"Confusing, Mixed Resolution"
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What You Need To Know:
NEVER LET GO has plenty of twists and incredible atmosphere and suspense. However, the ending is confusing, mixed and ultimately unsatisfying. For example, in the climax, the switching manifestations of evil are so rapid-fire that it’s hard to keep track of what’s happening. Also, the mother leads the family in praying for the house to protect them and saying the house is their “Heaven”. There’s an ironic twist to that, however. Also, the mother character has a dark secret. NEVER LET GO has almost no lewd content, just one obscenity, an “f” word. It has a few moments with bloody, disturbing violence, though.
Content:
More Detail:
NEVER LET GO is a thought-provoking horror-thriller with a unique setting and smart writing and direction that keeps audiences wondering straight to the end about which characters are insane and which ones are telling the truth about a powerful “Evil” that might have led to societal destruction around the planet.
The movie stars Halle Berry as the mother of two young tween boys named Samuel (Anthony B. Jenkins) and Nolan (a remarkable Percy Daggs IV). The three of them live deep in a forest in an old house and can only leave to wander the woods if they’re tied together by an enormously long set of ropes. The mother believes there’s a permeating “Evil” in the woods, and that it passed from human to human by the billions to inspire people to kill each other.
According to her, the rope keeps them safe from the “Evil” touching them and entering their home. She says that if the Evil enters their house, it’ll drive them to kill each other. Samuel is a “mama’s boy” who goes along with her every crazy-sounding rule for survival, but Nolan is starting to wonder if she really has the answers to staying alive or if she’s crazy. So, he begins testing her limits.
The mother sees zombies, including her own mother, coming alive in the outdoors around them. However, the boys never see a thing. Also, the zombies disappear on the mother as quickly as they came. Are they hallucinations, or true manifestations of malevolence? Even greater terror comes when the boys are confronted with a wandering hiker.
Will the boys figure out whether they can trust their mother? Can they survive, with or without her? What shocking secrets will be revealed?
NEVER LET GO makes the most of its richly atmospheric outdoor setting, amplified by incredible sound design that brings countless creatures to life in the darkness. The music score is subtle but maintains a mounting sense of dread throughout. Also, Halle Berry and the two young actors playing her sons all deliver outstanding, emotionally intense performances. As the two boys, Anthony B. Jenkins and Percy Daggs IV are major talents to follow.
Director Alexandre Aja (THE HILLS HAVE EYES and CRAWL) normally relies on brutal shocks to deliver gut punches to viewers, but he admirably uses restraint and suspense to keep views riveted here. He and writers KC Coughlin and Ryan Grassby use ingenious writing and camera perspectives to keep audiences wondering who to root for or to fear. They induce as much paranoia in the viewer as the young boys.
NEVER LET GO shows remarkable restraint in its foul language, with just one “f” word and no other obscenities or profanities. However, it does feature some gruesome violence and special effects, especially near the end. These horrors are meted out sparingly for maximum impact on the viewer.
NEVER LET GO is a smart thriller as much as a horror film. It delivers massive tension and suspense geared at smart viewers. However, the ending is confusing, mixed and ultimately unsatisfying. For example, in the climactic final act, the switching manifestations of evil are so rapid-fire that they’re too confusing. Also, the mother character has a dark secret that leads to a mixed resolution. Finally, NEVER LET GO has a few moments with bloody, disturbing violence.
