My quick rating – 7.3/10. Scott Derrickson’s The Gorge is one of those rare films that dares to blend radically different genres, action, horror, sci-fi, and romance. Somehow, it still comes out the other end with its identity intact. At its core, it’s a two-hander set against a remote and mysterious ravine, anchored by strong performances from Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy as Levi and Drasa, two elite operatives stationed on opposing sides of a forbidding gorge for reasons that were never quite clear.
From the moment Levi and Drasa are drugged and helicoptered in, there’s an ominous energy to their assignment. That’s the first clue something is way off, and things only escalate from there. The initial firefight ratchets up the tension, but the true horror arrives when the film takes us into the gorge. What emerges from below is not just a threat, but a mind-bending, nightmarish force. It’s best to go in knowing as little as possible. This is one of those stories where discovering the nature of the threat on your own adds a whole layer of dread and wonder.
Shot in some visually striking locations across Norway and the UK, the film uses its landscape to full effect. The fog-laden cliffside sequences are both beautiful and unnerving, and once we descend into the titular gorge, the atmosphere shifts dramatically. Derrickson’s talent for horror imagery is on full display, making the subterranean scenes oppressive and surreal, a stark contrast to the lush, open-air visuals above. Given the challenging terrain, action sequences are tight, well-paced, and creatively staged.
The script by Zach Dean is impressively balanced. It does the work of slowly developing a connection between two isolated characters communicating across a chasm, forming a natural bond. That emotional groundwork pays off once they finally come together and face what’s beneath. It’s a testament to the writing that the romance feels earned even as the narrative dives deep into Lovecraftian terror and adrenaline-pumping combat.
Miles Teller plays Levi with a mix of weariness and buried idealism, while Anya Taylor-Joy’s Drasa is guarded, gradually revealing depth and mystery. Their chemistry plays out not in the usual meet-cute way, but through terse handwritten conversations, mutual trust, and shared trauma. The romantic element could’ve felt forced, but it’s surprisingly affecting, fitting for a film that dropped on Valentine’s Day.
Sigourney Weaver appears in a brief but potent role, commanding every second of her screen time. The limited cast overall works to the film’s benefit, keeping the focus tight and the stakes personal. The music, courtesy of Trent Reznor, elevates the atmosphere with his signature industrial melancholy. There’s a subtle power to the score, guiding us emotionally without ever overwhelming the moment.
In the end, The Gorge is a compact, genre-defying film that pulls off more than it has any right to. Had it focused solely on its horror or its romance, it might’ve felt uneven. Since it commits to both, it finds its own strange rhythm. It’s gripping, heartfelt, and at times haunting—a genuinely pleasant surprise.
As you can see, it is Apple TV+ right now for this one. There may be other streamers later on.