William Houston | Through the Shattered Lens

“The theory I think summarizes the situation most succinctly is, the gorge is the door to Hell and we’re standing guard at the gate.” — Jasper “J.D.” Drake

The Gorge delivers a gripping streaming thriller anchored by a fresh premise and strong performances, even if it doesn’t always sustain its early promise. Directed by Scott Derrickson, this Apple TV+ film stars Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy as elite snipers posted on opposite rims of a massive, shadowy chasm, charged with guarding against mysterious dangers rising from its depths. Mixing sci-fi intrigue, budding romance, and horror-tinged action, it hooks you early but shows some cracks later on.

The setup grabs attention right away. Levi Kane (Teller), a haunted ex-Marine sniper, signs on for a year-long solo stint in a high-tech tower overlooking the gorge’s west side—no outside contact allowed, and strict radio silence with whoever’s stationed opposite. Anya Taylor-Joy’s Drasa, a tough Lithuanian operative with Kremlin roots, faces her own isolation on the east rim, wrestling with personal demons tied to her family’s struggles. Trapped in these fortified outposts, they scan the foggy abyss through scopes and monitors, the vast divide amplifying their solitude. Sweeping drone shots make the gorge feel alive and oppressive, a character in itself that looms over every scene.

The film’s strongest stretch comes in the first half, where tension simmers through daily grind broken by fleeting human sparks. Levi copes with PTSD nightmares by scribbling poetry in quiet moments, while Drasa bends rules on her birthday—flashing signs across the void to goad Levi into a long-distance shooting duel. What starts as competitive jabs turns into warm, flirtatious banter, like forbidden notes swapped in a deadly game. Teller brings coiled intensity with an everyman edge, making Levi instantly sympathetic, while Taylor-Joy layers Drasa with fierce independence and subtle vulnerability. Their chemistry bridges the chasm convincingly, nurturing a romance that cuts through the routine. When threats finally breach the surface—nightmarish entities clawing upward—the defense sequences snap to life: precise sniper fire synced with automated turrets and mine blasts, all taut and thrilling.

Derrickson keeps the pace deliberate yet engaging, drawing on isolation vibes from classics but spiking them with sharp combat and emotional beats. Sound design builds dread masterfully—distant rumbles and unnatural cries echoing from below—while the score pivots from pulsing synth menace in fights to softer strains during tender interludes, like Levi’s daring zipline crossover for a candlelit meal from scavenged supplies. A shared poem moment lands with quiet impact, balancing the gunfire without veering into cheese. It’s this blend of intimacy and adrenaline that gives the movie its heart.

The story shifts midway when Levi’s routine relief mission derails spectacularly, pulling both snipers into the gorge’s underbelly for a chaotic fight for survival. What follows cranks up the stakes with bigger set pieces—vehicle chases, mercenary clashes, and desperate ingenuity against escalating horrors—but the momentum dips as exposition rushes in and spectacle overtakes nuance. Some creature designs impress with gritty practical work, though CGI falters in brighter spots, and the human drama gets sidelined by the frenzy. The leads hold it together, capping things with a synchronized shot that unveils hidden tech and forces tough choices. The wrap-up aims for bittersweet punch but ties threads a bit too neatly, dodging bolder risks.

Teller and Taylor-Joy shine as the core duo. Teller charts Levi’s arc from withdrawn loner to committed partner with grounded charisma that tempers the sci-fi weirdness. Taylor-Joy owns every frame as Drasa, her sharp gaze conveying both killer instinct and inner turmoil. Sigourney Weaver’s cameo as a steely handler adds weighty presence, though her role follows a familiar path. The tight cast serves the contained story well, with no fat to trim—brief warnings from predecessors hint at deeper peril without overexplaining.

Visually and technically, The Gorge punches above streaming norms. Derrickson’s flair for genre hybrids—honed on atmospheric horrors—lends moody lighting: hazy green fog in the depths versus sterile tower blues. Action choreography feels authentic, rooted in real stunts for those sniper exchanges, and the gorge’s scale stuns in wide shots. The soundscape lingers, from guttural threat growls to metallic turret whirs. A few nitpicks persist—runtime drags in probe-heavy stretches, and some effects look dated up close—but the craftsmanship stands out.

At its best, the movie teases thoughtful isolation amid global secrecy, but it leans harder into creature chaos and corporate shadows than profound mystery. Romance fans will warm to the leads’ spark, action lovers get solid payoffs, while horror buffs might crave more bite given the PG-13 leash. It promises slow-burn depth yet settles for crowd-pleasing beats, leaving a few gorge secrets hanging just out of reach.

