This review was made possible by Popped attending an advanced screening of The Gorge.
Scott Derrickson is widely known for putting a spin on his horror films, which he does once again with The Gorge. From creating a supernatural horror legal drama such as The Exorcism of Emily Rose to the surburban horror of The Black Phone. It seems to currently be the year of experimentation of genre meshes, as we recently got Heart Eyes, a rom-com horror. Who better than Scott Derrickson to jump aboard the current trend?
The Gorge is a science-fiction action romance film that tells the story of Levi (Miles Teller), a highly trained operative who gets assigned on a mysterious mission by Bartholomew (Sigourney Weaver) to guard one side of a mysterious gorge. On the other side is Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy), another highly trained operative who also has to guard her side from the evil that lurks below within the gorge.
Introducing The Gorge Crossed Lovers
The trailer for The Gorge doesn’t reveal too much of the plot, but going into this blind will create a more enjoyable experience. When Levi is dropped into a classified location, he meets J.D. (Sope Dirisu), who tells him everything that he needs to know about protecting the mysterious gorge. The one rule he must follow is that he cannot make any contact with the east tower on the other side. Levi’s a character that suffers from PTSD and doesn’t have much reason left to live and also doesn’t have any outside attachments. This makes him a perfect candidate in Bartholowmew’s eyes for this classified mission that not even the President of the USA is aware of.
Drasa, on the other hand, is frankly quite different compared to Levi. She’s a Lithuanian soldier, fresh off an assassination, which opens the film. Unlike Levi, she has a family, a father, but unfortunately for her, he’s set on taking his life on February 14 before the cancer kills him. There’s more connection with Drasa as we’re invited into her life and get this sentimental moment between her and her father, which gets called back to later in the film once February finally comes around.
Love Is Just One Gorge Away
It’s obvious going into this film that it was bound to have romantic elements, but it’s surprising how well Zach Dean and Scott Derrickson work together to build this strong emotional connection between the two characters. From writing messages to one another and looking through binoculars to keep an eye on each other to finally getting to be within a touch’s reach. This all derives from boredom, but their relationship feels real thanks to the screenplay allowing the two characters to bond with each other.
Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller have unbreakable chemistry. Their connection in the first act already made The Gorge one of the best romances of the year so far. It was wholesome and sweet, and it puts a smile on your face as you slowly see them fall in love from a distance. Their romance is the driving force of this film, and if it weren’t for the combination of Zach Dean’s writing, Scott Derrickson’s direction, Dan Lausten’s cinematography, and the stellar performances, The Gorge wouldn’t be half the film it is.
Two Halves Of The Same World
The first act and some of the second act completely feel like a romance, but the film takes a drastic tonal shift as we’re thrown into what lurks within the gorge. The movie strictly turns into a sci-fi horror with traces of romance throughout as we still get development on Levi and Drasa, who do everything to protect each other. We get to see firsthand the creatures that J.D. spoke about, which are called The Hollow Men. Their designs and the design of what resides within the gorge are well detailed, and Scott Derrickson and Dan Lausten get to make it their playground with their use of colour, which brings an almost fantastical side to the whole world.
The Gorge sets itself apart from many monster films that take up the runtime of their film, hiding the designs of their creatures, only to reveal a boring creation in a lacklustre movie. Scott Derrickson throws that all away by revealing The Hollow Men within the first 3o minutes of the movie, building up the suspense and managing to throw in some well-timed jumpscares. The tonal shifts can feel drastic and sudden for the film, but with everything accounted for and action sequences that have your heart racing, you’ll leave the movie having wanted more.
Trent Reznor And Atticus Ross’ Sounds Of ‘The Gorge’
A movie is like a jigsaw puzzle; you can’t complete it without all the pieces. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are two very essential pieces of that jigsaw puzzle. They are a duo that have been around for years but are quickly making a name for themselves with recent scores such as Challengers, Queer, The Killer, and so much more. Their score elevates The Gorge further and adds to the suspenseful tension of the movie. It serves the perfect needle drops, as they have a clear understanding of how to utilise the score in a film such as this.
‘The Gorge’ – Final Thoughts
The Gorge is Scott Derrickson’s best work (out of the films this reviewer has seen). It’s action-packed, full of suspenseful moments, has intricate world design, and, at its core, is filled with emotion. This is one of Apple Original Films’ strongest releases yet, and it would’ve been even better if the audience had the chance to watch this in a theatre where they could relish in the alluring score of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Dan Lausten’s mesmerising cinematography, and Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller’s dynamic performances.
This is not only a must-watch for Valentine’s Day; it’s a 2025 must-watch.
The Gorge releases on Apple TV+ on February, 14. Check out the trailer below:
