NEVER LET GO : Tuesday 1st October 2024.

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'NEVER LET GO' earlier this week at my local multiplex, and this American survival horror film is Directed by the French filmmaker Alexandre Aja who made his English language Directorial debut in 2006 with 'The Hills Have Eyes' and which he would follow up with 'Mirrors' in 2008, 'Piranha 3D' in 2010, 'Horns' in 2013, 'The 9th Life of Louis Drax' in 2016, 'Crawl' in 2019 and 'Oxygen' in 2021. The film was released in the US in late September, has so far grossed US$10M from a production budget of US$20M and has generated mixed or average reviews.  

Here then, a woman known to us as only 'Momma' (Halle Berry) and her two young children Nolan (Percy Daggs IV) and Samuel (Anthony B. Jenkins) live in a cabin in a remote wilderness. Momma, tells her children that a supernatural force known as 'The Evil' spread across the world, causing it to end and leaving them as the only survivors. Momma is plagued by visions of supernatural entities while she sleeps and during her waking hours, that her sons cannot see, yet which they believe to be real. The family spends their days foraging and hunting for food. To prevent the Evil from touching them, which Momma says ensures possession, the family tether themselves with long ropes when they leave the house, connecting them back to the building. The boys must also chant a daily prayer to the house in thanks for it keeping them safe from the Evil.

One day, while out searching for food, Samuel and Nolan get into an argument and Nolan steps on Samuel's rope, causing Samuel to fall, get disconnected from his rope, and break his ankle. Nolan unties himself in an attempt to rescue Samuel before the boys are rescued by Momma, who encounters the Evil in the form of her mother although the children do not see it. As Samuel recovers from his fall, Nolan, who has started to disbelieve his mother's claims, questions him on what he saw but Samuel quickly dismisses his suspicions. Nolan's doubts continue to grow.

A brutal winter of heavy rains and bitter cold forces the family to use up just about all of their stockpiled food, resulting in them being unable to grow or hunt for any new food. Meanwhile, Momma's visions intensify, including seeing the boys' father and her husband, whom she killed, along with her own mother and father as well as that of a mutilated Nolan. Sensing discontent from her sons, Momma tells them about her old life in the city and shows them two old Polaroid photos she retained, and an old Polaroid Instamatic camera with one single photo left.

Now having completely run out of their reserves of food and forced to eat thinly shredded tree bark which Momma seasons with salt, pepper and maple syrup, she then states that they need to kill and eat the family dog. Nolan is horrified and, when Momma takes the dog into the greenhouse to kill him with her crossbow, he cuts Momma's rope and locks her inside, believing that she will see the Evil is not real. Instead, Momma encounters the Evil in the form of her mother, and so slashes her own throat with a shard of glass and commits suicide in front of Nolan. Samuel blames Nolan for causing Momma's death. As they continue to starve alone, Samuel's behaviour becomes more erratic and threatening.

Using the extra free rope from his mother, Nolan travels further out of the woods and comes across a deserted stretch of road. He screams for help. Returning to the house, he later encounters a hiker (Matthew Kevin Anderson) who has heard his calls for help. As the hiker grows increasingly concerned over Nolan's story and living conditions, Samuel confronts him with his mothers crossbow. Although Nolan and the hiker try to defuse the situation, Samuel shoots the hiker. Nolan follows the hiker as he calls 911 and succumbs to his wounds before retrieving his backpack filled with food. That night, a young girl (Mila Moragn) arrives at the property claiming to be the hiker's daughter and confronts Samuel. Noticing that Samuel has her father's torch, she flees as he chases after her, but Samuel's rope gets tangled around some trees, and so he untethers himself. The girl reveals herself to be the Evil and touches Samuel, as he becomes instantly possessed.

Back at the house, Samuel, now exhibits the same erratic behaviour as Momma had, and tries to kill Nolan. Samuel sets the house alight as Nolan is confronted by the Evil in the form of Momma. Nolan drags Momma into a small underfloor bunker in the house that gives shelter to the pair of them from the fire. The Evil sheds Momma's skin to reveal a snake-like creature that dissipates as Nolan clings on to it. The fire burns the house down and Samuel takes the last photo with the Polaroid with him in the foreground and the burning cabin in the background. Paramedics arrive and retrieve Nolan from the burnt out remains of the house. As he is flown away in a helicopter, Nolan asks where Samuel is and sees that he too has been rescued. The helicopter reaches a nearby town, revealing that Momma had been lying to them all along. Samuel quietly whispers to Nolan 'She loves me more' as the Polaroid he took is shown, revealing the Evil with its hand resting on his shoulder.

'Never Let Go' is not a horror film in the pure sense of the word, more of a taught and tight psychological thriller that delivers few jump scares or truly horror inducing moments, but there is nonetheless a sense of dread and fear woven into the atmospheric storyline. The film is however, saved by three stand out performances from Berry, Jenkins and Daggs, and when the ending comes it feels rushed and incomplete leaving the viewer with more questions than answers. That said, as recently as last month, Halle Berry confirmed the studio's plans to develop the film into a horror franchise, with the Actress expressing interest in the idea, while confirming that stories for a prequel and sequels had been written. 

'Never Let Go' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-