“The Gorge” Film Review

“The Gorge” 

“If it’s too good to be true, it probably is” the old adage goes. This is the case for Drasa and Levi: two military operatives who are

great snipers. Both have killed many people and experience PTSD because of it. When they are assigned to protect the gorge, the

mission seems simple enough. However, a deadly secret lies beneath the chasm, one that they can’t keep hidden forever.

Positive Elements: Both Drasa and Levi carry guilt on their shoulders for the murders they have committed. When we first meet

them, each one is struggling to live life. It’s when they communicate with each other that the loneliness is easier to bear.

Drasa tries to stop her dad from making a mistake. Later, she weeps at his death. Both of them make small talk, but express their

love for each other. Drasa makes the first move communicating with Levi. 

Both snipers risk their lives for each other repeatedly. Though the mission is compromised, Drasa and Levi distract the military and

expose the gorge’s location.

Spiritual Content: A guy named JD tells Levi “The Gorge is the gateway to hell, and we’re standing at the gate.” Levi quotes Buddha,

and reads other quotes on the wall. (Spoiler Warning): Drasa and Levi discover that a botched experiment on humankind took place. “God

forgive us” is written on the reel cover. A female scientist says “God have mercy on us all.” Drasa and Levi fight monsters in a broken down

church.

Sensual Content: Drasa wears some tops that reveal cleavage and skin. She pranks Levi by hanging his clothes away from her

shower (we briefly see his bare backside as well as his upper torso as he showers). Drasa jokes about Levi “getting into her pants.” They

share a romantic dance and kiss multiple times (one of those times leads to implied sexual activity).

Violence: The Gorge is no peaceful place. Drasa and Levi use their sniper skills to slay dozens of creatures. (Spoiler Warning): Those

creatures are the result of the (as mentioned) botched experiment, and are eerily similar to the monsters in Pan’s Labyrinth. Several

spiders have human skulls as their bodies. Levi gets trapped in a monster’s mouth which jarringly represents a human rib cage. The

creatures are killed by bombs and bullets. Several scenes show Drasa and Levi wrestling with them, and in one case, Drasa’s body is

dragged behind a horse. 

Levi rigs the satellites, blowing them up. A helicopter crashes in a fiery explosion. There are a couple of jump scares. Levi knocks

over a glass bottle and accidentally steps in the shards. One gag-worthy scene reveals yellow cells with human faces all connected in a

huge, structured blob. Both Drasa and Levi have wounds that they stitch up or cover with gauze. It’s implied Drasa’s father commits

suicide.

Language: One f-word, and close to seven s-words. God’s name is misused a few times, along with a single use of “d—n,” and “b—

ch.” Almost 10 uses of “h—.”

Drugs/Alcohol: Drasa and Levi drink different types of alcohol several times in the film. Both discover the drugs used on humankind

in an abandoned lab. Drasa balances a bottle of champagne on her head.

Other Negative Elements: The military is depicted as corrupt here with some people willing to kill others in order to keep secrets

hidden. Levi lies to a military official about making contact with Drasa.

Conclusion: I’ll give director Scott Derrickson this: the guy knows how to mix genres quite well. The same guy who directed The

Black Phone and Doctor Strange helms The Gorge and it’s impressive.

Both Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy don’t overstay their welcome. The genre doesn’t switch too fast, giving the plot time to catch

up. Both actors have great onscreen chemistry that isn’t forced or dry. There are lessons on self-sacrifice, bravery, and bringing truth to

light.

But hold onto your hats, because content concerns are present here. A bit of salty language is heard. The violence isn’t gruesome,

but the creatures are frightening, and might scare sensitive viewers. Although Drasa and Levi’s romance is somewhat implied, it’s still a bit

much. These concerns need to be weighed carefully before streaming this film.

However, I laud the film for not pushing the PG-13 rating as far as content goes. Drasa and Levi learn to care for each other and their

self-sacrificial bravery is commendable. Their actions remind me of John 15:13 (NIV): “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s

life for one’s friends.”

The Gorge also teaches us how long hidden secrets (even for the right intentions) are easier to keep than telling the truth. Once

Drasa and Levi discover the secret, they know it’s unacceptable to lie anymore. This theme brings to mind Proverbs 12:17 (NCV): “An

honest witness tells the truth, but a dishonest witness tells lies.”

The Gorge combines several different genres together for a fun ride. Despite content issues, it deserves a place on your streaming

watchlist. If you are looking for a new watch on Apple TV, this film might be it.