Review: ‘Borderlands’ is elevated by its charming band of misfits

Chaos and anarchy reign in post-apocalyptic narratives as survivors tear already devastated worlds further apart. Yet, stories set in these environments tend to focus on the slivers of camaraderie that form between individuals with shared goals, whether it be as simple as living another day or as lofty as overthrowing a tyrant and saving a corner of humanity. People are designed to seek out community and work together, even in the worst scenarios. Thus, past all the explosions and gunfire, at its centre, Borderlands is the tale of a tight-knit group joining forces to save the world.

Lilith (Cate Blanchett) is an elite bounty hunter growing dissatisfied with her career choice. So, the last thing she wants is a job that sends her back to her cesspool home world, Pandora. But the price is right, so she’s returning to track down Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt), who was broken out of a secure facility by former soldier Roland (Kevin Hart) and psycho Krieg (Florian Munteanu). With the help of an impertinent robot named Claptrap (Jack Black), finding them isn’t too difficult — but turning them in is complicated by competing retrieval teams sent by Tina’s father and corporate giant, Atlas (Edgar Ramírez), and the virtue of the little ragtag group’s mission: finding an infamous vault and using its contents to end Atlas’ reign.

This film is not typical of co-writer and director Eli Roth, who tends to stay closer to the horror genre, but he clearly has a passion for the narrative and was the right choice to make this picture. Video game adaptations often struggle to balance story with references to the gameplay that existing fans are looking for in a movie version. However, the former is more important when considering overall entertainment as authenticity is moot if the overall film isn’t good. Luckily, this movie avoids the trap of valuing accuracy over plot, creating a handful of three-dimensional characters that amuse audiences, while ensuring the storyline is engaging as well as faithful to the source material.

Lilith is an excellent and honest narrator, allowing her cynicism to colour her account of events. The first half of the movie is very comical with Roland and Claptrap leading the charge with witty one-liners and funny observations, but it loses some of that comedic spirit in the latter half of the picture, which consequently slows the momentum. Yet, the change in tone doesn’t keep the film from being enjoyable — in spite of decelerating and quelling some of the laughter, the movie is still a pleasure to watch and not nearly as violent as may have been expected.

Much of the film’s success can be attributed to the fact that it is exceptionally well-casted. Blanchett in particular is a surprising choice that completely embodies her role, portraying a skilled badass that looks incredible while taking down her enemies. Hart finally fulfills his wish of being an action hero, being a lead ensemble player rather than a sidekick to more proficient protagonists. Black’s voice provides the perfect sense of irony to the film’s early occurrences, though he becomes regrettably less vocal as the film goes on. Greenblatt is a delightfully disturbing mix of murderous whimsy, while Munteanu gives an unexpectedly layered performance that is equal parts caring and brutal. Ramirez, in the meantime, is a somewhat forgettable villain and Curtis is only vaguely nuanced as the vault-obsessed historian.

This is a vibrant film both in terms of its personalities and colour, producing a picture that will appeal to game fans and newcomers alike.

Director: Eli Roth
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart and Ariana Greenblatt