The Black Phone and Sinister director Scott Derrickson gets into the Valentine’s Day spirit with his latest, The Gorge, a romantic action thriller that also leans heavily into horror and sci-fi. Derrickson helms this genre mashup with lean efficiency, letting stars Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy do the heavy lifting as a pair of highly trained operatives turned lovers tasked with guarding the world against a strange threat. The leads’ inherent charm and screen presence and an inventive foray into thrilling action-horror territory sand some of The Gorge‘s rougher edges, making for a fun and romantic ride.
The Gorge introduces Levi (Teller) and Drasa (Taylor-Joy) as skilled snipers so efficient and isolated at their jobs that they’re enlisted in a top-secret mission that sees them whisked away to an undisclosed location deep in the middle of the wilderness, where they’re to guard opposite sides of a mysterious, expansive gorge. Thanks to Drasa’s bold personality, the pair wind up bonding from across the distance to pass the time while staying vigilant against the strange threat below. When that threat reveals itself, Levi and Drasa realize it’s not just their new love or their lives at risk but the fate of humanity.
Save for a slick introduction to the icy cool skillset of its leads, The Gorge bides its time to get to the intense action thrills part of this genre-bending romance in favor of establishing the core emotional backbone: the love story. That’s not an easy task with The Tomorrow War writer Zach Dean‘s script; the meet-cute between this budding couple happens 600 meters apart over the course of months. Levi and Drasa’s form of flirting comes via written notes glimpsed through high-tech binoculars and friendly sniping competitions whenever the mysterious enemy below makes an attempt to breach the surface.
That distance and passage of time also make it tricky to establish chemistry between two vastly different characters in personality and backgrounds. But Taylor-Joy’s vivacious energy makes quick work of thawing any trepidation in this regard; Drasa’s infectious, authority-bucking personality easily wins over both the audience and a more guarded Levi. Levi’s calming, inner romantic winds up a perfect counterbalance to his fiery love interest. This particular love story is at its strongest when the couple gets to cut loose and apply their unique, lethal skill sets to impress and protect each other.
While The Gorge goes far on the strength of Taylor-Joy and Teller’s talents, Derrickson eventually uncovers the gorge’s secrets to unleash pure genre spectacle and action entertainment. It’s here where Derrickson’s latest truly springs to life, going full throttle on the pacing while letting his leads showcase their action mettle as they encounter a variety of lethal obstacles. That’s largely due to the inventive, late-game worldbuilding that firmly shifts The Gorge into a different movie altogether, one much more vibrant and otherworldly. Though some of the VFX can be rough in places, the details in the creature design are eye-catching. It also means that The Gorge finishes strong with an explosive, action-heavy third act.
The Gorge, existing somewhere at the loosest crossroads of Overlord and Annihilation, calls familiar fare to mind in its setup and plot reveals, unhelped by a small supporting turn by Sigourney Weaver in an unsubtle villainous role. The script works overtime to incorporate the most romantic holiday of the year, providing Drasa with an emotional beat that doesn’t quite payoff. Yet the sheer charisma of Taylor-Joy and Teller, combined with Derrickson’s flair for visuals and zippy action fun, ensures The Gorge delivers on its promise of a highly entertaining romance that refuses to color within the genre lines.
The film also harbors a healthy level of skepticism toward authority, and that rebellious spirit further solidifies Scott Derrickson’s latest as a worthwhile Valentine’s Day watch.
The Gorge premieres globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, February 14.
The post ‘The Gorge’ Review – Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller Charm in Romantic Genre-Mashup appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
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