Borderlands (2024) - Kinda a Mess, But Still Fun?

Okay, so I just got out of Borderlands (2024). Full disclosure, haven't played the games, so coming at this completely fresh. The trailers were kinda crazy, and I'm always down for a goofy action flick. Honestly? It's a bit of a chaotic mess, but I didn't hate it. The plot is pretty straightforward – bounty hunter Lilith (Cate Blanchett, slumming it a bit, maybe?) has to protect this kid, and teams up with a bunch of weirdos. It felt like a video game in the sense that it was like, level after level of fighting different types of baddies. What I did like was the cast. Kevin Hart as Roland was actually pretty good – surprisingly grounded compared to everyone else's over-the-top-ness. Jack Black as Claptrap was hilarious, even if the CGI was a little wonky at times. And Jamie Lee Curtis? Queen. Just chewing scenery like it was going out of style. There were definitely some laugh-out-loud moments, mostly from the characters being so ridiculously OTT. The action sequences were fun too, reminded me of Guardians of the Galaxy but maybe dialed up to eleven? Some of the monster designs were cool as hell, especially the later ones. My biggest issue was probably the pacing. The middle kinda sagged, and I honestly forgot what they were fighting for at some points. And the ending? Super abrupt. Felt like they just ran out of money or something. I did enjoy the visual style they chose, very colourful, although at times it was a little too much. Still, like I said, as a first-time watcher I can see people who love the games getting a kick out of it, even if it's not a perfect adaptation. Overall, would I recommend it? If you're looking for some mindless fun and don't take it too seriously, yeah, give it a shot. Just don't expect a cinematic masterpiece or anything. It's more like a fun, messy, explosion of neon and violence, like a rollercoaster that's about to fall off the rails but never actually does.