How Close Borderlands Movie Adheres To The Games Addressed By Executive
Summary
Borderlands' age rating is here, and it teases a less violent outing than the games. Based on the popular video game franchise of the same name, theupcomingBorderlandsmovieis directed by Eli Roth from a script by Roth and Joe Crombie. The upcoming film follows a ragtag group as they embark on a wild adventure to rescue a missing girl who is key to harnessing a great power. Although trailers have teased the inclusion of many game elements, it’s been unclear whether the movie’s age rating would continue a trend from the games.
FilmRatings.comnow reveals that theMPA has ratedBorderlandsPG-13 for “intense sequences of violence and action, language and some suggestive material.“This is a deviation from the video games, most of which are rated M for Mature, making them suitable only for gamers 17 or older. The onlyBorderlandsvideo game to not receive the M designation isTiny Tina’s Wonderlands, which is rated T for Teen.
Will Borderlands' PG-13 Rating Hurt The Movie?
What It Could Mean For The Adaptation’s Box Office
The rationale forBorderlands' PG-13 rating is probably pretty simple. A PG-13 rating is fairly standard for big blockbuster fare becausean R rating limits a film’s potential audience. It’s unclear whatBorderlands' budget is, but it’s an effects-heavy movie with a cast that features some major talent. The movie likely carries a hefty price tag, and Lionsgate will evidently be hoping to recoup this and make a profit. Kevin Hart, especially, is a major all-ages draw, and an R-rating would exclude his younger fans.
In addition to Hart,Borderlandscastfeatures Cate Blanchett, Jack Black, Haley Bennett, Ariana Greenblatt, and Jamie Lee Curtis.
While the movie’s PG-13 rating makes sense from a business perspective, it could prove more controversial to those who are coming to the film as longtime fans of theworld of theBorderlandsvideo games. Thegames tend to feature strong violence and coarse language, as well as sexual material that comes mostly in the form of dialogue. If theBorderlandsmovie ends up feeling watered down compared to the games, that could make for a disappointing viewing experience.
That being said, the reasons forBorderlands' PG-13 rating suggest that movie will be attempting to honor the tone of the games. The trailer, too, has teased that the movie will feature plenty of action, with one gruesome scene showing the gang exploding through the body of an alien creature. Alien blood and violence, after all, is usually less of a concern to the MPA than if it were human. It remains to be seen howBorderlandswill fare with audiences, but there are evidently some aspects of the game that won’t be included.
Borderlands
Cast
Based on the video game franchise, Borderlands is a sci-fi action-comedy film that follows Cate Blanchett as Lilith, a treasure hunter who returns to her home planet, Pandora, to find a tycoon’s missing daughter. Together with a group of unlikely allies, such as a soldier, a teenaged demolitions expert, a wise-cracking robot, and an eccentric scientist, the group will work together to save the girl - all while learning to deal with each other’s unyielding quirks.
