Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
The Gorge is a science fiction horror film directed by Scott Derrickson (Doctor Strange, The Black Phone) with a screenplay by Zach Dean (The Tomorrow War). The story follows two operatives stationed on opposite sides of a mysterious gorge, separated by 600-meters and an eerie fog. Their mission is to ensure that whatever resides in the gorge remains contained.
Miles Teller plays Levi, a former US Marine now working as a mercenary. At the beginning of the film, Levi is recruited by Bartholomew (Sigourney Weaver), the head of a secretive organization collaborating with the military. She questions him about his personal life, including whether he has any significant relationships. Meanwhile, Anya Taylor-Joy portrays Drasa, who is introduced while performing a political assassination using a sniper rifle. The next scene suggests she may be in Russia with a person who could be her father.
Levi is then transported to a tower on the western side of the gorge, taking over from a previous soldier. He is informed of critical rules: no outside communication except for a monthly radio check-in and the necessity to ensure the containment of whatever is in the gorge. Shortly thereafter, Levi notices Drasa in the opposite tower across the gorge. Despite their directives, they begin communicating through notes via high-tech telescopes.
Dean has stated that the global lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic influenced him to write the love story at the core of the film, one of romance just out of reach. This relationship between Levi and Drasa is central to the plot, although the rapid development of their “romance” from afar may prevent the audience from fully investing in their story. They are subsequently thrown together to face untold dangers within the gorge.
The plot then shifts to action, with the two protagonists fighting for survival, uncovering secrets, and making do with minimal weaponry. The CGI work is commendable, reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings, and the sci-fi body horror undertones evoke films like 2018’s Overlord. This is where The Gorge excels, delivering edge-of-the-seat, nonstop, fight-or-die action. Ironically, the romance, which catalyzed the screenplay, weighs the film down and lacks believability, only serving to disrupt the flow.
Teller and Taylor-Joy show excellent on-screen chemistry and convincingly portray their characters, even though Taylor-Joy’s fluctuating Eastern-European accent poses some inconsistency. They are credible as mercenaries and sharpshooters. What detracts from the film is Derrickson’s disjointed direction, which, despite his previous works, fails to seamlessly integrate The Gorge’s various elements into a cohesive arc, resulting instead in a series of disparate set pieces occasionally at odds in tone. Nevertheless, when The Gorge indulges in its action and horror elements, it performs well and provides excellent escapism, even if it is derivative. While it may not achieve blockbuster status, it stands as solid weekend entertainment for streaming audiences.
The Gorge is streaming on Apple TV+ February 14, 2025
- Rating Certificate: PG-13 (for intense sequences of violence and action, brief strong language, some suggestive material and thematic elements)
- Studios & Distributors: Crooked Highway | Lit Entertainment Group | Skydance Media | Transportation Resources | Apple TV+ (World-wide, 2025)(VOD, video)
- Director: Scott Derrickson
- Written By: Zach Dean
- Country: United Kingdom | United States
- Language: English
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
- Release Date: 14 February 2025