A deceptively smart sci-fi thriller that only got marketed after its release takes first watch on streaming

Those of you who have taken the leap on Apple TV Plus know that the subscription only comes with a handful of in-house original programming, while everything else must be purchased. This may seem like a strange tactic at first, but there’s an unsung wisdom to it — with comparatively few selections in play, you’re not at risk of browsing for three hours straight. Plus, it’s much easier to notice new releases.

The latest of these releases is The Gorge — a film that had little to no marketing prior to its debut on Feb. 14, but one that has nevertheless maintained a firm grip on the Apple TV Plus charts for these last two weeks. In the meantime, a slew of interviews and promos featuring its stars, Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller, have emerged, generating hype and interest that viewers can now immediately make good on thanks to The Gorge being out in the world already. Well played, Apple; well played.

FlixPatrol will indeed confirm that The Gorge is still at the top of the Apple TV Plus charts at the time of writing, all-encompassing of both the film rankings and overall rankings. It’s even managed to ascend higher than Severance (second overall), the Adam Scott-led sci-fi series that has established itself as one of the most prominent streaming shows of the moment.

The Gorge stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller as Drasa and Levi, two elite snipers from two different countries who are recruited to guard a mysterious, monster-infested chasm — Drasa from the east, Levi from the west. They quickly find themselves breaking the “no contact” rule as they work to keep the chasm’s monsters from emerging, but little do they know that those monsters are the least of their worries.

While we’ll happily accept another entry into the Anya Taylor-Joy With A Sniper Rifle Cinematic Universe (which was kicked off by Furiosa), The Gorge‘s achievements go far beyond that very specific slice of fan service. At a glance, it’s nothing more than competently rendered but otherwise empty action fare, with guns and monsters aplenty to distract the viewer rather than engage them.

But upon a closer look, one will notice that the film itself is just as disinterested in the Hollywoodish gun play as a viewer seeking nutritious filmmaking would be. This is noticeable because of the comparative directorial care put into the scenes that focus on Drasa’s and Levi’s relationship, which harbors a healthy humanism that takes great joy in expressing itself.

This inner human element is spotlighted further by the designs of the monsters in the eponymous gorge. Without giving too much away, these monsters serve as a none too subtle warning about what can happen when we allow ourselves to be defined by power instead of love — the very fate that Drasa and Levi are at risk of by way of their hyper militarized lives and looming loneliness.

In short, The Gorge is an incredibly solid movie that pretends to be an incredibly shallow movie, and in that way, it can roll with an especially diverse array of viewing habits. It’s a fascinating experiment that pays off in spades.