Scott Derrickson’s The Gorge ambitiously combines romance, sci-fi, horror, action, and conspiracy thriller elements into a single film—while the blend isn’t always consistently smooth, it still delivers an engaging and satisfying cinematic experience.
Two elite snipers, Levi (Miles Teller) of the United States and Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy) of Lithuania, working for the Russians, are employed by their respective countries to guard opposite posts of a vast and mysterious gorge in an undisclosed location for a year. They bond from a long distance and eventually become romantically involved. However, after stumbling into the gorge by accident, they unearth a terrifying secret with catastrophic implications for humanity. Pushed to their physical and mental limits, they must rely on their instincts, expertise, and each other to survive and contain the dark secret before it’s too late.
The Gorge takes a while to get going, starting with two introductory scenes that reveal Levi and Drasa’s characters and backstories, which feel unnecessary. The film had the potential to be more taut and dynamic by thrusting the characters straight into the action and letting their personalities unfold as the story progresses, especially since Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy are capable and charismatic enough actors to keep us invested in them right from the start. This is followed by a prolonged expositional scene, where Sope Dirisu’s character explains to Levi and the audience his duty of guarding the Gorge and neutralizing anything that emerges from within, with the dialogue-heavy approach limiting the opportunity for a more visually striking and immersive execution.
The film kicks off when, despite orders not to, Levi and Drasa establish contact and begin their long-distance flirtation by exchanging brief notes written on placards that they read with binoculars. Through this method of communication, they engage in a shooting contest, celebrate Christmas, and fight off strange-looking creatures from their respective ends, ultimately saving each other’s lives. Levi eventually makes his way to Drasa’s eastern post, where they finally meet. While their chemistry isn’t as electrifying as one might expect, it’s endearing enough to make us root for them and want them to end together as a couple.
The Gorge hits its stride when it enters the sci-fi horror genre, particularly when Levi and Drasa find themselves inadvertently trapped within the Gorge. Derrickson and production designer Rick Heinrichs construct a visually striking and eerie world where thick fog engulfs dense forests, trees appear to consume human bodies, and mysterious, bioluminescent branches pulse with life. The creature design is equally striking, appearing as unsettling half-human, half-plant entities that exude a terrifying and menacing presence. The film thrives on its thrilling action set pieces, from Levi and Drasa’s intense battle against monsters in a decrepit church to the standout scene where they try to scale a 500-meter vertical wall using a jeep while under attack. The intensity is further amplified by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s electrifying score, another standout effort after their mesmerizing work on Challengers (2024).
As they venture deeper into the Gorge, they uncover a conspiracy that, without spoiling anything, feels like a letdown after building up so much anticipation, treading ground that many other films have covered before. Additionally, their handling of the situation following the revelation of the conspiracy feels underwhelming, as they offer a hasty resolution, missing an opportunity to escalate the tension and create a more intense, high-stakes showdown in the climax. As a result, the ending becomes too predictable and uninteresting. Miles Teller delivers a compelling performance as Levi, a disciplined and rule-abiding contract killer who unexpectedly falls in love with Anya Taylor-Joy’s lively and fiery Drasa—played with equal charm—creating a dynamic that drives the film and holds the audience’s attention throughout its runtime.
The Gorge movie links: Letterboxd, Wikipedia
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