“Borderline” follows a ’90s pop superstar who must escape a hopeless romantic breaking into her home after escaping a mental institution.
Visually Striking and Fast-Paced
“Borderline” is extremely well-shot and edited. It uses a variety of lighting techniques that make it stand out. The quirky editing styles keep the film feeling fresh and energetic. Music choices contribute to the soft-spoken tone but the film isn’t afraid to quickly ramp up the intensity.
Losing Focus Amid Multiple Storylines
The film loses steam in its middle act, as two separate storylines converge. It struggles to focus on either, and both feel a bit… boring. Despite unique visuals, the onscreen substance falls short.
Samara Weaving delivers a solid lead performance, never fully losing control like Ray Nicholson does. Nicholson plays a character struggling to distinguish reality and channels this craziness effectively. His over-the-top acting suits the role perfectly.
The film takes its time setting up the characters. Unlike most flicks, it gives both central protagonists and antagonists individual moments to shine onscreen.
Giving all characters screen time has downsides. The story feels unfocused, spinning off in too many directions. This hurts the pacing, making the 96-minute runtime drag.
Fresh twists on a familiar tale
“Borderline” uses inventive storytelling devices, with reveals from multiple perspectives, time jumps and altered imagery. These keep a simple story feeling fresh and energetic.
It’s hard to take “Borderline” seriously. Even in tense moments, the characters rarely feel truly in danger. That comes from the music choices and acting, alongside some genuinely funny moments. While the comedy works at times, it also grows frustrating.
“It’s hard to take “Borderline” seriously. Even in tense moments, the characters rarely feel truly in danger. That comes from genuinely funny moments, music choices, and acting. While the comedy works at times, it also grows frustrating.
“Borderline” is a creative and fresh entry in the home invasion genre. It may not break new ground, but its visuals and editing make it memorable. There’s plenty of fun to be had here.
Rating: 3 out of 5
