Never Let Go – A Solid Survival Horror Thriller

When an unspeakable evil takes over the world, the only protection for Momma (Berry) and her twins sons Nolan (Daggs IV) and Samuel (Jenkins) is their house and strong familial bond. Needing to stay connected to the house at all times by tethering themselves with ropes, they must cling to one another and never let go. However, when one of the boys questions if the evil is actually real, the ties that bond them together begin to sever, triggering a terrifying fight for survival. Never Let Go certainly isn’t one of director Alexandre Aja’s best but is a solid outing and an equally gripping and engaging survival thriller.

Never Let Go marks a departure for Aja, this time turning to a psychological horror thriller instead of the more straight-up horror or splatter films audiences are more accustomed to seeing from him. Very much a slow burn, it takes its time to set up its world, story, and characters while still maintaining a creepy atmosphere throughout. Building tension extremely well as the plot progresses, the film has some very effective and impactful scares. Bringing a nice amount of depth for audiences who want to dig deeper, than there are multiple ways to look at this and choose to engage with. Meanwhile, the film’s central plot is full of intrigue and is sure to keep audiences on the edge of their seats as they will be left wondering if this is all real or just some fantasy.

Speaking of Berry, she absolutely commands the screen as Momma, giving one of her best performances in years. She’s intense and can be quite aggressive towards her kids, but she’s doing it all to protect them (at least that’s what it seems) as the film does a fantastic job at holding on to its cards until the right time. But as great as Berry always is, Diggs IV and Jenkins steal the show and arguably leave the biggest impression. Both are fantastic and show so much more range, emotion, and skills beyond their years. While the film requires a lot from them, they proved to be more than up for the task.

Where Never Let Go ultimately falters is its lack of answers and unsatisfying final act. The film builds its mystery from the opening scene but by the end, audiences are left with more questions than answers, refusing to answer them directly and instead, opting for a more ambiguous approach that will only frustrate. From the moment that final act kicks off, it almost switches in tone and starts taking a lot of big swings that will undeniably be divisive. The result is an unsatisfying ending that will leave most audiences confused or annoyed. Another minor issue is some moments of slow pacing in its introductory opening act before recovering quickly from there on.

In the end, Never Let Go may not be a home run or anything to rush out and see but for those who are fans of Halle Berry or survival thrillers, it is absolutely worth a watch despite its ending and frustrating lack of answers. A solid effort from Alexandre Aja, it is one likely to rank somewhere in the middle of his filmography.

still courtesy of Lionsgate

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Connor Carey

www.connorsmoviereviews.com/