, Roland, Claptrap, and Krieg are essential to telling the movie’s story, it will also benefit from the efforts of its female cast, since they’re just as compelling to watch. While each Borderlands game has at least one playable female character, the movie will balance things out with the central team consisting of three men and women.
Borderlands
- Director
- Eli Roth
- Release Date
- August 9, 2024
- Studio(s)
- Arad Productions , Picturestart
- Cast
- Cate Blanchett , Kevin Hart , Jack Black , Ariana Greenblatt , Florian Munteanu , Jamie Lee Curtis , Edgar Ramirez , Gina Gershon