Overall, The Gorge works as a lively genre cocktail, driven by star power and a killer hook. It nods to tight-quarters thrillers with extra heart and hardware, making for engaging viewing despite uneven gears. The leads and atmosphere carry it far enough to recommend for fans of smart popcorn flicks on a chill night.

Last night, I finally got a chance to see Dracula Untold, the new film that claims to show us not only who the world’s most famous vampire used to be but also how he became a vampire in the first place. And I have to admit that I had strong hopes for Dracula Untold. I certainly did not think that it would be a great film but I was hoping that it would at least be fun.

And can you blame me?

After all, it is October and what better time of the year is there to see a film about the early days of a horror icon? Add to that, the film’s commercials all hinted that, at the very least, Dracula Untold would be full of over-the-top action, melodramatic performances, and ornate costumes. Sure, there was no hint to be found that Dracula Untold would actually turn out to be a good movie but how can you go wrong with the promise of a little baroque spectacle?

As well, who doesn’t love vampires? Who hasn’t, at some point, been intrigued by the mix of romance and morbid dread that epitomizes the vampire legend? And, of course, long before there was ever an Edward Cullen or a Lestat, there was Dracula.

So, yes, I had high expectation for Dracula Untold but I don’t think they were unrealistic. Ultimately, I was just hoping to see a fun and entertaining vampire film.

And, in all fairness, there were a few moments when Dracula Untold managed to be just that. Unfortunately, those moments were few and far between. For the most part, this latest Dracula film turned out to be rather bland and predictable, a well-produced film that failed to leave much of an impression. It was neither good enough to be memorable nor bad enough to be enjoyable. Instead, it just kind of was.

Dracula Untold opens in the Middle Ages, with the man that we know as Vlad the Impaler (Luke Evans) ruling Transylvania. Despite his fearsome reputation, we quickly see that Vlad is actually a very wise and benevolent king who truly loves his wife (Sarah Gadon) and his young son (Art Parkinson). However, when the new sultan of Turkey (played by Dominic Cooper) demands that Transylvania send him 100 young men to serve as slaves (much as Vlad himself was forced to do when he was younger), Vlad goes to war against the Ottomon Empire.

With his forces outnumbered, Vlad does what any self-respecting ruler would do. He goes to a cave and he talks to the Master Vampire (Charles Dance, under a ton of makeup). The Master Vampire agrees to give Vlad all the powers of a vampire but there’s a condition. In order to become human again, Vlad must go for three whole days without drinking any blood. If Vlad does drink blood, he will be cursed to be a vampire for the rest of his life.

Vlad takes the deal, fully intending not to drink any blood. As a result, Vlad can do all sorts of neat CGI tricks, like turning into a bat and fighting his enemies in slow motion. However, he can’t go out in the sun without his skin starting to burn and silver causes his eyesight to go all blurry. And, of course, he starts to crave blood almost immediately. As Vlad tries to defeat the Turks before losing his special powers, he also discovers that his own soldiers now fear him and his dark powers…

I don’t want to be too hard on Dracula Untold because, while my overall reaction was one of disappointment, there are still bits and pieces of the film that works. Charles Dance, for instance, gives a great performance as the Master Vampire. Dominic Cooper camps it up as the film’s nominal villain and, as a result, he’s a lot of fun to watch. Luke Evans is pretty to look at. The final showdown between Evans and Cooper is well-directed.

But, ultimately, the things that worked in Dracula Untold were the exception to the rule. For the most part, Dracula Untold is uninspiring and forgettable. Clocking in at 92 minutes, Dracula Untold is almost too short and quick for its own good. You never really find yourself becoming immersed in the film’s world and the majority of the film’s supporting characters were so thinly drawn that I struggled to keep straight who was who. (I swear, at first, it seemed as if one of Dracula’s friends was actually killed three separate times. It was only afterward, as I looked over the film’s credits, that I discovered that “friend” was actually three different characters who were so indistinguishable from each other that I had just naturally assumed that they were all meant to be the same guy.) There are occasionally hints of an intriguing political and sexual subtext, particularly in the scenes between Evans and Cooper, but the film is always in such a hurry to get to the next battle scene that those hints are often pushed to the side within minutes of having been brought up. It becomes obvious early on that Dracula Untold was mostly made to serve as the cornerstone of a new franchise and, as such, the film ultimately feels like a 90-minute prologue to a story that you’re not really sure will be worth all the build-up.

It’s not so much that Dracula Untold was a terrible film as much as it was just a painfully generic and predictable one. And a character as iconic as Dracula deserves better.