Why aren’t more people talking about ‘The Gorge?’

By Ben Konuch

“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth.”

It was early January when I first saw a trailer for the upcoming Apple TV original film “The Gorge,” and I was immediately intrigued. Helmed by Scott Derickson (director of “Doctor Strange” and “The Black Phone”) and starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller (with guest star Sigourney Weaver), this romantic action thriller looked like the perfect homage to the rom-com action films of the early 2000s, like “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” or “Knight and Day.” With actors in the prime of their publicity and a well-respected director leading the film, I couldn’t wait to hear what people thought of it when it was released on February 14.

There was just one problem: February 14 came and went, and I barely heard anything about it.

Besides the first trailer, I had seen no promotions for “The Gorge.” Its release day came and went with almost no attention, and while a few people in my spheres had seen the first trailer and seemed intrigued like I was, the film premiered with little attention or buzz. Now, nearly a month later, “The Gorge” seems to be fading from any semblance of attention it had, and that really bothers me because “The Gorge” deserved so much better.

The film follows Miles Teller as Levi and Anya Taylor-Joy as Drasa, a marine sniper and an assassin from opposite sides of global politics. Both are offered a position under mysterious circumstances by their  superiors to be placed on observation duty on opposite ends of an ominous gorge shrouded in secrecy. Dropped on their respective sides of the gorge with no knowledge of where they are or what they face, the two break the rules on making contact with one another through signs and secret communication. As an unlikely relationship begins to form across the gorge, the dark secret of what the gorge hides threatens to emerge and plunge Levi and Drasa into a desperate fight for survival and a search for a terrifying truth.

“The Gorge” was honestly one of the most refreshing films I’ve seen in a long time. It’s not the best film of the year nor was it something revolutionary. Still, the film was captivating because of the chemistry between Taylor-Joy and Teller and its phenomenal production design. Pitched as a romance thriller, every piece of promotional material carefully hid the true nature of the film – one that was shockingly intense and deeply disturbing – in a way that gave viewers a wild ride they never saw coming. While the audiences who have seen the film seem to love it, that number is unfairly low considering its quality and the fame of the names attached to it.

Derickson is in his element here as a director, carefully crafting the slow-burn, character-focused romance and then pivoting the film into a darker, more intense territory. His work on horror films is on full display here. Although a few very odd CGI choices in the beginning half of the film threaten its credibility, the second half settles into a beautiful mixture of CGI and phenomenal practical effects work to craft a dark, twisted and genuinely unsettling world. 

“The Gorge” veers away from romance and embraces full-on cosmic horror in its latter half in a way that I never saw coming, and the switch is so natural and effortless when it could have easily made for a disjointed film. The signs and foreshadowing are present early in the film, but the full extent of the gorge’s true darkness is hidden until it’s thrown at you with full force. Practical effects, disturbing creature design and an even darker existential threat make “The Gorge’s” second half one of the most fascinating, unsettling stories I’ve seen in a long time – and it manages to do it all with just a PG-13 rating.

Although rough pacing and a disjointed final act keep “The Gorge” from being a masterpiece, it remains a genuine joy to watch. The character work and romance between Levi and Drasa was unexpectedly sweet, and when the film takes a darker turn, that attachment to these characters and their early love adds to the tension wonderfully. Teller and Taylor-Joy make the film what it is, and even through its imperfect pacing and slightly disconnected ending, they hold it all together.

So why does “The Gorge” feel like one of Apple TV’s best-kept secrets? Where was the promotional work the film deserved? Why did Apple Original films such as “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Argyle” deserve theatrical releases and heavy marketing when “The Gorge” was left to fend for itself? I don’t know the answers, but I am seeing a dangerous trend of film companies burying what could be successful releases and beloved new classics onto streaming services without so much as a whisper. Just look at Pixar’s latest project, “Win or Lose,” released with almost no announcement or promotion compared to the height of Pixar’s success, and you’ll see that “The Gorge” isn’t the only victim.

But then again, this is nothing new; ask any Disney fan about the release of “Soul” or “Luca,” and you’ll hear frustration about the films being placed straight to streaming without confidence in a theatrical run. Other films had felt the burn before, such as “The Suicide Squad,” struggling with a theatrical release and an HBO Max release at the same time. Ever since COVID caused theaters to shut down, companies have had to develop new strategies for marketing and releasing films.Still, it has also caused an unfortunate reality when films are shuttled straight to streaming without being given the proper chance.

Streaming films can be wildly successful; it’s not as if a release on a streaming service is a death sentence for a movie. But when companies keep releasing titles under the radar without providing the promotional material needed for success, the quality of a film doesn’t matter if no one knows it’s out there. “The Gorge” deserved a whole lot better than this.

I give “The Gorge” a 7/10, and Apple TV a 2/10 for how it failed this film.

“The Gorge is now streaming on Apple TV+

Ben Konuch is a senior Strategic Communication student who serves as a writer for Cedars A&E and as their social media lead. He enjoys getting sucked into good stories, playing video games and swing dancing in the rain.

Images courtesy of Apple TV+