Borderlands

Borderlands

movie

PG-13, 2024

WISE
32%

WISE Score

10

Avg. Tomatometer

A critically demolished video game adaptation that's too crude for kids and too boring for adults who expected better from Cate Blanchett.

IMDb4.7
RT Critics10%
MC26
Common Sense Media
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Screenwise Verdict

Look, this is a mess. Eli Roth took a beloved video game franchise and delivered a movie that pleased almost no one—10% on Rotten Tomatoes, 1.5 out of 5 on Letterboxd, and a Metacritic score of 26. Even audiences who went in with low expectations came out disappointed.

The issues are obvious: it's loud, chaotic, and forgettable. The script leans on constant profanity and gun violence without the wit or style to make it fun. Cate Blanchett and Jamie Lee Curtis are clearly cashing paychecks, and the whole thing feels like it was focus-grouped to death and still came out wrong.

For families, it's a tough sell. The PG-13 rating undersells the crude language and relentless action—Common Sense Media's 14+ recommendation is more accurate. But even at 14, your kid deserves better entertainment. If they're obsessed with the Borderlands games, they might get a kick out of seeing Pandora on screen, but they'll probably leave wishing they'd just replayed the game instead.

Bottom line: skip it unless you're a completist or have a teen who absolutely insists. Even then, set expectations low.

Age Fit

Common Sense Media says 14+, and that feels right—the language and relentless violence push it past younger teens. Honestly, even older teens might find it boring unless they're die-hard fans of the game. Adults will likely check their phones.

WISE Breakdown
Wholesome
35

Frequent strong profanity (s--t, a--hole, goddamn, bitch), bar scenes with drinking and red-light-district vibes, scatological humor, and relentless gun violence undercut any positive messaging about teamwork. The moral premise about sacrifice is buried under chaotic action and crude language.

Imaginative
42

Based on a popular video game franchise with colorful alien-planet aesthetics and vault-hunting premise, but the execution is derivative—standard sci-fi action beats with little originality. The world-building feels surface-level despite the Pandora setting. Critics savaged it (10% RT, 1.5/5 Letterboxd) for lacking creativity.

Safe
38

PG-13 with Common Sense Media recommending 14+ due to 'lots of sci-fi/fantasy fighting, punching, kicking, shooting, hitting with a blade' plus frequent strong language. Violence is constant though not graphically gory. The bar scenes and suggestive moments push boundaries for younger teens. No nudity but the overall tone is aggressive and crude.

Enriching
28

Minimal cognitive or emotional growth opportunities. The 'strong moral, Christian-type redemptive premise' mentioned by MovieGuide is window dressing on a loud, chaotic action movie. Diverse cast is a plus, but the film offers little substance for meaningful discussion beyond surface-level 'standing up to tyranny' themes. Critics uniformly panned it as empty spectacle.

Parent Info
✓

Why It Might Be Great

  • Diverse cast with three women leads (Cate Blanchett, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ariana Greenblatt) in action roles
  • If your teen loved the Borderlands games, they might enjoy seeing Pandora come to life—even if critics hated it
  • Fast-paced action sequences keep things moving, so it won't feel like homework
  • Could spark conversations about corporate greed and standing up to tyranny, if you squint past the explosions
⚠

What to Watch For

  • Lots of strong language (s--t, a--hole, bitch, goddamn) throughout—more than you'd expect from PG-13
  • Constant gun violence, explosions, and fighting—it's basically 102 minutes of shooting things
  • Bar scenes with drinking and a seedy red-light-district vibe that feels uncomfortable
  • Critics universally panned it (10% on Rotten Tomatoes)—even if your kid wants to watch, you might suffer through it

Conversation Starters

  • "The movie shows a corporation exploiting people for profit—where do you see that happening in real life?"
  • "Lilith and the crew protect Tina even though it's dangerous. When have you stood up for someone even when it was hard?"
  • "This got terrible reviews but made from a popular game. Why do you think video game movies are so hard to get right?"
  • "There's a lot of shooting and violence played for laughs. How does that compare to real-world consequences of violence?"
Stills
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