CONTAINS SPOILERS!

This movie deserves its own review and a special place on my review page as I think it will rank among my favourite movies of the year. Where should I even begin? I have so much to say about this movie that I don’t know where to start. I guess you can tell by now that I am not a professional movie reviewer (SPOILER).

I won’t start as I usually do with a plot summary as this review will contain SPOILERS. This is your last chance to stop reading if you wish to avoid ruining the movie! Be sure to watch it if you haven’t already! First, let me start by emphasising how outstanding the cast is. Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller are both remarkable actors, but this movie takes it to another level. Their chemistry, combined with the thrilling fight scenes and the emotional moments, guarantees that viewers will be captivated regardless of their preferred genre as it beautifully blends action, thriller, and romance. The setting in itself of the guard towers adds to the story mystery but also to how alone the characters are in both the world and in this mission.

The characters Levi (Miles Teller) and Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy) have made me emotional from the first 10 minutes and question how the storyline will unfold, as Levi has a very lonely life and looks like he is slowly giving up on the world. Whereas Drasa, I feel like her world (her dad) is giving up on the world due to his sickness and suffering, which makes Drasa become like Levi, with nothing to have or, more specifically, no one. I feel like it’s done on purpose to show how even when it’s the darkest days, there could still be light in the distance in this case, over the gorge.

I have to say this, and I hope I am not the only one, but during their over the gorge talking via whiteboard and paper, I had Taylor Swift’s ‘You Belong With Me’ scene that made me hope that by the end of the movie, maybe there would have been a few seconds of this song in it, but to my disappointment, there wasn’t. Their exchange and messages made me forget that this is also a thriller/action movie, which is why when the let’s call them ‘monsters’ appeared, I seriously jumped. I mean, Levi and Drasa just started talking, showing off their skills (I feel like we should also talk about the bottle scene, but I will leave that for now), and then boom, a monster appears that had me jumping. The director, Scott Derrickson, bought in some of his expertise in the horror genre through the suspense moments whilst keeping it human and real between the characters. It’s just the way it makes you think you are watching a love story, which you are in a sense, but it’s distracting you from the reality and danger that the main characters are in.

The moment Levi has crossed not only the “do not talk to the other person” line but also crossed the gorge because Drasa was upset and he chose to have dinner with her and bought her flowers! I knew this was the happiness before the plot twists. However, it made the romantic in me so happy to see the extend that Levi will go to for Drasa. I mean, the forbidden love and suspense of what could happen to them if someone found out about it?The dinner, dance, and emotional talk really set the bar high. I mean, they are in danger, but he still chose her? I would also like to add that the dancing made me think of ‘Footloose’, and I have to say I hope Miles will always have a small dance scene in ALL of his movies. The main action I think we should talk about is how when he fell from the zip line, Drasa didn’t even hesitate or think about what could be down in the gorge but jumped right in to save Levi. How beautifully is to love someone so much that you are willing to put yourself in danger for their safety?

The movie itself was engaging, and every time I was like, “Aww, they’re falling in love,” a jump scare occurred that made me gasp, and more secrets followed. I have to say I kind of assumed that the gorge would be destroyed by the end, but I was so sad to find that Levi didn’t make it and Drasa had his poem with her. Did I not mention that Levi also writes poems and has made one for Drasa? Ups, well he ticks all the boxes for a romantic. Luckily, when I thought that was it we won’t have a happy ending Levi appeared, and I am so glad he did because they both deserved a better life after what they have been through.

I think ‘The Gorge’ is a movie that is meant to transport you into the story and make you feel all of the emotions the characters are feeling, only to take you by surprise with the action scenes and the ‘monsters’. It’s a movie that I fear will probably be in my top watched this year as it set the bar high, and knowing what movies are set to be released this year, I hope they will be as good as ‘The Gorge’. So whether you’re in it for the romance, the thrills, or the action, this movie promises to deliver on all fronts.