As the director of some of the most notable modern horror films, Scott Derickson has been a powerhouse for the last twenty-five years, proving capable on one of my favorite Hellraiser sequels, Hellraiser V: Inferno, reimaging the exorcism film with The Exorcism of Emily Rose, scoring the scientifically proven scariest movie of all time with Sinister, and reuniting with the Sinister team to bring us 2021’s The Black Phone. Derrickson knows how to scare the shit out of us. Was there ever a doubt I’d be watching The Gorge this weekend?

If you’ve been happily enjoying Severance’s second season, woefully unaware of Apple TV+’s latest movie endeavor, you may have noticed two recognizable faces claiming the top movie spot this weekend. Furiosa’s Anya Taylor-Joy and Top Gun: Maverick’s Miles Teller grace The Gorge’s poster as Drasa and Levi, two paramilitary super-snipers sent on a year-long assignment to guard a fog-enshrouded trench in a remote part of the Northern Hemisphere. Briefly lectured on the severity of what lies inside The Gorge, it’s also said that the East post is not allowed to communicate with the West post at any time. While Levi has issues grasping the nature of his post, the warning is clear: do not allow anything to get out.

After several months of adhering to their assignment, the two eventually form a friendship, communicating back and forth via markers and binoculars, and later, Levi develops a means to traverse the gap and visit Drasa. However, that win does not last long, and Levi winds up at the bottom of the ravine, where everything is monstrous, and the atmosphere is potentially deadly. Without thinking, Drasa jumps in after him, leaving the two to rely on each other to escape.

Teller and Joy are crazy good actors, and the romance that blossoms between them is something even the audience is rooting for. But Sigourney Weaver’s Bartholomew character feels totally underutilized. I understand her role is limited, and I’m not saying she should have had a more prominent part. But I think there is a missed opportunity to put The Gorge in The Cabin the Woods universe by somehow making Weaver the same character protecting humanity from monsters here. There’s no explicit dialogue in either piece saying they’re not the same person, albeit this could be an alternate universe sort of thing. I just think it’s funny that the woman who fought monsters throughout her storied career is now the keeper of them in two separate films. Here’s hoping we get The Director Multi-Universe Monster trilogy, with Weaver being the connective tissue. Anyway, I’m glad that’s out of my head.

While The Gorge sets up a very quirky romance, and on Valentine’s Day no less, the film is very much a guy’s version of a date night film. Written by Zach Dean, who brought us The Tomorrow War and Fast X, The Gorge falls into similar territory of video game-inspired action and horror. The Gorge sures up big weaponry and even cooler baddies. Beginning from the moment Teller enters the pit, you’re filled with adrenaline. There are mutated insect creatures, flora, and fauna, all looking to dethrone humans from the top of the food chain. Each creature we see is superbly realized, and it feels like we’re progressing through a mix of Resident Evil and Silent Hill areas as they discover the secrets of The Gorge while looking for a way out.

Unfortunately, we don’t stay here long, and when the characters leave, the adrenaline never vamps back up to the sights we’ve seen. Huge shoutout to the effects artists and designers who envisioned these monsters and brought them to life, especially the interconnected creatures on the catwalk. I held my breath and tensed up before finally jumping out of my seat. You got me good, and my cardiologist will be in touch.

Ultimately, The Gorge is fun but a bit too cut up. The first act has its moments of action, but there’s a lot of monotonous Love Actually styled back and forth going on, and it takes way too long to get these two to communicate in the first place. That being said, once the dialogue between them revs up, things get fun. I will admit a slight bit of dumb anxiety for no one watching one of the posts while Drasa and Levi were getting to know each other in person, sort of like seeing something that should be guarded but isn’t for some reason. Get it together, Parker. You’re watching a movie! I don’t know. I probably have some unresolved security concerns stemming from 9/11 or something. Regardless, Derrickson proves his scariest movie of all-time chops once again. Horror fans, this is all about the second act for us, and the creature work done within will blow your mind.

The third act cleans things up and puts a bow on the film, but there’s a lot to enjoy within that part of the film. And I’m hoping someone plans to return to The Gorge in the future. This is one of those films that I feel could somehow spark a franchise that goes on forever, even in spite of the way it ends. And, while I’m a fan of quality over quantity, it could also be a series where, on the fifth installment or something, we get another Scott Derrickson.