"Think Sleepless In Seattle, But The Leads Are Snipers In A Resident Evil Game": The Gorge First Reactions Are In

The Gorge first reactions are in, revealing initial impressions of the movie, which is being compared to Sleepless in Seattle and Resident Evil. Directed by Scott Derrickson, the movie follows two highly-trained snipers, Levi (Miles Teller) and Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy), who are tasked with guarding the opposite sides of a massive, mysterious gorge. However, as the pair grow closer despite the distance between them, they soon learn the location is home to dangers unlike anything they've ever seen. Soon enough, they are tasked with ensuring what lies below them doesn't cause an event that could destroy the world.

Now, the Internet is abuzz with initial reactions from The Gorge, many of which praise the Apple TV+ original movie for its unique premise, mixing a love story with sci-fi action horror. This includes favorable comparisons to Sleepless in Seattle and Resident Evil from some, with positive statements about the acting, presentation, and story as a whole. Check out some of these first reactions below:

Chris Killian of ComicBookpraises The Gorge for being a "wild genre mash-up," stating that while some effects don't look realistic, the lead actors' chemistry more than makes up for it.

Jake Peffer of Jake's Cinema Room enjoyed the sci-fi action and horror elements, praising director Scott Derrickson, even if not everything in the movie was perfect.

Coy Jandreau of The Reel Rejects compares the movie to a video game, calling it "an A+ romance" with a strong mix of genres.

Bill Bria of SlashFilm praised the "earnestly romantic" movie, even calling it his favorite movie by Derrickson.

Jonathan Sim called the movie "a sci-fi surprise," stating the romance and action happen in two halves across the praise-worthy film.

Ricardo from The Hollywood Handle, however, was not a fan of the movie, panning its visuals and story, but praising the lead actors.

Lauren Veneziani of WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore called it "one of the best romance films of the year," praising its stunts and the lead performances.

What The Gorge's First Reactions Say About The Movie

It's Not Perfect, But It's A Good Valentine's Day Watch

Sporting mostly positive reviews, it seems The Gorge has already proven itself a strong, genre-bending watch with enough romance to justify its Valentine's Day release. The star of Furiosaand her Top Gun: Maverick co-star have a chemistry that transcends even the most negative of critiques for the movie, emphasizing how well it blends with the sci-fi action. Given the praise for their performances, it sounds like the stars will be the biggest draw for the movie despite its mysterious worldbuilding.

Despite some negative viewpoints on its effects and some parts of the story, the general praise is good news for Derrickson's career as he branches away from horror for the first time since Doctor Strange in 2016. While he's currently working on The Black Phone 2, the sequel to his 2021 horror movie, The Gorge is a reflection that he hasn't lost his touch with big-budget action movies. Because of the romance that ties the whole story together, it seems like he's found another genre he excels at crafting stories for.

Our Take On The Gorge's First Reactions

A Positive Sign For The Apple TV+ Original

Levi smiles at Drasa as she touches his face in The Gorge

Given the intriguing premise and promotional material for the movie, it's no surprise The Gorge has managed to capture many hearts with its initial impressions. Even if the film has some imperfections, there care put into the core relationship and the stars bringing it to life seemingly outweigh some of the less-than-perfect elements. It's also a good sign for its performance on Apple TV+, as the perfect genre blend for a Valentine's Day viewing.

The Gorge arrives on Apple TV+ on Friday, February 14.

Source: Various (see above)