As the cinema-loving public steadily makes its way into the back half of the 2024 movie schedule, there’s still the release of Eli Roth’s Borderlands, much of which has still yet to be seen by the public. I only call it by that name because while folks are familiar with the Gearbox Software video game franchise, Borderlands fans have been given pause thanks to the film's “disappointing” PG-13 rating. With what’s being labeled as the upcoming video game adaptation's final trailer, we’ve finally been shown more of Florian Munteanu’s Krieg in action. And, after seeing the results, I have to say I’m really digging the Groot vibes he’s giving off.
It's certainly a contrast to how that character looks to someone with little to no knowledge of this esteemed video game franchise. Some may assume that a huge muscle showroom with a name like "Krieg" would be the strong and silent type that uses their strength to make you silent.
To be fair, even Borderlands’ first trailer had this flick pegged as a rival cousin to Guardians of the Galaxy, which features a ragtag band of anti-heroes forming a found family. So that’s not a complaint or back-handed compliment. Rather, I’m seriously complimenting the fact that Lionsgate’s latest look at this beleaguered production is giving us more Big Nasty for the buck.
Not only that, but we also get to the actor probably best known for playing Ivan Drago’s son in Creed II and its sequel speak, as well as see him clap his hands excitedly, on the command of Kevin Hart’s Roland. And that was the moment where his Groot-ness really shined for me, as he’s joined in that gesture by the very Rocket-like Tiny Tina, who’s played by Marvel Cinematic Universe vet Ariana Greenblatt.
I have a feeling those two characters are going to be thick as thieves within the cast, and I’m perfectly cozy with that. And that's still a good feeling to have, considering that other than these very fun moments, we do get a lot of the same footage from our previous look at the flick. And whatever’s not outwardly recycled seems adjacent to what fans have seen already.
It's a decision that makes me wonder if Borderlands is being played close to the chest by the folks at Lionsgate in order to keep some serious twists and turns from being revealed. Perhaps there’s even an outside chance that Eli Roth’s take on the series could become one of the best video game movies on the market? Time will tell.
Again, we’re venturing into the unknown with this project, and the reaction feels primed to be one of either surprising satisfaction or dismal disappointment. If there is a middle ground, we’ll have to wait to discover it for ourselves, as Borderlands is set to open on August 9th; and with a bright and shiny IMAX version to consider as well. In the meantime, though, I'm down to see any additional fun snippets of footage featuring Florian Munteanu’s delightful Krieg.
