The Borderlands Film Needs To Avoid What Ruined Silent Hill's Movies
With the upcoming Borderlands movie slated for release in 2022, the creators must avoid the mistakes that ruined the critically panned and divisive Silent Hill movies. Following the rise of video game adaptations and the ever-growing popularity of the Borderlands game franchise, it was only a matter of time before an adaptation was announced. Looking back at some previous adaptations, however, specifically Silent Hill and its sequel, Silent Hill: Revelations 3D, with its Mannequin Monster, a worrying pattern seems to be at work, a pattern that might be affecting the Borderlands movie.
The history of video games being adapted into films is a decidedly mixed picture. This has been seen as far back as the very beginning of the trend, in 1993’s Super Mario Bros., which received a generally negative reception from fans and critics alike. That is why, when Silent Hill’s creators announced that their movie would remain faithful to the game series, fans were ecstatic. They did not, however, realize the double-edged sword that this statement would prove to be.
The simple truth seems to be that remaining true to one’s source material is not a guarantee that the adapted movie will succeed, especially when those source materials are deeply divided themselves, as is the case for both Silent Hill and Borderlands. Video game adaptations do not have to be made for the fans, as Arcane proves. A movie is so much more than references, but while the Silent Hill movies definitely have their fair share of references to the source material, they struggle to maintain a tonal balance. What's more, the nature of the Silent Hill games is a divisive one, shifting genres from action to stealth, to horror, meaning fans coming into the movie would be left disappointed regardless of what they enjoyed from the series, and this can be said for the Borderlands games as well. As a result, should Borderlands rigidly stick to the games' structure and narrative, it may run the risk of repeating past adaptation mistakes.
While the Borderlands games are enjoyed by fans, the shift in tone present between the first two main series games and then again in the third game suggests fans might be divided based on the style they most enjoyed. A star-studded cast for the Borderlands movie does suggest a certain level of comedic expertise being applied, but comedy is a notoriously difficult genre to get right, adding more points of division to the already divided audience. Not to mention the various additional games within the series, which range from VR shooter to point-and-click graphic adventure.
One thing fans seem to agree that the Silent Hill creators got right is its set, sound, and atmospheric design. The game's iconic monsters are well adapted and on display, but in trying to feature the highlights of the series, the creators lost sight of the larger story, leading to a confusing tale in the first movie and an incongruent mess in the second. Pending a potential Silent Hill reboot, the movies are unsure of whether they are action-paced or brooding and thoughtful, but considering the source material sways just as widely, it is unsurprising. The Borderlands movie needs to be very careful not to make those same mistakes, attempting to cater to an audience who all want something different.
It is a tightrope walk, attempting to remain true to the source material while delivering an engaging piece of cinema, but this is the tightrope walked by video game film adaptations. When that tightrope walk is weighted even further by genre clashes and incongruencies in the tone of the source material, it becomes extremely perilous. Fans will hope that Borderlands is able to walk successfully, but it needs to keep Silent Hill's failures in mind.