The Gorge – A Decent Genre Mashup (Early Review)

The latest from Scott Derrickson, The Gorge, blends multiple genres in a swing that is a different beast from what audiences have grown accustomed to seeing from the writer/director. The story is centered around Levi (Teller) and Drasa (Taylor-Joy), two of the world’s most elite snipers who found themselves each assigned to guard either side of a deep and impenetrable gorge for an entire year. Not knowing each other going in and being forbidden to communicate with the other side, as Levi and Drasa slowly begin communicating, a romance starts to grow in the midst of the unknown horrors that faced them below. While certainly not one of Derrickson’s best films, for those who may find its premise interesting, they will likely find some enjoyment with this one.

In news that should come as a surprise to no one, Teller and Taylor-Joy both deliver as Levi and Drasa, and though the film may not be the greatest, their performances do help to elevate it. Despite spending a large portion of the film apart, they work quite well together, while their chemistry is solid even if their romance subplot is inconsistently paced. Doing a great job setting the tone with a first act that will pull audiences in right away, though it may lean a little too heavily on exposition, it is very original and will undoubtedly have them feeling excited and a little creeped out at the prospects of what is to come.

As always, films like The Gorge are hard to talk about without giving anything away as much of the film’s marketing has deliberately left a lot of it out, primarily the second half. Presenting as more action heavy than what some may expect, this is sure to be a make or break point. While some may be turned off or grow tired of its relentless intensity, the action more than deliver thanks to Derrickson’s good eye behind the camera over those moments. On the other hand, the film’s creatures boast some cool designs. That being said, it is an absolute shame that they are almost all entirely CGI creations, and any practical effects were simply drowned out by its heavy use of special effects which render them barely noticeable or mostly obscured. To that point, many will undoubtedly be left wondering if most of this film was simply filmed in front of green screens and the actors are merely interacting with special effects instead of standing in real environments. An issue that becomes more apparent come the second half, it is one that will be a point of contention for some.

Meanwhile, the film’s many issues also extend to script issues. Considering how it straddles the line between the sci-fi, horror, and action genres, and the conventions that come with each, its plot is admittedly out there, but it does get progressively sillier and more far fetched the longer it goes along, culminating in a final act that will stretch credibility. Finally, more of a minor gripe than anything, the decision to go for a PG-13 rating is a baffling one, even if it is clearly a play to attract a wider audience to Apple TV Plus. Now had it aimed for an R-rating, it would have had a better chance to reach its full potential, instead of a film that feels rather tame in comparison.

In the end, while The Gorge isn’t quite the knockout it could have been, it still offers up more than a solid watch worth seeking out solely for strength of its lead performances, director, and premise alone. A film that will inevitably be a divisive one among audiences, especially those who come into the film expecting another straight horror film from Derrickson. Either way, it is well worth giving a chance at some point. At first this seemed like something that belonged in theaters, but they made the right call.

still courtesy of Apple TV Plus

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Connor Carey

www.connorsmoviereviews.com/