There are some differences between the Borderlands Movie and The Video Games ( Photo Credit – Instagram )
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Eli Roth’s Borderlands, based on the video game series of the same name, has arrived in cinemas. Just like the source material, the film also features a vibrant world full of colorful characters and is set on the planet of Pandora, where a bounty hunter teams up with a group of misfits to fight dangerous bandits and monsters.
The film looks visually similar to the game and has taken several characters directly from it. However, the makers have also deviated significantly from the source material for creative purposes. Here are 5 major differences we have noticed between the Borderlands film and video games.
1. Absence of Two Main Characters
Lilith and Roland are the only main Vault Hunters from the first game appearing in the film, and characters like Mordecai and Brick are absent. The film instead introduces characters like Tiny Tina, who gained popularity in Borderlands 2 and focuses more on Lilith. Additionally, characters like Zer0 and Maya also do not appear in the movie. The absence of these fan-favorite characters is due to the movie’s limited runtime of one hour and 41 minutes, which couldn’t accommodate the game’s extensive storyline and cast. Director Eli Roth also addressed the absence of important characters, stating that while he aimed to include as much as possible, some characters had to be cut to streamline the story, with plans to address this in future installments.
Tina’s origin story in the Borderlands film is quite different from her backstory in the video games. While her key personality traits remain the same, the film reveals that Tina is actually a genetically modified clone, created by Atlas using Erridian blood. This contrasts sharply with the game version, where Tina is a regular citizen of Pandora. Introduced in Borderlands 2 as a minor recurring character, the game’s backstory explains that Tina’s parents were sold to Hyperion for experiments, but Tina managed to escape and survive on her own in the wilds. The film, however, elevates her importance by making her a Daughter of Erridia, with the unique ability to open the vault. This role gives her access to the ancient technology within the vault, placing a great responsibility on her shoulders and making her a central figure in the movie’s plot.
3. Lilith’s Powers
In the Borderlands film, Lilith’s powers are portrayed differently from how they are in the video game. In the game, Lilith is introduced as a Siren with established abilities, and her role in unlocking the vault isn’t a mystery. Her powers are known from the start, and the vault opens with the key, regardless of who wields it. In contrast, the film initially depicts Lilith as a bounty hunter without special abilities. Her connection to the Vault Key gradually unlocks her powers, culminating in her full potential being realized during the climax. This transformation is central to the movie’s plot, using the trope of a character discovering and embracing their true power. The film also suggests that Lilith’s powers are much more significant than in the game, where they are simply part of her Siren identity.
4. Knoxx’s Character Arc
In the film, Commander Knoxx, played by Janina Gavankar, is a leader of the Crimson Lance under Atlas. Unlike the game, where Knoxx is an older, loyal soldier with no ties to Roland, the film hints at a past relationship between Knoxx and Roland, causing her to hesitate when hunting him down. She tries to switch sides by the end of the film but is quickly killed by Atlas. In the game, Knoxx is a male character who remains committed to his mission and is ultimately defeated by the Vault Hunters. The film’s Knoxx shares more similarities with Commandant Steele, a young woman who leads the Crimson Lance in the first game. Steele, like Knoxx in the movie, doesn’t change sides and meets a tragic end, being killed by a monster in the Vault. The film’s portrayal of Knoxx significantly differs from the game, giving her a more complex and tragic role.
5. Introduction of Deukalian Atlas
In the Borderlands game, Atlas is just one of many companies that produce weapons and shields and controls the Crimson Lance, a major threat in the first game. On the other hand, the CEO of the company, Deukalian Atlas, appears in the film as the main villain. Played by Édgar Ramírez, Atlas drives the plot by cloning Tina to unlock the Vault and hiring Lilith to find her. This version of Atlas is mostly exclusive to the movie. He leads a powerful gun company and is obsessed with finding the Vault, believing it holds dangerous weapons. However, there isn’t a specific CEO character like Deukalian in the games. He shares similarities with Handsome Jack, introduced in Borderlands 2 as the head of the Hyperion Corporation and one of the series’ most iconic villains.
