Film Review – The Gorge

February 18th, 2025 | POSTED BY Allen Almachar

The Gorge (2025) is a B-level flick that works almost entirely by the charisma of its stars. On paper, it’s preposterous and silly. Director Scott Derrickson (with screenwriter Zach Dean) combines a sci-fi/action plot with a surprisingly sweet romance – because who doesn’t like falling in love amid a global catastrophe? This clash of tones is risky. If we step back and examine the final product as a whole it doesn’t really work. But two young actors delivering committed performances does a lot of the heavy lifting. They create a believable connection between their characters, so that when things fall more and more into absurdity, we can stay anchored to them.

Those two actors are Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy. The two play highly skilled snipers – Levi (Teller) from the U.S. and Drasa (Taylor-Joy) from Lithuania – assigned for a peculiar mission. They are ordered to travel to an unnamed country and man two lookout posts on opposite ends of an enormous gorge (hence the title). Levi is to occupy the western post while Drasa inhabits the eastern side. They have no communication to the outside world except for a monthly check in over radio. The soldier Levi replaces (Sope Dirisu) explains that the job isn’t to prevent outsiders from entering the mysterious gorge, but to stop whatever is inside of it from coming out. We’re told that the chasm is the entry way into hell, and Levi and Drasa are meant to guard the gateway so that no demons (or “Hollow Men” as they are described) can escape. Spooky.

Levi and Drasa are ordered not to communicate with each other. Of course, if they followed that rule, we wouldn’t have much of a movie. The strongest section involves their wordless flirtation from across a far distance. With the use of binoculars, scopes, and handwritten letters, Levi and Drasa build their dynamic slowly and organically. I appreciate how much the writing and direction focused on this interaction. We really get to see Teller and Taylor-Joy work their charm through the characters, using all forms of communication outside of their own voices. The cinematography (Dan Laustsen) incorporates constant POV shots, recalling the classic approach used in Rear Window (1954). Granted, some of Levi and Drasa’s back and forth didn’t quite work. Their display of sniper accuracy as a form of foreplay was goofy, and the running bit involving him writing a poem about her never came off as effectively as it was meant to. Yet, this long distance courtship was convincing because of how the performances elevated the material.

I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that eventually, Levi and Drasa will enter the gorge. It’s at this point where the movie will either win over audiences or will lose them. For those that were enjoying their romance, they will be disappointed with how abruptly the tone shifts. For those that wanted more sci-fi action, then your patience will be rewarded. Derrickson, Dean, and the rest of the crew put all the lovey-dovey stuff to the side for rollicking, action-packed thrills. This is where the production design and special effects get to flex their muscles, as we get sequence after sequence of gooey and sticky nastiness. I’ll try to be as vague as possible to not give away the surprises. There are instances that left my skin crawling, such as when Levi gets “stuck” to the ground with death slowly approaching him. The use of color, makeup, and creature effects reminded me of Starship Troopers (1997), Annihilation (2018), and the giant bug attack from King Kong (2005). These elements were unnerving but fun at the same time. 

The secrets behind the watch towers, the gorge, and the things that live in it are middling at best. When everything is revealed, it lands with an unremarkable thud. But that doesn’t mean the film is devoid of its exciting moments. There are several examples of high intensity and prolonged suspense. A nighttime attack on the towers is blistering in how Levi and Drasa click together immediately, using their skills and instincts to help each other out even though they are so far apart. The light from exploding mines and gunfire creates an impressive fireworks display. That quality pops up once again later when the two dangle from a rope, suspended at a high altitude while being attacked from all sides. The camerawork and editing allow us to see Teller and Taylor-Joy in full view, diving into the action with drive and showing off their physicality. There’s an old school vibe going on with the action. Yes, CGI assists in much of the set pieces, but what makes them engaging is seeing the actors knee deep in the thick of it. 

The Gorge is at its best when it withholds information from us. A prologue provides backgrounds to Levi and Drasa. We learn that Levi suffers from PTSD for all the kills he has committed in his line of business. Sigourney Weaver’s private contractor sends Levi to the gorge in the first place because he has no connections, family, or loved ones in the outside world – he has become a loner because he is so good at his job. For Drasa, we are introduced to her ill father – sitting at the gravesite of her mother, no less – slowly coming to the realization that he will soon be joining her. All this expositional info about Levi and Drasa’s is unneeded. It keeps the narrative stuck on neutral. It’s not until they both reach their assigned destinations where things finally start to pick up. Understanding less about them keeps the anticipation high. Unfortunately, the writing does not take advantage of that opportunity. The fact that we are given so much about them right away takes away the intrigue.

It’s a shame that a movie starring two actors fresh off critically acclaimed action pictures (Top Gun: Maverick for Teller, Furiosa for Taylor-Joy), featuring a score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and directed by the guy who gave us The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) and Sinister (2012) got released into the abyss that is online streaming. With the caliber of talent assembled, this should have gotten a chance at a theatrical run. Is it a great film? No. Is it entertaining? Yes, it is. The Gorge is far from perfect, but that might be the very reason it works.

Annihilation, Anya Taylor-Joy, Atticus Ross, Dan Laustsen, Furiosa, King Kong, Miles Teller, Rear Window, Scott Derrickson, Sigourney Weaver, Sope Dirisu, Starship Troopers, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Gorge, Top Gun: Maverick, Trent Reznor, Zach Dean