Film Review: The Gorge

The Gorge
Director: Scott Derrickson
Lit Entertainment Group, Crooked Highway
Streaming on Apple TV+ 02.14.25

I’m sure you’ve read many a review that takes a film to task for not knowing what kind of movie it wants to be, and mixing elements and genres that clash. The Gorge certainly mixes its genres, and what’s it trying to be may seem crazy, but it knows exactly what it’s going for at all times. 

Levi (Miles Teller, Whiplash, Top Gun: Maverick),  a former Marine sniper who is declared unfit for duty after failing a psych evaluation, and Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy, The Menu, Furiosa: A Mad Max Story), a Lithuanian mercenary, are recruited for a top-secret assignment: each is stationed in a guard tower on opposite sides of a classified gorge, and their job is to stay there for a year to watch over the gorge. If anything at all tries to emerge from it? Blast it into oblivion. What’s in the gorge? That’s classified, though J.D. (Sope Dirisu, Mr. Malcolm’s List), the sniper Levi is assigned to relieve, surmises that they are guarding the gateway to hell itself. While Levi and Drasa are forbidden from communicating with each other, 365 days is a long time just to sit around doing nothing, and through fleeting glances, small gestures and hand-written signs, they form a bond that defies their orders. As they begin to unravel the true nature of their mission, they realize the danger is far greater than they imagined. Forced into an alliance, they must summon every ounce of skill and resilience to confront an enemy beyond comprehension before it escapes and threatens all of humanity.

Director Scott Derrickson (Doctor Strange, The Black Phone) knows how to mix science fiction and even horror with humor, and working from a clever script by Zach Dean (The Tomorrow War), has managed to make a combination meet-cute-romance-science-fiction-horror-thriller that is blissfully aware of how silly it is and never tries to pretend it isn’t, while still committing fully to the premise and building the suspense to its full potential. The setup is a lot of fun, and the enticing mystery of exactly what’s in the gorge kept me on the edge of my seat. The trick with such a promising concept is that the big reveal rarely lives up to what we can imagine, but Dean’s script delivers a solid -and unexpected-explanation that ties the whole thing together like a nice Persian rug will do to any room. The pacing is swift, with the surprisingly playful romantic plot providing a lighthearted sense of fun, and some of the strongest sections of the film are largely dialogue-free. 

Teller and Taylor-Joy sparkle with liable and sexy chemistry and the film rests quite comfortably on their capable shoulders. Sigourney Weaver (Alien, Avatar) adds prestige and presence as Bartholomew, the shadowy government agent who recruits Levi, and Dirisu shines even in his very limited time on screen. If there’s one big complaint I have with the film, it’s simply that I would have like to see a lot more Guillermo del Toro-style practical effects inside the gorge and less reliance on CGI. The design is mostly strong, however, and Teller and Taylor-Joy are able to sell the fear effectively enough to make this a more minor criticism than it could have been, though the missed opportunity to make unforgettable movie magic is certainly frustrating.

The Gorge is thrillingly diverting popcorn entertainment that embraces its B-movie sensibilities and uses an unexpectedly effective romance to add a lot of charm. If you’re looking for blockbuster fun this weekend, you’re better off staying home and exploring The Gorge than venturing into an IMAX for the latest monument to Marvel mediocrity. —Patrick Gibbs

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