For those of you who haven’t yet checked out Apple’s new horror-sci-fi-romance movie The Gorge, starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller and now streaming on Apple TV+, let me offer a piece of advice: Don’t pay attention to the critics, who have generally taken a negative view of this action-packed thrill ride from Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson.
Many of those same critics also loved Netflix’s Emilia Pérez — which is to say, you’re increasingly better off ignoring the blathering reviewer class altogether these days. Netflix’s controversial musical about a trans cartel gangster somehow has a 72% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing, compared to The Gorge‘s 64%? Give me a break.
To be sure, I don’t mean to suggest The Gorge is a great film or even one that makes a whole lot of sense. Neither of those qualifications necessarily have to be met, though, for a movie to entertain you, which is what Apple’s latest will definitely do as long as you’re not a critic determined to overanalyze every plot hole instead of just enjoying the ride. It’s a chaotic, high-energy spectacle that throws logic out the window in favor of sheer entertainment — like if Mad Max and a rom-com had a love child after one too many energy drinks.
Taylor-Joy and Teller star in The Gorge as two elite operatives engaged in a high-stakes mission. Their assignment is to guard opposite sides of a massive, fog-gilled gorge — until an unseen force lurking below forces them to work together. Add in Sigourney Weaver, and you’ve got a cast that practically guarantees tension, high drama, and powerhouse performances. You also can’t help but smile while watching Taylor-Joy playing chess, which will make you remember how good she was in Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit.
Overall, the movie is a kitchen sink of a genre mashup, one that also throws in a bit of shady government conspiracy. The two leads are essentially guarding what seems to be the mouth of hell, and they reside for a year in two towers on either side of the gorge before they’re led to believe they’ll be rotated out. There’s a wild mix of heart-stopping action and sexual tension, all set against a backdrop of stunning cinematography.
So why the mixed reviews? Some critics have taken issue with the film’s over-the-top, WTF moments, but that’s exactly what makes The Gorge so much fun. There’s some things that didn’t make any sense to me, but it wasn’t enough to ruin the overall experience. I found The Gorge to be mostly bold and unrelenting, and audiences looking for an adrenaline rush will find plenty to enjoy — from heart-stopping action to stunning set pieces.
More often than not, the best way to judge a movie is to watch it yourself. The Gorge might not be for everyone, but if you love stylish, fast-paced action with a touch of romance and sci-fi, it’s absolutely worth checking out.
