Cate Blanchett has done a fair number of auteur driven, critically acclaimed dramas like Tár, The Aviator, and Blue Jasmine. Now she is trying something different, and is taking on something more fun and wacky by playing Lilith in Eli Roth’s Borderlands. But even if the actress is known for her immaculate taste, she is telling audiences to not take her latest film too seriously. The actress opened up about some dumping on the movie before it’s even out, and praised her co-stars in the process.
In a recent interview with USA Today, Blanchett talked about her upcoming video game adaptation film, and why she joined the Borderlands cast. A mind like Eli Roth was a big motivator, as well as working with names like Jamie Lee Curtis and Gina Gershon. She lauded her co-stars performances and noted how fun the movie is, even if it won’t likely be associated with prestige. She said:
Jamie’s just exceptional. And when Gina walked on set, it was like va-va-voom, as it always is with her. I mean, it’s not The Grapes of Wrath. It’s not Blade Runner. It’s its own strange, weird thing, and when you look at the casting, there’s a motley quality to it. We’re a very motley crew, in life and in art. I don’t think anyone would call Borderlands 'art,' but it’s fun.
She also had a message to the naysayers, who haven’t been exactly kind to the movie. The film isn’t out yet, but early Borderlands reactions from creatives have called it a "dud," and haven't held back when predicting the movie’s failure. It's still too early to make a real call about the movie's quality, however signs aren't exactly positive. Blanchett defended the movie, saying it’s a good time and it was never intended to be an awards-worthy film. She continued:
People say, ‘Oh, that was a flop’ or ‘that was a hit.’ But sometimes the films we hold up as the greatest of all time were not financial or audience successes, yet they’ve become classics. I’m not saying Borderlands is a classic! It’s fun, fun, fun, but it’s not Citizen Kane!
The Lord of the Rings alum does have a point. A lot of films that were reviled when they first were released went on to find their audience and become cult classics. Fight Club, for example, was critically panned before later being considered one of the best movies of the '90s. The Rocky Horror Picture Show was another film that didn’t resonate when it first came out, and now is beloved by a very ardent fanbase. Even if Borderlands doesn’t hit this time around, there is still potential for it to live on in pop culture history.
However, this isn’t always the case. Borderlands already has a strong fanbase considering the game is so popular. Video game lovers can be awfully protective of big screen adaptations, and many are still hated amongst fans. It’s pretty agreed upon that Assassin’s Creed was a major misfire, and those Resident Evil films never quite worked. If Borderlands truly is as bad as early reviews are signaling, there’s always the “so bad it's good” genre of cult movie that could attract audiences to the theater. The movie hasn’t even come out yet, so we will have to wait to judge Borderlands to see if it hits with an audience more than critics.
You can see Cate Blanchett in Borderlands when it heads to theaters on August 9, 2024. Video game fans should also check out our feature on the best video game adaptations that you can check out now. For more information on other films hitting cinemas this year, make sure to consult our 2024 movie release schedule.
