The Gorge (***) Has plenty to see

The Gorge
Director Scott Derrickson
Screenplay Zach Dean
Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Miles Teller, Sigourney Weaver

The Gorge is a mixture of romance, PG-13 horror and science brought into humble existence by the graceful performances of Taylor-Joy and Teller as Drasa and Levi. The first two acts of the film are actually rather interesting. Two unattached sharpshooters, one for the U.S. and one fpr Russia are brought into a remote and secret location on opposite sides of a large, mysterious gorge. Their mission, to keep whatever is down inside the foggy ravine from getting out.

While they are not supposed to communicate with one another, of course they do and the relationship, built on eraserboards over the period of months of course begins to bloom. Then Levi concocts an idea of traversing the expanse and they finally meet face to face.

There are complications, of course, and in the midst of these challenges both end up in the depths, fighting for their lives.

What is down there will be left for the viewer to discover. The problem with the film is in this part of the film, where writer and director make damn sure that no viewer is left to question what they are seeing and why they are seeing it. The resulting lack of mystery forces the heretofore nuanced characters to become vehicles of exposition that simultaneously takes the wonder and intensity out of the visuals. Not to mention it helps one to realize how little the filmmakers respect the intelligence of the common viewer.

Once one gets past those slight indignities, The Gorge is kind of a nice film.

(*** out of *****)