In 2009, Borderlands blasted onto PS3, Xbox 360 and PC and into gamers’ hearts. Initially pitched as “Halo meets Diablo”, it was developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K Games. Borderlands is responsible for popularising the looter shooter genre and giving us a cell-shaded RPG shooter with over-the-top humour and action.
The original Borderlands sold over 2 million units in 2009. It spawned sequels, prequels and multiple spinoffs, including the excellent Tales from the Borderlands series. Overall, the franchise has sold over 80 million units.
After dominating the video game industry for 15 years, the franchise is now leaping onto cinema screens with its big-budget live-action Hollywood adaptation. Let’s examine the Borderlands film, and why you should be excited about it when it raids cinemas exclusively on August 8.
The World of ‘Borderlands’ Reimagined
The Borderlands film boasts an original story, setting itself apart as its own continuity. It also boasts star power for the casting of its motley crew of characters. The main cast ensemble includes Jamie Lee Curtis as Dr. Tannis, Cate Blanchett as Lilith, Kevin Hart as Roland, Ariana Greenblatt as Tiny Tina, Florian Munteanu as Krieg, Gina Gershon as Moxxi, Edgar Ramirez as Deukalian Atlas and Jack Black as the voice of Claptrap.
An original story means that creative liberties can be taken to enhance the plot. For example, the main cast includes characters who appeared in later instalments of the Borderlands games, such as Tiny Tina and Krieg.
Furthermore, Deukalian Atlas is one of the original characters made for the movie. He’s a business titan and CEO of Atlas Corporation, the interplanetary megacorporation, known for manufacturing weapons. He is the main antagonist and is known as the most powerful person in the universe. Sounds like the wrong guy to pick a fight with!
This should sound very familiar to Borderlands fans, as Atlas Corporation plays an integral part in the franchise’s lore. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out in the plot.
The story follows Lilith, who has reluctantly returned to her home planet, Pandora, the most ruthless planet in the galaxy. She is a bounty hunter, on a mission to find the missing daughter of Atlas. Lilith forms a team consisting of Roland (seasoned mercenary), Tiny Tina (pre-teen demolition expert), Krieg (Tina’s bodyguard), Dr. Tannis (oddball scientist) and Claptrap (a very sassy robot).
They will have to learn to work together to survive psychotic bandits and hostile alien species during their trek across the planet. You never know, this ragtag team may pull through and discover Pandora’s most dangerous secret. Expect to see some vault hunting thrown in for good measure during their epic quest.
Behind The Scenes
Gearbox Entertainment (the parent company of Gearbox Software and Gearbox Publishing), 2K games and Lionsgate have been a part of the film’s development from the beginning. Randy Pitchford, the CEO of Gearbox Entertainment, served as an executive producer of the original Borderlands game. He is now back in an executive producer role for the film.
Other notable executive producers include Strauss Zelnick (CEO of Take-Two Interactive) and Tim Miller (director of 2016’s Deadpool). Borderlands is directed and co-written by Eli Roth, whose previous director credits include The House with a Clock in Its Walls and Thanksgiving. Borderlands is a reunion for Roth, as he worked with Blanchett and Black on The House with a Clock in Its Walls.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Roth was asked about making Borderlands and working with the cast. “There’s an absolute sense of mayhem and total insanity and fun that’s in the game that is infused in every frame of the film.”
He then spoke about the use of practical sets on Borderlands: “We had some incredibly skilled craftspeople there. When you see Tina on top of that pile of old trucks, we actually could build all that stuff. We really want to have a ton of practical environments. It was a wild experience, actually building it and being on Pandora.”
Roth praised Kevin Hart’s dedication towards playing Roland. “Kevin really wanted to play against type. He didn’t want to be the goofy sidekick. He did weapons training and fight training and is so hardcore about making people believe that he is really a trained soldier.”
The Borderlands film has the support of the creative team that created the mega-hit gaming franchise. A director who has experience with zany worlds, characters, and storytelling. And, of course, a talented cast and crew. Together, this video game adaption has the potential to be a very fun flick that will delight fans and newcomers alike.
‘Borderlands’ opens exclusively in cinemas on August 8
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