With an incredible concept and two of our biggest young stars, THE GORGE is one of the films that feels like a sure-fire hit. While THE GORGE probably doesn’t meet its initial high quality expectations, it is a fun ride worth checking out for sci-fi fans.
The film starts fairly vague, separately introducing two highly-trained operatives, an American named Levi (Miles Teller) and a Russian named Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy). Levi accepts a super secret mission, sedated and blindfolded he is flown and dropped off in a mysterious forest-filled location. He finds his way to another soldier who is happy to see him, as Levi will be the security replacement. The mission is to help protect a mysterious gorge. Levi will reside in a tower with food, tools, weapons, ammo, and explosives to replenish all the triggered traps along the gorge keeping whatever resides below inside. Across the gorge is his unknown counterpart we know as Drasa, tasked to do the same thing on the other side.
Through telescopes, binoculars and writing on erase boards and paper, the two begin a relationship in one of the strangest meet cute rom-coms ever filmed. Firstly, their notes are ridiculously succinct, which appears as typed block lettering, clearly done in post. Through dancing, drinking, and funny letter writing montages, the relationship Is both ridiculous and awesome. It helps that Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy are young Hollywood superstars, leading the audience to immediately jump on board.
THE GORGE is the latest original science fiction film from Apple TV. Directed by Scott Derrickson (The Black Phone, Doctor Strange, Sinister, The Exorcism of Emily Rose) and written by Zach Dean (FAST X, TOMORROW WAR), THE GORGE is actually an incredible concept. The plot gets silly, but when evil emerges, and our two heroes must work together to survive what lies beneath, THE GORGE turns the insanity into pure joy. I won’t spoil what’s below or the unnecessary explanation that would have worked better as an unexplained mystery to why it’s there. Sigourney Weaver adds an element of 90’s corporate baddie giving the film camp and clout. It’s evident that the concept is better than the execution, but with so much talent behind the film, it sort of squeaks by through its failure. THE GORGE isn’t very good and in some cases it’s actively bad. But embracing the imagination, creativity, and leading stars turns this weird science fiction adventure into a rockin’ wild ride of a good time.
