‘The Gorge’ First Reactions Reveal Surprising Romantic Thriller From ‘The Black Phone’ Director

To say director Scott Derrickson likes to take his time between movies would be an understatement. His 2016 MCU hit Doctor Strange wasn’t followed up until five years later by the 2021 horror smash The Black Phone. Now, four years after that, his latest thriller The Gorge is set to debut on Apple TV+ on Feb. 14, and first reactions to the film have revealed if it’s worth the wait.

Folks who got an early preview of The Gorge are taking to X to share their thoughts about Derrickson’s latest, which stars Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy as two snipers hired to guard either side of a deep and impenetrable gorge, without knowing what actually lies beneath them. Thus far, reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, which comes as no surprise, as Derrickson is the same person behind other hits like Sinister, and The Exorcism of Emily Rose; two movies that clearly prove the director has a deft hand when it comes to delivering suspense.

“The Gorge hits just about every genre,” said Jake Peffer from Jake’s Cinema Room, adding: “It’s action-packed, has an interesting sci-fi storyline with some elements of horror, and even works in a romantic aspect as well. While not everything works, Derrickson’s direction and the performances by the leads make this a solid watch.” Chris Killian of ComicBook.com had much the same reaction in his assessment of The Gorge, but also added a unique comparison between a rom-com favorite, and a zombie classic:

“The Gorge is a wild genre mash-up—part rom-com, part horror-action thriller. Think Sleepless in Seattle, but the leads are snipers in a Resident Evil game. Some of the CGI is rough, but the originality of the premise plus the chemistry between Miles & Anya make it a fun ride.”

‘The Gorge’ Is Surprisingly Romantic

It just wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without a little romance, and to prove the point of Killian, others have also chimed in on the romantic elements that are present in The Gorge, which came as somewhat of a surprise. “Of all the Valentines releases this month, The Gorge is the most earnestly romantic,” said Bill Bria of Slash Film. “Maybe my all-time fav Scott Derrickson film now!” That’s saying a lot considering Derrickson has produced some real gems over the years, but it appears as if The Gorge is just another in a string of hits for the director, who will be back at it again later this year with The Black Phone 2.

Lauren Veneziani of DC Film Girl also chimed in on the new thriller, saying, “The Gorge is one of the best romance films of the year. Anya Taylor-Joy & Miles Teller are so in sync it was mesmerizing to watch. The dancing scene omgggg and their stunt choreography is incredible. I was completely hooked from beginning to end.” Dancing scene? Okay, now we’re even more eager to check this one out.

Of course, reviews are always subjective, so you can judge for yourself if The Gorge is a worthy entry in the filmography of Derrickson when it hits Apple TV+ on Feb. 14. If you want a refresher course on just how good The Black Phone is before the sequel drops on Oct. 17, be sure to check that one out on Peacock.

The Gorge

Release Date

February 28, 2025

Runtime

127 Minutes

Writers

Zach Dean

Producers

Gregory Goodman, C. Robert Cargill, Dana Goldberg, David Ellison, Don Granger, Miles Teller, Sherryl Clark, Adam Kolbrenner