Summary
AlthoughBorderlandsmight have a disastrous Rotten Tomatoes score, this shouldn’t come as a surprise thanks to director Eli Roth’s history with critics.Borderlandsis an adaptation of the video game franchise of the same name. A blend of sci-fi, action, and comedy,Borderlandssees Cate Blanchett’s outlaw Lilith cobble together a mismatched crew to track down and later save Deukalian Atlas’ daughter Tiny Tina. This set of misfits includes Jack Black’s Claptrap, Kevin Hart’s Roland, and Florian Munteanu’s hulking ‘Psycho’ Krieg. ByBorderlands’ ending, this unlikely, dysfunctional gang ends up working together to save the universe from Atlas.
If this plot sounds derivative, that might go some way to explainingBorderlands’ awful box office debut. Despite a budget of over $110 million,Borderlandsmade less than $10 million in its opening weekend. While the movie’s financial underperformance was nothing short of disastrous, this wasn’t its most notable failure. The game adaptation also earned almost universally terrible viewers, with numerous critics callingBorderlandsthe worst movie of 2024. While this critical performance was awful, it shouldn’t come as a big surprise given the movie’s creator.Borderlandscame from a director famous for many earlier critical disappointments.
Seriously, What The Hell Went So Wrong With Borderlands To Earn The Movie 10% On Rotten Tomatoes?
Although Borderlands is an adaptation of a hugely popular video game, the 2024 movie is proving to be a major flop for a few big reasons.
Borderlands’ 9% Rotten Tomatoes Score Fits Most Of Eli Roth’s Career
None Of Roth’s Five Movies From 2005 Until 2018 Were Certified Fresh
After a career-best streak of two successful movies in a row,Eli Roth is back to disappointing critics withBorderlands. The divisive director’s 2023 slasherThanksgivingearned a career-highRotten Tomatoesrating of 84%, while his 2018 family horror-comedyThe House With the Clock In Its Wallsearned 65%. This second figure might not sound too impressive, but it is vital to note that the majority of Roth’s movies are critical failures. After his 2002 debutCabin Feverearned a passable 62%, Roth spent 13 years making five movies that were all certified rotten according to the critical aggregator.
Roth’sHostel,Hostel Part II,The Green Inferno,Knock Knock, andDeath Wishall failed to earn a critical rating of over 50%, with the latter gaining a mere 18% from critics. Roth’s cold streak comprises the majority of his screen career, so it is no surprise that the director has returned to disappointing viewers and critics withBorderlands. Roth’s next movie might redeemBorderlands’ Rotten Tomatoes score sinceThanksgiving 2is likely to give Roth his highest score yet, judging by the original movie’s 84% rating. However,Roth’s 2023 slasherThanksgivinghad its problems, so the sequel may still fail.
Why Most Of Eli Roth’s Movies Get “Rotten” Scores On Rotten Tomatoes
Roth’s Movies Proved Divisive Due To Thin Characters and Predictable Plots
A look at critical assessments of Roth’s career uncovers a handful of recurring problems that can be seen in everything fromHosteltoBorderlands. Most of Roth’s movies are criticized for their thin characters who lack believability or likability, their predictable, formulaic storylines, and their drab visual aesthetic. Some, such asKnock KnockandHostel, were criticized for wasting premises that had potential. Others, likeThe Green Inferno, were disliked due to their reliance on outdated stereotypes. With its lack of visual invention, rote plotting, and annoying characters,Borderlandsis a perfect encapsulation of Roth’s career as a whole.
