“The Gorge” is the latest film from director Scott Derrickson, who went the lower budget route for 2021’s “The Black Phone” and ended up with a surprising hit. There’s a “Black Phone 2” coming later this year, but before Derrickson returns to small scale horror, he tries the blockbuster business back on for size in “The Gorge,” which was shot two years ago. Screenwriter Zach Dean (“The Tomorrow War,” “Fast X”) cooks up material that’s somewhere between a zombie film and a YA romance, gifting Derrickson room to go big with the endeavor, delivering major action set pieces and monster attacks, which gives the effort a glossy, CGI-laden appearance. The tone and pacing of the picture are off, making for a bit of a slog as the characters gradually find their way to love and eventually encounter dangers. It’s no nail-biter, and Dean’s command of mystery definitely lacks snap, as the unknown is far more interesting than the fully explained in his mediocre offering. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com