Scott Derrickson’s The Gorge is a film that proudly revels in its absurdity, a hybrid of genres stitched together with the confidence of a director unafraid to push the limits of plausibility. Equal parts military thriller, sci-fi horror, and starry-eyed romance, it’s the kind of film that begs you to leave logic at the door and simply enjoy the ride. And for a while, it works. With Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy delivering charismatic performances, and some impressively weird creature design lurking in the depths, The Gorge almost succeeds in being the gloriously over-the-top spectacle it aspires to be. Almost.

The premise is delightfully ridiculous. Levi (Teller) and Drasa (Taylor-Joy) are elite snipers stationed on opposite sides of a vast, mist-filled gorge, tasked with preventing whatever lurks below from escaping. Their only human contact is each other – though their respective military handlers forbid communication. Naturally, this rule is ignored almost immediately.