The Borderlands movie, currently in its premiere week, is facing a storm of negative criticism from major film reviewers, and now a crediting controversy has emerged.

Borderlands Movie Premiere Week: A Rough Start

Uncredited Film Staff Sparks Controversy

Eli Roth's Borderlands film adaptation is experiencing a difficult premiere, plagued by overwhelmingly negative reviews. Rotten Tomatoes currently shows a dismal 6% rating from 49 critics. Prominent critics haven't held back, with harsh words like "wacko BS" (Donald Clarke, Irish Times) and criticism of the film's humor (Amy Nicholson, New York Times), despite acknowledging some positive design aspects.

Social media reactions following the recent embargo lift echo the critical consensus, with descriptions like "lifeless," "terrible," and "uninspired" dominating the conversation. However, a segment of Borderlands fans and general moviegoers seem to appreciate the film's action and over-the-top style, resulting in a slightly more positive 49% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Some viewers even expressed surprise at enjoying the film despite initial reservations about the cast. While some appreciate the action and humor, alterations to the established lore have caused confusion for some viewers.

Beyond the critical panning, a significant controversy has arisen. Robbie Reid, a freelance rigger who worked on the character Claptrap, publicly revealed on Twitter (X) that neither he nor the character modeler received screen credit. Reid expressed disappointment, particularly given his consistent crediting in previous film projects. He suggests the omission might stem from him and the artist leaving their studio in 2021, highlighting a common, yet unfortunate, industry issue. Reid concludes by expressing hope that the incident might spur positive change within the industry regarding artist crediting.