Man, the first half was pretty good—a unique two-hander where the characters spark a romance while seemingly confronting their personal demons as they guard the gates of Hell. But then, they wasted that potential as the second half became generic AF—no stakes, frustratingly apolitical while pretending to be political. It works as a decent survival thriller, but that’s about it. Anya Taylor-Joy is great, though (when has she not been!).
Anyway, I’d recommend 'Annihilation' and 'Die Alone'—both share some similarities with 'The Gorge', but unlike the latter, they’re thematically rich and beautifully crafted.