SYNOPSIS:
From visionary director Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, Crawl) and the creative minds behind Stranger Things and Arrival comes NEVER LET GO. In this new psychological thriller/horror, as an evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother, played by Academy Award® winner Halle Berry (Actress in a Leading Role, 2001 – Monster’s Ball), and her twin sons is their house and their family’s protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times – even tethering themselves with ropes – they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.
WHAT WE THOUGHT:
Overall I enjoyed Never Let Go. There’s one reason for that, there’s too much talent involved for it to be bad. Alexandre Aja has made some solid horror flicks including the criminally underrated Crawl and Halle Berry is always good no matter the film. The minimalism of the film (a few characters, one location) keeps it from wandering too far away from its goal.
That goal is to keep the audience guessing. The movie is about a mother (Berry) with twin boys in a house in the middle of the woods. She claims the world has gone insane with an evil lurking about. Her family can never go too far away from the house and must at all times hold onto a rope while away. The house is what keeps them safe from the evil and the ropes are tied to the house. The twin boys were raised there and know no different life.
Being closed off to the rest of the world allows the mother to keep the boys in check for years. They believe in their mother until one starts questioning things when crops die off and food becomes scarce. Berry’s character makes a tough decision the one boy won’t approve of and things start to spiral from there. The audience has to decide if there is an evil out there or if Berry’s mother character is the true evil. The film can be interpreted as a metaphor for mental health issues, but the ending itself will have most second guessing their own interpretations.
My only real issue with the film is M. Night Shyamalan. He didn’t direct the movie nor was he involved with it in the slightest, but because of him I watch these movies impatiently. I sit there waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop and don’t always enjoy the journey to the big twist/reveal. You sit there knowing some twist has to happen and with this film specifically you wait to find out if there is an evil or if Berry is just schizophrenic. And again, the ending will have you interpreting things that others might interpret differently.
Never Let Go would get lost during summer blockbuster season, but should do well now that spooky season viewings are kicking in. Berry is solid in her role and whoever cast the two younger actors playing her sons deserves an award because they are fantastic. Lesser performances would have made the movie too comical and over-the-top, but Berry’s acting chops keeps the crowd wondering if she’s right or just plain nuts. I want to love these psychological thriller/horror flicks more, but I at least enjoyed this one enough to not regret wasting my time seeing it.
Directed by:
Alexandre Aja
Written by:
KC Coughlin & Ryan Grassby
Produced by:
Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, Dan Levine, Alexandre Aja
Executive Producers:
Halle Berry, Holly Jeter, Daniel Clarke, Emily Morris, Christopher Woodrow, Connor DiGregorio
Cast:
Halle Berry, Percy Daggs IV, Anthony B. Jenkins
Rated R for strong violent content and grisly images.
The Nerds Templar 