Last weekend, Apple TV+ showcased its most significant film of the year during the Super Bowl. This weekend, they are honoring Valentine’s Day with the premiere of a full-length film. “The Gorge,” featuring Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller, will debut on Apple TV+ this Friday, February 14—and initial reviews have just surfaced.
The Gorge is the latest high-profile effort from Apple TV+
Apple TV+ is currently enjoying a surge in popularity due to “Severance,” while also rethinking its movie strategy.
Recently, Apple had been providing numerous films with extensive theatrical releases each year. However, that approach shifted after last year’s “Argylle” and “Fly Me to the Moon” underperformed at the box office.
The initial indication of this change was the cancellation of a theatrical release for “Wolfs,” a thriller starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt. This decision eventually turned out to be a beneficial move for Apple TV+.
Now, with the release of “The Gorge,” one review describes it as “the romantic sniper monster movie you’ve been craving.”
This film, directed by Scott Derrickson, known for “Doctor Strange” and various horror films, unites Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller for an ambitious, genre-bending adventure that appears to be entertaining according to preliminary reviews.
Initial reviews for The Gorge are mostly favorable
The earliest critiques of “The Gorge” are beginning to emerge, and they seem to be overall positive. Here are some remarks from several reviewers:
Peter Hammond at Deadline:
Teller and Taylor-Joy have great chemistry, making this love story believable against all odds, while both demonstrate they can be action stars as well. This film would have been a perfect fit for theaters, possibly even IMAX, but regrettably for AMC, this Skydance production for Apple Original Films is going straight to streaming.
Courtney Howard at Variety remarks:
Although it often uses a conventional narrative framework, the movie impresses by being innovative enough to surprise. The concept holds a fair amount of intrigue, merging sci-fi, romance, horror, and action into a slow-burning character exploration.
Keith Philips at TV Guide states:
When “The Gorge” concentrates on its charismatic couple navigating love while countering a formidable threat, which is much of the film, it fulfills the expectations of anyone interested in that storyline.
In summary, while the film may not appeal to everyone, it seems to be an intriguing venture that largely succeeds.
I look forward to watching “The Gorge,” and believe its cast, timely release, and likely wide appeal could contribute to a successful weekend for Apple TV+.
Apple TV+ is available for $9.99 per month and includes popular shows and films such as Ted Lasso, Severance, The Morning Show, Silo, and Shrinking.
