Ever find yourself endlessly scrolling through your streaming platforms, unsure of what genre you’re in the mood for? Well, AppleTV+ has you covered, because The Gorge is several of them. Action, sci-fi, horror and romance - this is the cinematic equivalent of a sampler platter.
Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy play elite snipers tasked with keeping an eye on a mysterious gorge, stationed at watchtowers on opposite sides. They must not communicate with each other, but with a little inspiration from the cue card scene in Love Actually, they form a budding romance without speaking a word. Surprisingly, this unlikely relationship is one of the strongest elements, giving the movie a bit of personality and uniqueness. It feels out of place against the actual plot, but it’s cute, and both actors share solid chemistry. However, once we learn more about the Gorge’s mysteries and why they’ve been sent there, the movie devolves into generic nonsense, losing its charm in the process.
The overuse of green screen and lacklustre visual effects are a noticeable distraction. While The movie doesn’t look inherently ugly, it all looks very digital. The gorge itself - a major focal point - is rendered in such an artificial way that it loses any real sense of scale or danger. The flat lighting and rendered backdrops shatter any sort of atmosphere the film is aiming for. It’s all so very fake looking. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ score, on the other hand, perfectly captures the tone the visuals fail to match.
The romantic angle, which is the most out-of-place element of The Gorge, is actually what elevates it beyond its forgettable sci-fi trappings. Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy have the spark needed to ignite something interesting. It’s a shame the rest of the movie is like a damp rag.
2.5/5
Review by: Benjamin Garrett