How did ‘Borderlands’ director go from his best film to his worst so quickly?

Borderlands is one of the best-selling video games of all time, making its big screen jump all the more dismal. Despite a star-studded cast, Eli Roth’s Borderlands adaptation was a flaming box office and critical bomb. Ironically, Roth’s previous movie was the very opposite.

To call Borderlands a disappointment is fitting. Expectations may be partially to blame. With the production budget clocking in at $115 million, a cast chock full of A-list actors, and an expansive (and beloved) world to pull from, Borderlands had potential. Unfortunately, the film’s original story failed to deliver much more than generic plot points and juvenile jokes, earning it a painful 0% on Rotten Tomatoes upon release (up to 10% as of this writing). Wearing the title of director and co-writer, Roth bears the brunt of the criticism. However, for those who have seen last year’s Thanksgiving, it’s a somewhat surprising turn of events.

Releasing less than a year prior in November 2023, Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving got a warm reception from critics and horror fans alike. Many, myself included, praised it as Roth’s best movie to date. Because of that, the Borderlands flop hits a lot harder. However, until you’ve seen Thanksgiving, I wouldn’t write Roth off entirely.

Thanksgiving did fun right

Thanksgiving kicks off with a brutal Black Friday riot that spotlights the true horror of the holidays: consumerism. That’s right; all that nice, new, and shiny stuff leads to a gruesome incident that has a masked killer seeking revenge the following year. What proceeds is the makings of a solid slasher movie. From bloody kills and tropey teenage protagonists to dark humor and cheesy one-liners, Thanksgiving carries a certain charm reminiscent of ’80s and ’90s slashers.

Like those slashers, Roth never takes things too seriously. In fact, he even seems to be poking fun at his “torture porn” origins by offering over-the-top gore with an almost comical execution. (It’s not often you see a human turned into an obscene mockery of a roasted turkey.) In a stroke of genius, Roth capitalizes on a holiday frequently overlooked by horror. While 2008’s Thankskilling remains a cult hit, Thanksgiving offers something arguably more fun without feeling schlocky or exploitative.

Eli Roth should stay in horror

What Thanksgiving ultimately proves is that Roth can do fun and gore, two things the Borderlands franchise is known for. While many fantasized about James Gunn directing the Borderlands movie, Roth isn’t the worst pick … at least on paper. However, Borderlands’ theatrical failure suggests Roth is better suited for the genre he started in.

Roth isn’t afraid to create nightmare movies. He favors splatter films and has a talent for making audiences squirm. Say what you will about Hostel, but it remains one of the most memorable (and disturbing) movies in horror. His other films, like Cabin Fever and The Green Inferno, might not top “best of” lists for mainstream audiences, but they continue to thrive among horror heads looking for a challenge.

Borderlands was a big departure from Roth’s splatter roots, and it was, unfortunately, a miss. Although it’s nice to see him branch outside of the grotesque violence he has become known for, Roth seems most at home in horror. Eli Roth’s History of Horror docu-series proves he gets horror and filmmaking. What I want from Roth is another Thanksgiving. Something fun. Something campy. And something just outside the bloody lines of splatter. To go from his best movie to his worst is tough, but Hollywood always loves a good comeback.