The Gorge: Big Dumb Fun
Ever wondered what happened to the spirits of Richard Donner, Michael Winner and John McTiernan? They hung around watching Netflix until Scott Derrickson summoned them to help make this.
Levi Kane (Miles Teller) is a troubled super-sniper sent to guard a mysterious gorge. Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy) is a troubled super-sniper sent to guard the other side of said gorge. Despite the distance, the two fall in love and then into the gorge itself.
The Gorge doesn’t contain a hint of irony. It’s self-serious to the point of hilarity, in the tradition of ‘80s action blockbusters, and it’s brilliantly refreshing.
This isn’t a good film though, far from it. It’s a combination of trite action clichés and digital ‘cheepnis’ 1. The pristine, sanitised cinematography and clunking expository dialogues are a firm reminder that this is streaming fodder. Something to chuck into the post-award season schedule. Meat for the grinder.
But that’s what made it so much fun. I don’t want my action heroes sarcastic and knowing; I want them to be moody soldiers-cum-poets like Levi Kane. Or manic pixie dream girls with fuck-off sniper rifles like Drasa.
Even when you examine The Gorge closer the fun doesn’t fade.
Structurally it’s over-long, the first act takes a circuitous route to set up the leads’ individual miseries and motivations. The rest of the half is devoted to Teller and Taylor-Joy’s flirtations from across the Creepy Chasm 2 which is pleasantly watchable thanks to their natural chemistry.
There’s an absurd moment when they not only play chess together across the Creepy Chasm, they have a pots-and-pans drum-off to the tune of Twisted Sister. Chess and drumming. The Queen’s Gambit and Whiplash.
Usually I’d hate this shit referencing but it was done with such sincerity, I can’t help but be in awe.
The second half starts after Levi makes his way over to the other side of Creepy Chasm for a night of rabbit pie, war stories and horribly out-of-place kitchen-dancing cinematography with Drasa. As he begins his journey back, the “Hollow Men” (read: zombies) climb up the CC and the zip-line breaks. Lover boy tumbles toward certain death and Drasa dives in after him.
From here The Gorge shows its best side, but in doing so further muddles the tone. We’ve had conspiracy thriller, quirky romance and action-adventure all in the space of forty minutes. But it’s OK! All this adds to the throwback ‘80s action vibe.
There are interesting action scenes with a distinct The Last Of Us and Annihilation flavour. Combined with the silly explanation of what is going on down in the Creepy Chasm 3 it makes for ideal ‘switch-off-and-enjoy’ viewing. The scene where they ascend back to the surface using a jeep winch was inventive and thrilling.
I miss films like this. Sincerity goes a long way when you’re making a throwaway streaming title like this. Sure, nobody will remember in a matter of weeks and even fewer will be talking about it, but at least director Scott Derrickson can say honestly that he made it with love. That love shines through the entire picture.
If you have Apple TV and you’re looking for something to watch in-between episodes of Severance, this is two hours of your time that you won’t mind spending.
It’s not smart but it is fun.
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