Why does anybody go out into the woods? NOTHING good ever happens there. In Alexandre Aja’s latest gripping, atmospheric chiller Never Let Go, an apocalyptic evil has caused a legacy of terror within one isolated family. Oscar-winner Halle Berry is a strong, veteran presence in this suspenseful three-hander, joined by a pair of relative newcomers in Percy Daggs IV and Anthony B. Jenkins. While the screenplay by Kevin Coughlin and Ryan Grassby doesn’t fully flesh out the desolate world as much as we would’ve liked, its ability to mix psychological and supernatural dangers with the urgency of a survival thriller makes for an entertaining experience.
Berry is in full Mama Bear mode in Never Let Go. The unnamed matriarch’s only concern is keeping her sons, Sammul (Jenkins) and Nolan (Daggs) safe from an evil force that only she can see. In the rustic, ramshackle home of “sacred” wood that they live in surrounded by overgrown woods, she has one rule: never let go of the rope. The rope, which the family uses to tie themselves to the blessed property and prevent wandering too far, is the only thing protecting them from the malicious spirits out to possess them. Momma’s seen what this evil can do firsthand. While her parents gave the house its protective magic, they too became untethered and vulnerable. An ex-husband also fell victim, forcing her to take extreme measures against them all to protect her baby boys. These details unfurl slowly in clunky fashion, for so long it isn’t clear if it will ever kick into the next gear. Fortunately, when Aja finally gets revved up the film is compelling in its unpredictability and depth of character.
Never Let Go seems pretty straight forward, but it’s best when occupying an ambiguous space. During a hunting expedition, one of the boys acts rashly and causes the other to become untethered from the rope. Momma comes to the rescue, makeshift bow and arrow close at hand, and gets there just in time before a bulbous, rotting, snake-tongued humanoid gets hold of her son. The thing is, only she can see it. Only she can see any of the threats out there. Boys will be boys, though. And while Sam is fiercely loyal to his momma and her instructions, Nolan is skeptical and keeps pushing the boundaries of what he can get away with. Having been told that this evil has destroyed the rest of the world, making them effectively the only humans left, this grim reality is all that they have to look forward to. As the winter hits, and food becomes scarce, starvation becomes a tangible threat that pushes this family towards grim decisions.
Aja has quietly been one of the best horror filmmakers since his breakthrough film, 2003’s High Tension, but he has always benefited from amazing production design. Never Let Go is no different, with the desolate forest setting also offering moments of beauty and childlike fantasy. He gets a stellar lead performance from Berry, playing a woman whose natural maternal instincts crash against the rocks of psychological and physical trauma. Jenkins and Daggs more than hold their own, especially when the film turns more toward their aspirations and survivability. Daggs has a busier role, though, with Nolan pushing the narrative forward as the son who is most ready to break out and be his own man.
Never Let Go pulls ideas from many different genre films, but it finds separation in the concerns of a struggling Black family. If taken purely on an allegorical level, the film could be about a mother who fears letting go of her sons into a brutal, racist world that hunts them for nothing. Or is it about a mother suffering from mental illness and has become possessive of her children? Or maybe there really are demons out there lurking in the woods to snatch young boys? While a bit frustrating, the answer could be in the form of another question. Who says it has to be just one thing?
Never Let Go is in theaters now.
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