Modern-day horror auteur Scott Derrickson stays in the genre for his latest “The Gorge” from Apple TV. Zach Dean pens the film’s screenplay, which was voted onto the Black List as one of the most-liked unproduced screenplays in 2020.
Levi (Miles Teller) and Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy) are two highly trained operatives appointed to posts in guard towers on opposite sides of a vast and highly classified gorge. They protect the world from an undisclosed, mysterious evil that lurks within. They bond from a distance while trying to stay vigilant in defending against an unseen enemy. When the cataclysmic threat to humanity is revealed, they must work together to test their physical and mental strength to keep the secret in the gorge before it’s too late.
“The Gorge” is one of those films most audiences will get a sense of déjà vu within the film’s first fifteen minutes. Levi has no family to speak of and suffers from PTSD, so he’s the perfect candidate for the mysterious Bartholomew (Sigourney Weaver) and her organization. Our introduction to Drasa comes after her latest kill while she’s on some R&R with her father, who is ready to give up on life after the death of his wife.
After both characters set up their home base, “The Gorge” begins its narrative as we watch our characters start to form a friendship that naturally becomes romantic. Teller and Taylor-Joy deliver the performances audiences have to come to expect, the former giving his usual bravado of a tortured. At the same time, the latter is an alpha female who tries to see the best in life. There are a few spurts of action in the first half, with each actor showcasing their skill set separately, which sets the tone for their eventual team-up.
When we reach the end of the second act, an event puts our leads in the gorge’s depths as we discover what they’ve been trying to stop. For the most part, “The Gorge” works on the strength of Teller and Taylor-Joy as they have a believable chemistry. Derrickson avoids cheap jump scares, focusing instead on gun battles as our duo takes on the evil inside the gorge.
That said, the film had no reason to run 127 minutes as the pacing becomes mundane. A trim of twenty minutes or so would have made for an existing film. Nevertheless, I was entertained and recommended the movie to cast and director fans.
Final Grade: B
The Gorge” is available to stream on Apple TV today.
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