Just over a month after its cinematic release, Borderlands is set to make the leap to digital platforms, with Lionsgate announcing a digital launch slated for this week.
The Borderlands movie fails to impress me and likely many others, leaving much to be desired in terms of quality. I’d dub it an unmitigated disaster, a prediction that proved eerily accurate, as the video game’s box office performance was nothing short of catastrophic: a paltry $16 million opening, on a budget of $115 million – a stark reminder of the perils of cinematic translation gone horribly awry. Clearly, this outcome did not meet the expectations of Lionsgate, as yesterday the film production company announced that the premium video and on-demand release of the movie will occur later this week, on August 30. The film premiered exclusively on August 9, making it available digitally just three weeks later.
Can I buy the movie for $25, or rent it for 48 hours at a cost of $20? While it’s true that purchasing both can offer a better overall experience, I recommend waiting until one is available to stream before worrying about the other. Then, when Borderlands does finally land on Netflix, you’ll have the chance to say “Borderlands is now on Netflix” before quickly scrolling through all the other shows and films before deciding you’re too busy to bother and hopping back onto Twitter. Won’t it be a far more productive utilization of your valuable time?
For avid fans of video games, there’s a considerable amount of valuable insight. At the recent Gamescom Opening Evening Live event, 2K and Gearbox Software finally confirmed their work on Borderlands 4, but offered only limited insight into the game’s development. While the new Borderlands game’s announcement may have been anticipated due to hints from Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford, the excitement surrounding its reveal remains palpable. Despite this, it still outshines nothing, and for Gearbox’s sake, one can only hope that the game is good enough to help those who saw the film forget it.
