A thrilling blend of action, sci-fi, and horror, The Gorge is the kind of movie that Friday nights were made for. Director Scott Derrickson (Doctor Strange) delivers a taut and engaging experience, elevating a simple premise into a captivating monster movie with surprising emotional depth.
The movie follows two elite snipers who return to active duty for a secret mission to guard a mysterious gorge, not from invading forces but to prevent that which dwells within from escaping. Poised atop two giant towers on either side of the gorge, Liam (Miles Teller) and Darsa (Anya Taylor-Joy) are completely alone as the (almost) last line of defence and separated by the vast fog-filled void of the eponymous gorge.
With such a sparse cast, The Gorge relies heavily on its two leads, and thankfully, Teller and Taylor-Joy electrify the screen with their undeniable chemistry. Taylor-Joy, channeling Furiosa-esque intensity, solidifies her status as a credible and compelling action star. She embodies Darsa’s strength and resilience, making her a real force to be reckoned with. Teller, meanwhile, returns to leading man roles, and delivers a nuanced performance as Liam. Skillfully portraying the tortured soul of a seasoned sniper, haunted by his past, without resorting to cliché or overblown symbolism. The film delicately explores the emotional scars of war, adding a layer of complexity to Teller’s character that resonates with haunting emotion.
A brief cameo from Sigourney Weaver, channeling her signature ‘badass super boss lady’ persona, adds a touch of star power and further lifts the film. And while the plot is relatively straightforward, the execution is anything but. The Gorge is a masterclass in tension building, expertly utilising the eerie atmosphere and the looming threat lurking within the gorge to create a sense of unease. The monsters themselves are truly monstrous, their designs unsettling and their presence genuinely terrifying. Thankfully, the film doesn’t shy away from showcasing the horror, but it also understands the power of suggestion, leaving plenty of unspoken terrors to the imagination, amplifying the fear factor.
Derrickson’s direction here is the key to the film’s success. He masterfully balances the narrative’s urgency, delivering frenetic action sequences that keep the adrenaline pumping but also knows when to pull back, allowing quieter moments to breathe. Surprisingly, at the heart of the monster mayhem lies a touching love story between Liam and Darsa. Derrickson navigates this romantic subplot, avoiding the pitfalls of contrived sentimentality. Instead, the relationship evolves organically, providing a solid emotional foundation for the explosive action.
This is also down to the playful and meaningful script. Writer Zach Dean’s last sci-fi movie was The Tomorrow War and The Gorge arrives as a far more cohesive and immersive narrative that draws parallels to the feeling of atmospheric video game horror movie tie-ins like Resident Evil and Silent Hill.
In a landscape of lackluster action sci-fi, The Gorge stands head and shoulders above as a well-crafted and thoroughly entertaining film that delivers on all fronts. The strong performances and intelligent direction complement each other perfectly with a simple, linear narrative that sprinkles on the right dusting of exposition to keep you enthralled when the action pauses.
The Gorge is out now on AppleTV+
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