Upamanyu Biswas
Apple TV+’s ‘The Gorge’ tells the story of Levi and Drasa, two trained killers tasked with guarding a mysterious gorge in a hidden part of the world. They must shelter themselves in two towers built on opposite sides of the gorge, ensuring that the evil lying in the abyss never escapes into daylight. As the narrative progresses, the two central figures begin drawing closer as the loneliness of their assignment takes its toll on their psyche. Soon, they must work together to understand the origins of the gorge and the reason behind its existence in the first place. Their search leads them to a shady private military company named Darklake, who may be involved in the grand conspiracy, one that stretches back years and involves the lives of countless others. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Gorge is a Fictional Project Inspired By the Isolation of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Although the Gorge project is an integral part of the movie, it is a fictional creation of scriptwriter Zach Dean. The film describes it as a secret clandestine operation conducted by the military to keep dangerous things from escaping into the world. Several years ago, mutated beings began taking residence within the gorge, making it uninhabitable for humans. As such, several operations were held to secure the entire place by killing the creatures within. However, it proved futile, as every battalion and regiment sent into the gorge never returned. Subsequently, a decision was taken to build observation towers and walls around the gorge to keep the dangers within from escaping out into the real world. Only two guardians are hired to keep a watch over the entire place. This responsibility falls upon Levi and Drasa in the movie.
When developing the idea, Dean was influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and how it led to a global shutdown around the world. He wanted to capture the same feeling of isolation and loneliness in the story, which led to the concept of an abyss in the middle of nowhere. In an interview, he explained, “I literally drew the gorge on a dry erase board. I drew fog on the bottom. And I drew a tower on one side and a tower on the other side. I put a little male symbol here and a little female symbol over there. And I wrote: ‘They’re snipers. It’s a love story.’ Then I had a drink and I went to bed.” This became the basis for his general premise, which was later refined and made more sophisticated with the inclusion of the gorge’s creatures and its unique history.
Later in the narrative, we learn that the Gorge project was actually a secret weapons development project by the government. During World War II, a laboratory was built in the gorge to make progress into advanced forms of biochemical weapons. The entire operation was built on a similar premise to the Manhattan Project. The purpose was to help bolster the country’s weapons arsenal. However, it all went wrong one day due to an untimely earthquake. After the tremors rocked the entire region, the chemical agents from the weapons began leaking into the air, covering the entire abyss in a dense fog. People exposed to this fog started developing biological changes and became mutated creatures. Thus, while the impenetrable gorge sets the precedent for a compelling sci-fi horror mystery, the project is a figment of the writer’s imagination.
Darklake is a Private Military Company With No Connections to Any Real-Life Organizations
Darklake in ‘The Gorge’ is a fictional military company conceived by Zach Dean. They are the company that hires Levi and Drasa to monitor the gorge for their own nefarious purposes. The truth behind the organization emerges after the two central characters investigate the gorge’s origins and discover many hidden secrets surrounding its existence. After falling into the abyss during a mishap, Levi and Drasa discover a secret laboratory inside the gorge, where they come across numerous material that finally clears the air on the mystery. It turns out that Darklake is secretly using the abyss as a research outpost to figure out how to build genetic super soldiers. They are using cloaking devices to keep the area hidden from government satellites while also disposing of every guard member they hire once their cycle is over.
In the early parts of the film, Levi’s predecessor, Jasper, finishes handing over his duties to the former before leaving the area. However, while being airlifted to safety, Jasper is shot down by one of Darklake’s agents, showcasing the evil practices of the company. They are hell-bent on maintaining the secret of the gorge, especially due to its valuable research content. As a result, Levi and Drasa are responsible for ensuring that Darklake’s practices are stopped and the gorge itself is destroyed. The company proves to be the ultimate antagonist in the film, making it a pivotal part of the narrative. Still, they remain a fictional organization with no ties to reality, especially when considering the sci-fi elements of the plot.
Read More: Best Military Movies on Amazon Prime
You must be logged in to post a comment.