Director Scott Derickson is hit or miss. When he’s working with Ethan Hawke on horror films like “Sinister” or “The Black Phone,” the less is more approach usually results in something memorable. His higher profile, big-budget work: “Doctor Strange” or “The Exorcism of Emily Rose,” are mediocre. His low points are “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and “Deliver Us From Evil”. Apple’s latest big-budget thriller, “The Gorge,” starts off with a unique premise. Two of the best sharpshooters in the world, isolated in two separate towers, guarding a gruesome secret below. Derickson’s less is more approach applied in the first hour as leads Teller (“Whiplash”) and Joy (“Furiosa”) only communicate with written signs, binoculars, and gunshots. The film nosedives when the audience gets a good look at what’s below in the gorge.
The East and the West secretly worked together for decades, guarding “the door to hell.” Levi (Teller), the new replacement for the west tower, has been declared unfit for duty by the US Military. With no friends, family, or attachment, he is an ideal candidate for this year-long, confined post. Similarly, Drasa (Joy) is posted to the east tower for many of the same reasons. They know little about what lies below, and there is no way of communicating with the outside world aside from monthly radio checks. Two of the world’s top guns get curious about each other and decide that breaking the rules for some human connection is well worth the risk. Two wounded souls find love at first shot just as the terror of the gorge is unleashed and secret experiments exposed.
"The Gorge is one of the better 'Resident Evil' sequels, that's not actually a 'Resident Evil' sequel."
“The Gorge” is one of the better “Resident Evil” sequels, that’s not actually a “Resident Evil” sequel. It’s a dysfunctional genre blend of video game zombies, “Bourne Identity,” a splash of “Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” deep fried in “Sleepless in Seattle.” More of the film’s budget is spent on production and set design than special effects. You could take a bathroom break and, upon return, convincingly think you’ve sat down in the wrong film. It’s wildly different from one scene to another. Teller (an executive producer) gets his Glen Powell moments, pulling off the handsome soldier part better than expected. Meanwhile, Joy, a proven action star, is relegated to second fiddle with a bad wig.
This action, horror, romance, thriller works best when the two characters are isolated and using creative communication skills. It’s thrilling when Levi finds a way to cross the gorge and meet Drasa in person. Yet this film is self-destructive, erasing the intrigue and mystery of unimaginative creatures. Exchanging character development for video game ideology and other experiments gone wrong send “The Gorge” plummetting to a level that’s dismissive. The narrative goes from disappointing to almost laughable as the script tries to explain what’s really happening. Unfortunately, “The Gorge” joins Derrickson’s growing pile of forgettable films.
Final Thought
Alluring when it's Sleepless in Seattle meets Bourne Identity, discardable when it morphs into The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers meets Resident Evil.