Sommerleigh Pollonais, Senior Writer
Disclaimer: Mild Spoilers Ahead
With a vibe somewhat reminiscent of 2016’s Passengers, throw in a mystery, some cool visuals and a breezy pace that makes you forget about the two-hour runtime, and you have the genre mashup that is The Gorge.
Two highly trained snipers from different parts of the world, both have been hired to guard opposite sides of a massive gorge located somewhere on Earth. The rules are simple enough — patrol the perimeter, ensure the ammo and safeguards are always well stocked and have no contact with the other side (one tower is located on the east, the other on the west of the gorge). The job which is supposed to last a year seems tailor-made for Levi (Miles Teller of Spiderhead, Whiplash) who suffers from nightmares as the weight of his massive kill-count starts the bear down on him. Similarly, Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy of Furiosa, Last Night in Soho) is wondering if her job as a covert assassin for her country is worth doing, with her last kill especially weighing on her conscience as the target had children.
Of course, we wouldn’t have a movie if these two very attractive people don’t find a way to break the rules and get together. And while romance might be in the air, something else is hiding in the dense fog of the gorge. Creatures referred to as Hollow Men are trying to make their way out and when things go badly, and Levi falls in, Drasa goes after him leading to them discovering the true horrors that lie within.
Sometimes a movie doesn’t need to be deep or complex, sometimes all you need is a straight path forward and that’s exactly what The Gorge delivers. Director and producer Scott Derickson is no stranger to horror and seems to enjoy simple tales that pit good versus evil with previous films such as The Black Phone and Deliver us from Evil. He isn’t interested in digging into the complexities of the human experience, the man just wants to make an engaging movie, and that’s what we get here as well.
I loved the visuals. From the foreboding and massive appearance of the gorge to the world beneath filled with Lovecraftian terrors, I’m usually not a fan of heavy VFX in horror but coupled with some smart camerawork and editing, these creatures had a lot of character and were genuinely disturbing to look at, so I can forgive the lack of practical effects to a degree.
As for our leads, Teller plays Levi as a quiet almost gentle soul, which made the fact that he’s one of the world’s top five snipers seem all the more impressive. And Anya plays Drasa as woman who bears the weight of what she does by holding on tightly to the things that bring her joy (she’s also a badass in her own right). Their chemistry feels natural and grounded in a way that leaves you hoping these crazy kids will make it to the end together.
If there’s a negative here it would be with the wasting of a top tier actress like Sigourney Weaver (playing the antagonist no less). It reminded me a bit of her role in The Cabin in the Woods but even with her limited screen time she’s always a win in my book. The origins of the Hollow Men were also very easy to figure out if you’re paying attention, but again, it wasn’t a deal breaker for me.
The Gorge doesn’t reinvent the wheel but it does add some nice shiny rims to it. It’s a simple, straightforward story of good versus evil and sometimes that’s just what the doctor ordered.
Sommer’s Score: 7 out of 10
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Sommerleigh of the House Pollonais. First of Her Name. Sushi Lover, Queen of Horror Movies, Comic Books and Binge-Watching Netflix. Mother of two beautiful black cats named Vader and Kylo. I think eating Popcorn at the movies should be mandatory, PS4 makes the best games ever, and I’ll be talking about movies until the zombie apocalypse comes. Double Tap Baby! Read More