Ep. 787 - Borderlands (GUEST: Christian Spicer from DLC)
Aug 13, 2024
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Christian Spicer, a contributor to the DLC Podcast, joins the discussion, bringing insights into the crossover of film and gaming. The hosts dissect the underwhelming performance of the film 'Borderlands,' examining its hefty budget and disappointing box office returns. They debate the challenges of adapting video games for the big screen, critiquing narrative coherence and missed opportunities in character development. Humorously, they reflect on the film's B-movie charm while expressing frustration over its execution, highlighting standout performances from the cast.
The hosts share their viewing experiences of various films, setting the stage for an engaging discussion on cinema's recent highlights.
During their review of Borderlands, they highlight the talented cast's performance, particularly Kate Blanchett and Jack Black, while critiquing character depth.
Criticism is directed at the film's weak script and direction, with hosts noting reliance on voiceovers instead of coherent visual storytelling.
The conversation reflects on the broader context of video game adaptations in film, identifying Borderlands as a missed opportunity for creativity.
Deep dives
Overview of True Crime Obsessed Podcast
The podcast features hosts Jillian and Patrick, who share their shared passion for true crime documentaries. They provide entertaining recaps and insights on a variety of true crime cases, discussing popular documentaries such as the story of the Hatcher Wheeling Hitchhiker, the Ted Bundy tapes, and the Turpin 13. The hosts aim to create an engaging experience by connecting with their audience and offering a friendly space for discussion around documentaries. Their dynamic and conversational style invites listeners to join in the conversation about intriguing true crime stories.
Filmcast Discussion Introduction
The Filmcast episode opens with hosts David Chen, Devindra Hardawar, and Jeff Kanata discussing a variety of upcoming movies and entertainment news. The team reflects on their recent viewing experiences and provides an overview of what listeners can expect from the episode, including guest appearances and reviews. They specifically mention the anticipated review of the film Borderlands, directed by Eli Roth and featuring a star-studded cast. The hosts set the stage for a lively discussion that explores their reactions and insights over the film's quality and reception.
Box Office Performance and Early Reception
The team analyzes the box office performance of Borderlands, noting that it has been described as one of the significant flops of the year after its disappointing opening weekend. They highlight the film's production costs and mention its scores on review aggregators like Rotten Tomatoes, drawing awareness to widespread skepticism leading up to its release. Jeff Kanata points out that the financial underperformance reflects disinterest from audiences as well, setting a critical precendent for the film's reception. This adds to their ongoing conversation about the state of video game adaptations in cinema.
Characters and Performances
During their review, hosts discuss the characters portrayed by actors in Borderlands, emphasizing Kate Blanchett's role and the energy brought by Jack Black as Claptrap. They express appreciation for the talent of the actors involved while questioning the depth and development of the characters themselves. The guest highlights the importance of character dynamics in video game adaptations, expressing disappointment over the lack of chemistry displayed. Overall, they agree that the talented cast deserved material that better showcased their skills and offered more robust character arcs.
Critique of the Script and Direction
A significant critique from the hosts is directed at the film's script and direction, which they feel lack coherence and emotional investment. They note that the film relies heavily on voiceover narration to convey essential plot points, reflecting shortcomings in visual storytelling. Aspects, such as humor and relationships between characters, seem forced and unengaging, leading to an overall disjunction in the narrative flow. The consensus among the hosts indicates that the film fails to resonate on multiple levels, lacking the distinct identity that could have elevated it above mediocrity.
Comparison to Other Video Game Adaptations
The discussion touches on a broader conversation about video game adaptations in film, urging that Borderlands falls short compared to successful adaptations such as HBO's The Last of Us. They explore what makes certain adaptations succeed by establishing strong characters, world-building, and genuine engagement with the source material. In contrast, they see Borderlands as a missed opportunity, lacking creativity and failing to embrace the playful spirit of the video games. They suggest that the essence of video games lies in their interactivity and depth, which can be challenging to translate into a traditional film format.
Spoilers and Final Thoughts
In the spoiler section of the episode, the hosts delve deeper into the film's plot, addressing inconsistencies and the lack of a satisfying resolution. They criticize elements like the firework scene celebrating the characters' victory without grounds for it, which they found confusing and misplaced. Key moments in the story, particularly regarding character actions and motivations, are dissected as they seek a cohesive narrative. Despite individual aspects sparking moments of enjoyment, the consensus leans toward disappointment, emphasizing that Borderlands does not reach the heights both audiences and the actors deserved.
Conclusion of the Review
The episode wraps up with a clear understanding that Borderlands, while featuring a talented cast and engaging moments, ultimately offers a lackluster film experience. The hosts recognize their differing opinions on certain aspects of the film but agree on its mediocrity. They reminisce about what could have been accomplished if the movie had embraced its source material with stronger direction and story structure. Listeners are left with a thoughtful analysis of the film and a sense of hope that the next video game adaptation may find the balance missing in this one.
David, Devindra, and Jeff scale the alpine mystery of Cuckoo, travel back in time with the period drama of The Decameron, and check out the buddy crime thrills of The Instigators. Then they are joined by Christian Spicer from DLC to review the latest video game blockbuster, Borderlands. Check out the DLC Podcast Patreon page.
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Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate only) What we've been watching (~00:20:36)
David - Cuckoo, The Instigators
Devindra - Cuckoo, The Decameron, 2399 Days with Hayao Miyazaki & Studio Ghibli
Jeff - The Instigators, Presumed Innocent (2024)
Featured Review (~00:59:15)
Borderlands SPOILERS (~01:37:11)
Support David's artistic endeavors at his Patreon and subscribe to his free newsletter Decoding Everything. Check out Jeff Cannata’s podcasts DLC and We Have Concerns. Listen to Devindra's podcast with Engadget on all things tech. You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(AT)gmail(DOT)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993.
Credits:
Our theme song is byTim McEwan from The Midnight. This episode was edited by Noah Ross who also created our weekly plugs and spoiler bumper music. Our Slashfilmcourt music comes from Simon Harris.
