Based on a popular videogame franchise, packed with well-known actors and led by an experienced director, 2024’s Borderlands looked like a hit. Instead, the flick crashed and burned with a worldwide gross of $32 million, a woeful figure given its $110 million budget.

Like almost everyone else, I missed Borderlands theatrically. This happened partly because of the bad reviews but also due to the fact that the movie’s financial failure meant it left multiplexes in a hurry.

In the more forgiving climate of my home theater, Borderlands became a more appealing prospect. I also admit I found myself curious to see if it actually deserved its sad fate.

Bounty hunter Lilith (Cate Blanchett) reluctantly returns to her home planet of Pandora. There she takes a job to locate Tiny Tina (Ariana Goldblatt), the missing daughter of wealthy and powerful Deukalian Atlas (Edgar Ramírez).

To accomplish this goal, Lilith works with a squad of rough-around-the-edges mercenaries. They encounter a mix of challenges as they attempt to rescue Tina.

Boy, that sure sounds a lot like a Guardians of the Galaxy scenario, doesn’t it? I know nothing of the videogames and how closely they resemble this cinematic incarnation, but any sci-fi/action tale that follow this one’s path inevitably will get compared to the hit Marvel franchise.

And compared unfavorably, as Borderlands really does come across as a Guardians wannabe. Unfortunately, it borrows the general feel of those Marvel flicks without any of the wit and creativity and heart.

Even without the major Guardians vibe, Borderlands comes across as intensely derivative. It borrows from a slew of other projects and brings next to nothing fresh to the table.

Borderlands also tends to seem frantic and desperate to please. The movie never lets up, and I mean that in a bad way, as the flick just pounds the viewer relentlessly.

I get the impression director Eli Roth worries that if he allows for any respite, the audience will understand the basic vapidity of the project and bail. Roth throws everything at the wall and hopes some of it will stick.

It doesn’t, as Borderlands fails to make a positive impact. Instead, it just wears down the viewer with its non-stop antics.

We wind up with a slew of annoying characters. When a sassy wise-cracking robot voiced by Jack Black becomes one of the least irritating participants, you know you’re in trouble.

This seems remarkable given the quality of the cast. In addition to those already mentioned, we find talents like Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis and Gina Gershon.

None can even vaguely redeem the project. They just become buried underneath the relentless mayhem.

Borderlands wants to be wild and gleefully subversive and crazed. However, it just ends up as aggressively annoying.

Footnote: early in the end credits, we get a short tag with Claptrap.

Borderlands appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.39:1 on this 4K UHD Disc. The native 4K Dolby Vision image appeared pretty great.

Sharpness seemed excellent, as at no point did any issues with softness materialize. Instead, the movie looked nicely detailed and concise.

I saw no signs of jagged edges or shimmering, and edge haloes seemed absent. Print flaws also never reared their ugly head, as the movie remained clean at all times.

Like most modern movies, a sense of teal and amber dominated. Within those choices, the movie demonstrated tones that looked lively and rich, and HDR gave the hues added impact.

Blacks seemed dense and firm, while shadows felt clear and smooth. HDR brought greater depth to whites and contrast as well. This became a terrific presentation.

Downconverted to Dolby TrueHD 7.1, the Dolby Atmos soundtrack of Borderlands also worked well, as the movie presented a engaging soundfield. Not surprisingly, its best moments related to the mix of action scenes, as these helped open up the spectrum pretty nicely.

Otherwise, we got good stereo impressions from the music along with solid environmental material. The latter reverberated in the rear speakers to positive effect, and some unique action beats popped up there as well.

No problems with audio quality occurred. Speech was always concise and natural, and I noticed no edginess or other concerns. Music seemed bright and lively.

Effects showed good distinctiveness, and they offered nice low-end when appropriate. All of this created a strong sonic impression that made the movie more involving.

How did the 4K UHD compare to the Blu-ray version? Both offered identical Atmos audio.

The native 4K Dolby Vision presentation kicked matters up a notch, though, as the UHD appeared better defined and more vibrant. While the BD looked solid, the 4K topped it.

Seven featurettes follow, and From Game to Screen lasts five minutes, 20 seconds. It provides notes from director Eli Roth, executive producer Randy Pitchford, VFX producer Deven Letendre, production designer Andrew Menzies, props master Andrew Wert, and actors Jamie Lee Curtis and Cate Blanchett.

As implied by the title, “Screen” looks at efforts to adapt the source videogames into movie form. A few insights emerge but much of the reel feels superficial.

Meet the Team spans four minutes, 29 seconds. Here we get remarks from Blanchett, Roth, Curtis and actors Ariana Greenblatt, Kevin Hart, Florian Munteanu, and Jack Black.

Like I expected, the program covers characters and cast. It brings another fairly fluffy piece.

Next comes All Aboard the Death Choochoo. In this five-minute, 10-second reel, we hear from Greenblatt, Roth, Hart, Blanchett, Curtis, Pitchford, Munteanu, executive producer Emmy Yu, 2nd unit director/supervising stunt coordinator Jimmy O’Dee, and producer Erik Feig.

“Aboard” examines stunts and action. Once again we get a mix of praise and facts.

Bringing Borderlands to the Screen occupies five minutes, 29 seconds. It features Roth, Feig, Blanchett, Greenblatt, Pitchford, Curtis, Menzies, Yu, Hart, producer Ari Arad, and actors Gina Gershon and Edgar Ramírez.

Here we look at how Roth came to the project and what he brought to it. This mostly tells us how wonderful Roth is.

After this we go to Badonkadonk Time. The five-minute, 11-second piece involves Roth, Pitchford, Wert, Blanchett, Feig, Hart, Greenblatt, Munteanu, Menzies, Ramírez, executive producer Andrew Smith, and costume designer Daniel Orlandi.

The featurette details props. Unsurprisingly, it sticks with the less than deep vibe of its predecessors.

Fashion and Action on Pandora fills seven minutes, 37 seconds. It gives us info from Curtis, Orlandi, Greenblatt, Pitchford, Blanchett, Gershon, Munteanu, Roth, Ramírez and actors Olivier Richters and Janina Gavankar.

Touched on slightly in “Time”, more info about the movie’s costumes arrives here. Anticipate some insights mixed with fluff.

Finally, High-Tech Hellscapes lasts nine minutes, 17 seconds. We find remarks from Blanchett, Greenblatt, Hart, Roth, Letendre, Menzies, Yu, Curtis, Wert, and executive producer Ethan Smith.

“Hellscapes” discusses the film’s props, effects and locations. Unfortunately, this becomes another less than informative reel, as it sticks with too much praise for the project.

Derivative and without its own inspiration, Borderlands fails to provide a satisfying mix of action and science-fiction. Desperate to entertain, the film winds up as little more than a barely coherent collection of cinematic influences. The 4K UHD boasts excellent picture and audio as well as superficial bonus materials. Borderlands becomes a frantic and uninspired disappointment.

To rate this film, visit the prior review of BORDERLANDS