Anya Taylor-Joy’s The Gorge Is Still the Best Sci-Fi Thriller of the 2020s

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Anya Taylor-Joy is a hugely popular and gifted actress. She first gained recognition in films like The Witch and Split, and then received widespread praise for her performance in The Queen’s Gambit. Now, a lesser-known film of hers, The Gorge, is quickly becoming considered one of the best thrillers of the 2020s.

Released on Apple TV on February 14, 2025, The Gorge is a science fiction action thriller starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller. While critics had mixed reactions, the movie proved popular with audiences, and there are several reasons for its success.

The Gorge Delivers a Unique Blend of Genres

As a huge movie fan, I’d say The Gorge is really hard to pin down – it’s got elements of sci-fi, action, thriller, romance, and even horror all mixed in. It’s a really unique blend of genres, and I think a lot of that comes down to the director, Scott Derrickson. He’s the guy behind some seriously creepy films like The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister, and The Black Phone, so he definitely knows how to build tension and keep you on the edge of your seat.

The director’s background in horror really shines through in The Gorge, creating a creepy and suspenseful atmosphere with a few startling moments and some truly unsettling monsters. While it stands out from typical horror films, The Gorge also mixes in elements of action, thriller, and romance, resulting in a story that’s both unique and stays with you.

In the film The Gorge, Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller star as Drasa and Levi. They are assigned to guard opposite ends of a strange, remote gorge, completely cut off from the outside world and each other. Over the months, Drasa and Levi eventually connect and begin to form a relationship.

In The Gorge, the romance between Darsa and Levi unfolds against a backdrop of danger, making them feel like a classic pair of forbidden lovers. As their relationship develops, they discover the mission they’re on is far more complicated – and the gorge holds dangerous secrets that both their governments are trying to hide.

The movie really gets scary when Darsa and Levi enter the gorge. Director Scott Derrickson skillfully builds tension in these scenes, making the audience feel genuinely on edge. The action is well-done, the threats feel believable, and the plot twists likely caught many viewers off guard.

The perilous setting of the gorge wouldn’t be as gripping without the strong connection between the two main characters. The actors playing Darsa and Levi have fantastic chemistry, making the audience invested in their relationship throughout the story. As they uncover the truth and face increasing danger, their romance is what truly drives the plot forward.

Apple TV+ deliberately released The Gorge on February 14th, Valentine’s Day. While the film is a sci-fi thriller with horror and action elements, it’s fundamentally a love story, and Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller delivered strong performances in portraying that central theme.

Darsa and Levi’s Love Story Is the Catalyst Behind the Gorge’s Climax

The novel The Gorge slowly reveals the stories of Levi and Darsa, explaining their backgrounds and why they’re stationed as guards on opposite sides of a massive 600-meter gorge. Both are skilled snipers who lead similar lives, and now find themselves completely isolated for a year – unable to communicate with anyone. Predictably, they eventually find a way to connect.

Stories about forbidden love are incredibly popular, and for good reason. People are drawn to relationships where the couple faces obstacles – whether they’re kept apart, forbidden from speaking, or seem destined to fail. As the story unfolds, viewers are rooting for Darsa and Levi to overcome these challenges and prove everyone wrong.

During their romance, Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller each starred in major projects that mirrored elements of their characters’ connection. Some found this a bit too obvious, but many appreciated how it deepened the relationship between their characters within the narrative.

Darsa and Levi’s love for each other is what drives their exploration of the gorge and fuels the story’s central conflict. The connection between actors Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller makes the suspense, thrills, and scares even more impactful for the audience.

The Gorge Proves That Prestige Sci-Fi Films Can Be Produced for Streaming

Apple TV often gets overlooked, but it’s a fantastic streaming service with truly excellent original shows and movies. While platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu frequently produce popular hits, Apple TV has consistently created projects that critics love and audiences remember. They’ve especially excelled in the science fiction genre, with standout series like Severance and films such as The Gorge.

I was really impressed with The Gorge! It totally proves that movies released directly on streaming can be genuinely good. With someone like Sigourney Weaver involved, and a director who already has a dedicated following, this film felt like it had all the ingredients to be a big success in theaters, too. It’s great to see Apple TV+ delivering such high-quality entertainment.

Releasing the movie straight to streaming was a risk, but it looks like it worked out well. While it didn’t become a huge international hit, The Gorge quietly gained a following and became a surprisingly popular choice. Its continued success on Apple TV shows that viewers keep finding and revisiting it, and for good reason.

For over a year, The Gorge has consistently been one of the most popular movies on Apple TV, and it’s still attracting viewers. While critics gave the Anya Taylor-Joy film mixed reviews – it currently has a 62% rating on Rotten Tomatoes – audiences clearly enjoy it, as evidenced by its continued streaming success.

Science fiction is popular again, and films are driving a new wave of blockbusters. However, The Gorge stands out as a particularly impactful streaming thriller, quickly becoming a fan favorite and demonstrating that a movie doesn’t need to play in theaters to become a big success.

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2026-05-30 01:09