“The Gorge”, which was released on Apple TV+ a few weeks ago, focuses on its two main characters first before eventually going for your average video game action, and I must confess that I enjoyed this process more than expected. While it is a bit slow in building up the story and characters at first, the movie is supported well by not only enough sense of fun but also the good chemistry between its talented lead performers, and we actually come to root for their survival.

The early part of the film patiently and succinctly establishes the two main characters of the story. After the opening scene, we meet a young ex-marine dude named Levi Kane (Miles Teller), and the movie provides a bit of background information on how he was selected as an ideal candidate for a certain clandestine operation supervised by the shady figure played by Sigourney Weaver, who certainly brings some authority to her character as she did around the end of “The Cabin in the Woods” (2011).

What Levi is supposed to do seems pretty simple on the surface. After being taken to some unknown remote area, he is going to replace his predecessor played by Sope Dirisu, who gamely handles a thankless job of explaining the mission during his brief appearance. During one year, Levi will work as the guard on a big and tall watchtower looking over a wide gorge full of fog, and he must be watchful about something inside the gorge all the time. According to his predecessor, his job is pretty much like guarding the gate of hell due to whatever exists beneath the foggy surface of the gorge, which is incidentally nicknamed “hollow man”.

Anyway, as he begins the first days of his mission, Levi becomes more aware of another watchtower on the opposite side of the gorge, which is also guarded by someone who has just arrived there just like him. That figure in question is a young woman named Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy), and, as shown from her first scene early in the film, she is also a mercenary with a particular set of skills. Just because she is quite bored, she tries a bit of communication between her and Levi, and, what do you know, something instantly clicks between them as they admire their respective first-rate snipe skill.

As days and months go by without much event, Levi and Drasa come to find more emotional comfort from each of them, and the movie throws some humorous touches on how they kill time together at times. If you remember how Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy became more prominent via their respective breakthrough turns, you will certainly be tickled by when their characters play chess – or when they try a bit on banging drums.

Meanwhile, Drasa and Levi become more aware of what kind of threat they must handle from time to time. While they are fortunately equipped with a number of good weapons for defending their respective watchtowers, those “hollow men” still frequently climb along the walls of the gorge, and they look certainly as aggressive and frightening as those zombie figures in those Resident Evil flicks.

Nevertheless, as the people who probably experienced a lot of danger in one way or another, Levi and Drasa continues their mission as usual, and their mutual affection only grows stronger as they work together for fighting against the “hollow men” from time to time. In the end, Levi decides to do something quite risky just for one real good time between him and Drasa, and, not so surprisingly, that unfortunately leads to a very, very, very perilous circumstance for both of them.

Around that point, the movie naturally becomes a little less interesting as its two lead characters come to learn a lot more about the gorge than expected. Yes, Drasa and Levi shoot a lot of hideous CGI figures popping out here and there around the screen, and what we accordingly get is pretty much like the slick demonstration clip of a latest video game to sell – especially whenever it is accompanied with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ electronic score.

However, the film manages to distinguish itself from those Resident Evil flicks and many other similar action thriller movies to some degree, because it keeps focusing on the characters in the story as usual. While it surely provides a number of competent action sequences under director Scott Derrickson’s skillful direction, the movie also brings extra depth to its two main characters as they stick together more for their survival, and that is the reason why we continue to care about them even when they are chased by a lot of grotesque CGI figures.

Right from their very first scene, Teller and Taylor-Joy are effortless in their characters’ interactions while also filling their archetype roles with each own presence. While Teller hits the right note between intensity and amiability, Taylor-Joy is often charming with her own impish quality, and we can clearly see why Teller’s character cannot easily take his eyes away from her character from the beginning.

In conclusion, “The Gorge” is a solid piece of entertainment which has enough good elements besides the game efforts from its two lead performers. Although there is nothing particularly new or fresh here for you especially if you are familiar with its numerous similar predecessors, the movie has a fair share of fun within its modest playground at least, so I will not grumble for now.