A family that has been haunted by an evil spirit for years. Their safety and their surroundings come into question when one of the children questions if the evil is real.
Content Advisory: Animal cruelty or animal death, Suicide
A mother tries to protect her sons from an evil spirit surrounding their home in Never Let Go. In a post-apocalyptic world, a single Mother (Halle Berry) has created strict rules to protect her twin sons Nolan (Percy Daggs IV) and Samuel (Anthony B. Jenkins) from the Evil surrounding their home. The most important of these rules is that when they venture out into the surrounding wilderness, they must remain tied to a rope attached to the sacred wood of their home. However, Nolan begins to doubt whether there is a threat and begins to rebel against his Momma’s rules.
Never Let Go Synopsis
Never Let Go is a post-apocalyptic horror-drama directed by Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, Piranha 3D, Horns, Oxygen), based on a script by KC Coughlin and Ryan Grassby (Mean Dreams). The film stars Halle Berry as the unnamed “Mamma,” who claims that the world surrounding their home has been claimed by an Evil that is now after Mamma and her sons. However, with food supplies dwindling, the three are in increased danger of starvation.
Nolan, the oldest of Mamma’s sons by three minutes, begins to doubt whether there is truly an Evil after them or if it is only a delusion created by Mamma. This results in conflict with his brother Samuel, who is a more devout follower of Mamma’s rules. As immense hunger begins to creep in, the brothers are soon given the ultimate test.
My Thoughts on Never Let Go
Never Let Go is a very uneven film, opting to be more a family drama, with the occasional horrific images. However, Never Let Go is at its best when it allows Alexandre Aja to play in this horror wheelhouse, with the Evil tormenting this family taking many forms, including a snake-tongued old woman and a demonic girl with multiple limbs. Arguably, the more horrific scene of Never Let Go comes when food supplies dry up and Mamma has to make a very difficult decision.
Much of the plot of Never Let Go plays off the famous saying that “The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was to convince the world he didn’t exist.” The main crux of the film’s narrative is spreading doubt about whether the Evil, which is only seen by Mamma, is a real threat or mainly a delusion. Never Let Go goes back and forth with this conflict and by the time it settles on an answer, it is too late to truly care.
While Halle Berry gets top billing for Never Let Go, it can be argued that the true protagonists of the film are Percy Daggs IV and Anthony B. Jenkins as the twin brothers Nolan and Samuel. The two share a Cain and Abel dynamic with each other, as Nolan begins to rebel against Mamma’s rules, while Samuel is loyal to a fault. The film also establishes that Nolan is prone to sleepwalking, though it ends up having little relevance to the plot, save for a single moment.
Ultimately, Never Let Go would probably be a better film if it was more horror than drama. It is not until the third act until things start to get interesting and by that time it’s too late. Also, I have to take Nolan’s side regarding what ends up being the most hard-to-watch moment of the film, which ironically does not involve any supernatural threat.