The Gorge (2025) Full Movie, What happens when two broken people, trained killers with pasts soaked in blood, fall deeply in love? That’s the explosive question The Gorge (2025) answers with bullets, heartbeats, and a whole lot of stylish madness.
Directed by Scott Derrickson, The Gorge is a genre-defying film blending violent action, dark humor, and an unexpectedly tender love story. This isn’t your typical shoot-em-up. It’s more Romeo and Juliet meets John Wick, with a sprinkle of Mr. & Mrs. Smith thrown in.
Director and Writer
The Gorge is helmed by Scott Derrickson, known for films like Doctor Strange and The Black Phone. His signature style — moody atmosphere with bursts of stylized violence — is all over this film. The screenplay is written by Zach Dean, best known for The Tomorrow War.
Miles Teller as Levi, a haunted man with a mysterious past.
Anya Taylor-Joy as Hazel, a wild and unpredictable assassin.
Sigourney Weaver plays the Handler — cool, collected, deadly.
Supporting cast includes Jeffrey Wright, John Cho, and Marina de Tavira.
Production Companies and Budget
The film is produced by Skydance Media, Apple Original Films, and AGBO. With a budget estimated at $85 million, it blends practical effects and high-end CGI for a visual thrill ride.
Release Platforms and Schedule
Premiered in March 2025 at SXSW, then released worldwide in theaters and streaming on Apple TV+ in April 2025.
Love Story Meets Action Thriller
It’s not just about explosions — The Gorge is a romance at its core. Levi and Hazel don’t just fall for each other — they fall through each other, into each other’s trauma and salvation.
Dark Humor & High-Octane Romance
Think Kill Bill meets La La Land, with chemistry sparking even amid bloodshed.
How It Breaks Genre Barriers
This isn’t a romantic subplot in an action movie. It’s a true blend — both genres fuel the narrative equally.
Levi (Miles Teller)
Once a soldier, now a state-sanctioned assassin, Levi is cold, methodical — until he meets Hazel. He wants out. He wants redemption. But there’s always one last job.
Hazel (Anya Taylor-Joy)
A fiery, sharp-witted killer who masks pain with sarcasm and seduction. She’s chaotic, dangerous, and hiding her own past wounds.
Supporting Characters
The Handler (Sigourney Weaver)
She controls Levi and Hazel. Calm, composed, terrifying — a true puppet master.
The Crime Syndicate
They serve as the antagonists — shady clients, double-crossers, and fellow assassins.
Story and Plot Overview
The film opens with Levi hiding out in a remote desert gorge after a failed mission. He’s supposed to lay low. Instead, he meets Hazel — a rival assassin also “on leave.” They clash, flirt, and gradually bond over shared isolation and violence.
Flashbacks reveal their brutal training and past missions. Their connection deepens as they discover shared trauma and begin to imagine a life beyond killing.
But their employers have other plans. A job pulls them back — one they must do together. The mission? Take out a high-value traitor — who turns out to be Hazel’s ex-handler.
They’re ambushed. It’s a setup. One of them is meant to die. Hazel is captured; Levi goes rogue to save her.
The final showdown takes place back in the gorge. Surrounded by assassins and drones, Levi and Hazel fight back-to-back — trusting only each other.
In a bittersweet finale, they fake their deaths using old spy tactics. The gorge becomes a grave and a rebirth. They vanish — alive, free, and in love.
Can Love Exist in a Violent World?
The movie’s core question — and it answers with hope, however messy.
Redemption Through Connection
Each character tries to redeem themselves not by escaping violence, but by choosing love in spite of it.
Trust and Survival
In a world of killers, trust is rare. Their ability to survive depends on it.
Derrickson balances slick action with intimate emotion. He creates tension not just with gunfire but with glances, silence, and shadow.
Action Set Pieces
From rooftop fights to car chases to a drone assault on a canyon base — the action is brutal but beautifully choreographed.
Cinematography and Score
Cinematographer Dan Laustsen (known for John Wick and The Shape of Water) crafts breathtaking visuals, especially in the desert night scenes. The score by Cliff Martinez pulsates between synth-wave and orchestral sorrow.
Symbolism and Hidden Layers
The Gorge as a Metaphor
It’s not just a location — it’s emotional. It represents separation and connection, isolation and confrontation. The literal gorge mirrors the emotional chasm between them — and the bridge they build.
Dual Lives and Hidden Truths
They are both killers and lovers. The film asks — can both coexist?
Identity vs. Duty
Hazel and Levi grapple with who they are versus what they’ve been made to be.
What Really Happened?
Yes, they escape. But it’s left unclear whether they’ll find peace or be pulled back in. The ending is open but hopeful.
Is It Open-Ended?
Absolutely. There’s space for more stories, but even as a standalone, it feels complete.
Critical Reception and Audience Response
What Critics Are Saying
Critics praised:
Chemistry between the leads
Genre-blending innovation
The emotional core beneath the action
Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
Metacritic: 78/100
Audience Reviews and Ratings
Fans loved it. On Letterboxd and IMDb, reviews mention:
“A love story with teeth”
“The best mix of action and romance since True Romance”
Casting Choices
Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy were Derrickson’s first picks — and their chemistry was palpable from day one.
Shot in Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of Morocco to capture the raw, unforgiving desert setting.
Fun Trivia and Challenges
Anya did 90% of her own stunts
Miles trained in Krav Maga for six months
The gorge was an actual remote location, not CGI
Sequel Potential or Franchise Hints
Could This Become a Series?
Yes. There are hints about other assassins and a wider network — the world-building is strong.
Derrickson has hinted at prequels focusing on Hazel’s early missions or a future where Levi trains young operatives.
Final Verdict
Who Should Watch It?
Action lovers tired of formula
Fans of emotional storytelling
Anyone who loves a twisted love story with heart
What Makes The Gorge Special?
It makes you care — not just about the bullets, but the people behind them. It’s not just a spectacle; it’s a story.
1. Is The Gorge based on a book?
No, it’s an original screenplay by Zach Dean.
2. Do Levi and Hazel survive in the end?
Yes, but they disappear — presumed dead. It’s left open to interpretation.
3. Is it more romance or more action?
Both. It’s 50/50. The love story is the action.
4. Will there be a sequel?
Not confirmed, but highly likely given the ending and critical response.
5. Where can I watch The Gorge?
It’s available in theaters and streaming on Apple TV+.