The Borderlands movie, currently in its premiere week, is facing a barrage of negative reviews from prominent critics, and now a crediting controversy has emerged.

Borderlands Movie: A Rocky Premiere

Uncredited Staff Member Speaks Out

Eli Roth's Borderlands film adaptation is experiencing a tumultuous premiere. Rotten Tomatoes currently shows a dismal 6% rating from 49 critics. Reviewers haven't pulled any punches; Donald Clarke of the Irish Times suggests viewers might wish for an "X button" to escape the "wacko BS," while Amy Nicholson of the New York Times, while praising some design aspects, found the humor largely ineffective.

Social media reactions following the embargo lift echoed these sentiments, with descriptions like "lifeless," "terrible," and "uninspired" dominating the conversation. However, a positive counterpoint exists: some Borderlands fans and general moviegoers appreciate the film's action-packed style and crude humor. Rotten Tomatoes' audience score currently sits at 49%. One user commented, "Not gonna lie, I was a hater when I saw the cast. I went into it with low expectations, but I truly loved it." Another fan praised the explosive action and humor, acknowledging that "some of the lore changes could leave people puzzled. Personally, I didn't mind too much as it made for a more compelling storyline for the film."

Beyond the critical drubbing, a crediting dispute has surfaced. Robbie Reid, a freelance rigger who worked on the Claptrap character, tweeted (on X) that neither he nor the character modeler received screen credit. Reid expressed disappointment, stating, "Up until this point I've been exceptionally lucky to have received a credit for every film I've worked on...It just stings that the one to finally break the streak was the last film I worked on at a studio. And for such a significant character too." He speculated that the omission might stem from him and the artist leaving their studio in 2021, adding that such oversights are unfortunately common in the industry. He concluded, "My disappointment lies with the general industry and how it treats/credits artists. It's a long on-going problem, and I'm sad to see it's still widespread based on replies. But I'm heartened by the support shown, and I hope it can lead to change for our industry."