The Gorge

The Gorge

This Apple TV+ movie was streamed yesterday.

A semi-retired Marine sniper (Miles Teller) is recruited by a still impressive Sigourney Weaver for an unusual job that will last for a year - no details given. At the same time, a Lithuanian sniper (Anya Taylor-Joy) is recruited by someone for a similar job.

They are sedated and then helicoptered in to a point a day's hike from their duty posts - one on either side of a deep, mist filled gorge, each in their own ageing concrete tower to guard the gorge.

The rules are quite simple - no contact with your opposite number on the other side; a radio check in every 30 days; kill anything trying to get out of the gorge; expect to be relieved in 12 months.

To no-one's surprise, they don't obey the rules - shenanigans ensue...

It's utter b0ll0cks, but good fun - the writers/producers have sat down with a large quantity of edibles and asked themselves the question, "Given what we are trying to do, what precautions would we have to take?"

There are plot holes you could taxi an Airbus through, but ignore that and eat your popcorn, and you'll likely enjoy it.

The premise of this movie was strong, unique and extremely intriguing. Ultimately, I didn't hate how it unfolded, but I found myself wanting more by the end. There were so many unanswered questions, so many things that could have been explored but weren't because of the time constraints that come with a movie.

Truly, this would have made for a much better TV show, or even a mini series, where things could be fleshed out properly and not rushed as much.

I also found myself wishing it were maybe a video game instead, especially during the moments where cinematically, it DID feel like I was watching a video game cutscene.

In the end, this was a decent film that wasn't able to live up to its potential because there wasn't enough time to explore the world, build the world, or flesh out the characters and conflicts in the world.

A video game or TV show would have been much, much better.

First of all, the concept itself was fresh, and the romance between the two main characters was decent. Above all, the movie didn't feel boring even after about two hours, and the acting wasn't bad either. Initially, I thought the movie would be a fantasy monster film or one with aliens, as the trailer mentioned a monster. However, this film is actually a sci-fi action romance based entirely on scientific conspiracy theories.

That said, there were some parts in the middle where the plausibility was lacking, and the plot wasn't as meticulously crafted as it could have been, which made me lower my rating. Overall, though, it's still a movie worth watching.

This kind of action-romance film usually brings to mind the old-fashioned notion of chivalry, where a man is expected to sacrifice himself unilaterally for a woman. However, in an era where both men and women enlist in the military regardless of gender, such clichés feel outdated and old-school. What makes this film truly moving is that both the man and the woman sincerely and coolly sacrifice for each other, overcoming hardships together.

Last but not least, the idea of characters in a movie sharing love and hinting at the future through poetry and quotes really resonated with me, and it made me want to indulge in poetry again. In this age of AI content creation, it felt like a classic yet refreshing approach.

Finally an action movie where i actually care about the characters and am rooting for them against a hateable villian. This is down to a good story that pits good individuals against secret governments and private corporate military project. Think X-Files type storyline with a little 'Stranger Things' vibe thrown in, add a heavy dose of action when elite soldiers rebel against their deceitful and murderous masters. Also a good script which does well setting up and building the story. Good action scenes which are exciting and tense. The two leads have a great chemistry and their relationship adds to the high tensions as the story unfolds. Sigourney Weaver is great in her cameo as are the other 2 suppporting actors. The film is tightly edited with no wasted scenes and even though it is over 2 hours it is really a thrilling ride from start to finish. For me it is very hard to find a movie as entertaining as this in the last decade.

The Acting Anya Taylor-Joy is a great actress. She adds believability to her role by the way she delivers her lines. It is like she is a sniper not just playing one. Same thing will Teller. It's amazing what real actors can do with a story that has been told many times. These two put a new twist on an old story and they make work. Sigourney Weaver was a real surprise who did a good job in a supporting role.

The Story The movie had excellent pace. The action scenes were very well done.

The writing was excellent. Having good lines to deliver by the actors keeps your interest.

Anya and Teller have very good on screen chemistry. You never feel like they are just saying their lines. It would be great to see these two in a sequel but the story doesn't lend itself to a part 2.