'The Gorge' review: Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy make a forbidden romance worthwhile
Science fiction concepts need leads who can give it a push.
When it comes to human connection, one can starve when deprived of it for too long. For Levi (Miles Teller) and Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy), a pair of highly trained snipers in charge of overwatch on a mysterious valley somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere, a year without any chatter or touch can feel like a lifetime. The Gorge, also known as the movie that Scott Derrickson directed instead of the Doctor Strange sequel, offers a fresh spin on a poorly timed romance. An Apple TV Plus original film that didn’t see any theater action offers a riveting combination of drama, bullets, kissing, and humor covered in a science fiction cloak that works for its two-hour runtime.
Handpicked by a private company for their lethal skillsets, Levi and Drasa are the kind of worn-out souls who can do what most can’t but don’t have the everyday people skills to make themselves miss if they were to vanish suddenly. Levi wakes up with cold sweats in a panic, and Drasa kills with the cold-blooded ease of someone who may not like what she does anymore. When they are given the odd yearlong task of guarding a gorge, both see it as another chance to hide from human interaction and possibly kill someone or something. Separated by towers that are a best-in-the-world killshot apart, they slowly yet surely start to speak to each other through flashcards and periscopes, which is against the rules on this particular job.
The rule-breaking only begins there though, as the two eventually do more than use hand signals and passing laughs to get to know each other. It’s a good way to starve off the reality that what lies beneath them isn’t human and is being watched to keep whatever is lurking from reaching higher ground. Monsters? Sure. What kind of monsters? Hit play and find out.
The secret sauce behind the success of Derrickson’s film belongs to the stars. Teller continues to be an impressive cinematic specimen in multiple genres, and he handles the quiet stoic nature of Levi well before Drasa opens him up upon their first encounter. While many push their chips to the middle of the table for Timothee Chalamet, I do the same for Teller. Who the heck would CHA-LA-MET save in this film, outside of a half bagel?
Taylor-Joy is dynamite in anything she plays, and she offers Drasa a dark nobility that never needs to be thoroughly explained outside of a look into her eyes followed by an expression. Whether it’s hunting crazies in the desert or deadly exotic chefs on an island, she finds an instant comfort in a movie that informs the viewer that this is a legit enterprise.
Could it have used a little trim in the runtime? Sure. 127 minutes doesn’t feel like 127 hours in The Gorge, but there’s a stretch in the second half that lacks the zing and pop of the first part. However, you never feel bored or care to check your watch out of fear of time being wasted? Also, there’s some nice soundtrack choices that boost the energy.
All in all, a solid action adventure that spins a new take on the forbidden romance setup. Levi taking the leap to go see a woman he just met does unleash evil to rise and cause chaos, but would you resist the urge to dive headfirst over a large canyon for love?
