Like the majority of the original features released on Apple TV+, Scott Derrickson’s sci-fi thriller The Gorge boasts a solid cast, with some of the top-billed stars of the industry playing lead roles. Too bad the movie fails to do justice to their talents, despite the narrative providing every opportunity to do so. The Gorge follows two elite snipers who are sent to stand guard over either side of a gorge to keep the horrors that lurk within the murky depths of the valley below from escaping. After the duo ends up falling into the gorge, they need to make an escape while taking on the undead monstrosities of the hellish landscape, and in the process, they discover the sinister secrets that created these abominations in the first place.
It should be mentioned that despite the premise making it seem otherwise, the narrative progression of the first half of the movie convinces viewers that The Gorge is more of a character-oriented drama, which seeks to examine the psychological mapping of the lead duo while isolating them from the rest of the world. And unsurprisingly, this bit also proves to be the best part of the movie—where the actors actually get to flaunt their skills. However, the latter half goes a bit off the rails, and the character arcs hit a standstill from that point onwards.
Levi Played By Miles Teller
Actor Miles Teller gained prominence after playing the role of jazz drummer Andrew Neiman in Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash, and since then has received acclaim for his performances in the Divergent movie series, Top Gun: Maverick, War Dogs, Bleed For This, etc. In The Gorge, Teller plays the role of ex-marine/ace sniper Levi Kane, whose time spent taking lives has taken a toll on his mental health. Levi suffers from severe PTSD, bouts of insomnia, and an overall inability to connect with ‘normal’ people, leading to him living a lonely life. Retiring from the army, Levi tried to cling on to his old life by working under private military contractors for several years until his psych evaluation deemed him unfit to continue. Being a disillusioned loner with a lack of purpose, Levi lived for his missions—the only way he could carry on with his life.
This made him the perfect candidate for Darklake to exploit, given he was expendable and, in a sense, the perfect soldier. However, Miles’ life takes a turn since he begins his watch at the Gorge, where he befriends Drasa and eventually falls in love with her. Drasa is someone who can understand his predicament and relate to him on a deeper level, given their worldview is shaped by their common profession. It is probably his relationship with Drasa that causes Levi to adopt an altruistic perspective as he plans to sabotage Darklake’s vile machinations with the Gorge at the end. The mission at the Gorge was going to be the worst thing to someone like Levi, but instead it allowed Levi a second chance in life and someone to care for.
Drasa Played By Anya Taylor-Joy
Anya Taylor-Joy has proved herself to be one of the most talented actors of this generation in a fairly short span of time. After finding recognition with a fantastic debut in Robert Eggers’ The Witch, she went on to take on diverse, challenging, and acclaimed roles in movies like Split, Emma, The Menu, Last Night in Soho, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, etc. In the movie, she portrays the role of a young Russian-Lithuanian sniper, Drasa. Just like Levi, Drasa too is burdened with the inevitable moral and ethical repercussions that come with taking lives, but she still hasn’t become as jaded or pessimistic as him. The reason is that Drasa shared a strong bond with her father, Erikas, a former KGB operative who could relate to his daughter’s plight and helped her to get through the emotional pressure. Despite having seen her fair share of horrors, Drasa is lively, expressive, and has an appreciation for life—which eventually infects Levi as well after he gets to know her better. Drasa becomes emotionally dependent on Levi following the death of her father and finds a kindred spirit in him.
While Miles’ curiosity urges him to seek the truth about the Gorge, Drasa is content with not knowing—as she prioritizes the people close to her and the connection she shares with them over going down the rabbit hole of something unearthly. This is highlighted once again during the climactic moments of the movie, where Levi remains determined to destroy the gorge and foil Darklake’s plans, but Drasa’s initial response was to flee from the place and start a life with Levi.
Bartholomew Played By Sigourney Weaver
Actor Sigourney Weaver needs no introduction to sci-fi fans; the legendary Ellen Ripley from the Alien movie franchise, played by her, has already been inducted into the pop culture hall of fame. She has been a key part of the Ghostbusters and Avatar franchises as well. In the movie, she plays the role of Bartholomew, chief of the seedy private military contractor company, Darklake—almost as if Ellen is a representation of the shady Weyland-Yutani Corp in the Alien movies. Bartholomew is showcased as a pretty generic evil corporate CEO figure who abuses their power and justifies it with the sugar-coating of the ‘greater good.’ I wish her character would have been fleshed out a bit more in the movie, making for a better villainous character in the process.
Miscellaneous Characters
Aside from the lead trio, the supporting cast of The Gorge was decent with the roles they had. Actor William Houston played the role of Drasa’s ailing father, Erikas, whose connection with his daughter shows her vulnerable side, allows viewers to know more about Drasa’s character, and humanizes her. English actor Sope Dirisu played the role of JD, the naïve royal army commando who acted more as an exposition tool in the narrative, and his death hinted at the diabolical side of Darklake for the first time.
