Stanisland Magazine

Featuring an ensemble cast, Eli Roth’s upcoming film has spurred notable excitement. But fears remain regarding loyalty to the film’s source material

Last updated: August 4th 2025

As far as video game adaptations go, there aren’t many to choose from. The recent surge in popularity for ‘The Last of Us’ is justified though its production lacks atmospheric lustre thanks to it being shot in 4K. ‘The Super Mario Bros’ movie felt like every other Dreamworks/Pixar animation, but with lovable Nintendo characters. So when it comes to gaming, there’s a lot to ask of the industry; in fact, it could stand to do a lot more in general.

Who is the director?

The feature is directed by Eli Roth, known for his love of horror, and responsible for titles such as ‘Hostel’, ‘Grindhouse’ and ‘Cabin Fever’. Each one of these titles has a signature identifiable as a Roth flick, with his latest foray standing to benefit from it.

What’s the plot and who is in it?

‘Borderlands’ looks to be a little different, with a director at the helm who takes a more authentic approach, embracing genres for what they are, rather than seek to patch holes with household casting choices. That said, unlike Roth’s other productions, he has recruited Hollywood names such as Kevin Hart, Cate Blanchett and Jamie Lee Curtis.

His latest cinematic endeavour follows a “ragtag team of misfits” seeking to rescue a girl who allegedly holds the key to an overwhelming ability.

What’s the film’s rating?

Fans of the franchise have been left bewildered by its classification, which was officially revealed to be PG-13, the UK equivalent being 12A.

Given the game’s mature content, it stands to reason this could be a let down for hard core patrons of the sci-fi shooter, as lowering the picture’s classification could be a sign of studio interference.

This is compounded by the fact that Roth, due to prior commitments to his film ‘Thanksgiving,’ was unable to conduct reshoots of scenes. This was instead carried out by ‘Deadpool’ director Tim Miller. Don’t let his involvement fool you, second takes are generally a bad sign, and the feature’s classification all but confirms said fears.

For neutrals and the uninitiated, ignorance of the source material may prove to be beneficial.

Watch the trailer