THE GORGE (APPLE TV+) (2025)

SYNOPSIS: Two highly-trained operatives (Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy) are appointed to posts in guard towers on opposite sides of a vast and highly classified gorge, protecting 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 to them, they must work together in a test of both their physical and mental strength to keep the secret in the gorge before it’s too late.

MOVIE REVIEW:

The less you know about The Gorge, the more joy you are going to derive from this sci-fi action romance.

Levi (Miles Teller), a former marine sniper accepts a mission of guarding the west side of a deep gorge situated in an isolated, unspecified location while Drasa (Anya-Taylor Joy), a Lithuanian covert operative guards the east. Levi is warned by his predecessor that the bottomless gorge might be a portal to hell and he is supposed to keep the “hollow men” contained. Monsters, creatures or zombies, it’s up to anyone’s guess.

But boredom seeps in as the months go and the two operatives start to communicate through signs and binoculars even though they are told not to do so. It’s pretty clear these two are smitten with each other despite the distance between them and The Gorge starts the first hour with the two lovebirds flirting, dancing, playing chess and enjoying each other company.

Oh yes about the “hollow men”. They did manifest midway just to ensure the audiences there is indeed an existing threat deep down in the misty gorge.

Directed by Scott Derrickson (Doctor Strange, The Black Phone) and written by Zach Dean (The Tomorrow War, Fast X), The Gorge works far better in the first half. The mystery and premise of the gorge is intriguing and the two leads are candy to the eyes with their perfect chemistry. But then, the narrative ultimately falls short in the last act as the mystery is unveiled.

Given Derrickson’s fascination with horror, there is a slight element of terror especially when Levi and Drasa ventured into the gorge which has a silent hill and stranger things vibes. There is also a whole lot of conspiracy theories that is linked and fronted by a private military contractor, Bartholomew (Sigourney Weaver) that comes and disappears like the mist. The science experiment went awry explanation while engaging is never really fully realised in the end.

Still, despite the flaws, The Gorge keeps things interesting enough. The action sequences are believable and the two main actors seem well-trained enough to carry out the fights and stunts liked a human soldier. Like a Lego set, the pieces and bricks are familiar enough but Derrickson and Dean manages to assemble them into something more compelling than the average Skydance production.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee