NEVER LET GO (2024)
New in theaters from Lionsgate Pictures!
Directed by Alexandre Aja.
Written by KC Coughlin, Ryan Grassby.
Trailer: https://youtu.be/ZDfRp_ukHDU

Halle Berry plays Momma, the mother of two young boys Samuel (Anthony B. Jenkins) and Nolan (Percy Daggs IV) who all live in a wooden cabin in the middle of the dense woods. Momma believes that there is a great evil lurking in the woods outside their houses perimeter, but as long as they stay connected to the house by a long rope when they go outside, they are protected from those evil forces. As Samuel and Nolan grow older, they begin to wonder what is beyond the length of the rope and doubt their mother’s warnings.

Reminiscent of a few other horror films released this year, specifically ARCADIAN with Nic Cage in the role Berry plays and a little bit of LOVELY, DARK, & DEEP thrown in along with some sprinkles of GOODNIGHT MOMMY (the original not that lame remake with Naomi Watts), NEVER LET GO distinguishes itself by way of acting talent. Sure those other movies were well acted, but in this movie specifically, Berry and the young actors playing the two kids stand out as exceptional. Berry is in an unflattering role with no makeup and isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. Her character does some horrible things in order to survive and protect her children on and off screen, and Berry is ruthless in the role. If anything, this is a movie that proves what a talented and underutilized actress she is.

Supporting Berry is the two boys, Anthony B. Jenkins and Percy Daggs IV (who play Samuel and Nolan, respectively). While again, these roles are far from original with one unquestionably following his mother’s orders and the other tempted to go against them due to curiosity and sheer child rebelliousness, these two little actors offer up wonderfully natural performances. There are large sections where Berry isn’t around, and these two actors fill the void with their talent with ease.

Well, the big question in NEVER LET GO is whether or not Berry’s Momma is nuts or if there really is something horrible haunting the family. In many ways, the answer doesn’t matter, though we do get some hints by the time the movie ends. Is this story about a demonic possession that overruns the world or is it a more down to earth story about one very mentally ill woman trying to protect her sons from her hallucinations? The movie kind of answers both of those questions without doing so outright and those who like a buttoned up and tidy ending might wince at how this one wraps up.

That said, NEVER LET GO is a very rich film in terms of theme. One can apply all sorts of meaning from all corners of theory to this film and it can work. If you want to look at the film through a psychological lens, whether the world-wide possession is real or not, the selective way Momma sees the monsters, her rationale about why the children don’t see the monsters, and how they seem to be developing the ability to see these creatures—again, whether they are real or not, can be seen as representative to schizophrenia and how it is theorized to be passed on from parent to child. One can also attribute these visions to a shared psychosis or some kind of group think where the children, exposed to Momma’s rants for so long, begin seeing the visions as well. Then again, if you want to look at this from a more Freudian lens, Momma ties her children to home as a way for her to keep them from leaving her care and signifies her selfish refusal to let them lead their own lives and form their own beliefs. Want a cultural angle? How about the rope tying the children to their home representing the American black family’s quandary whether to stay stagnant and stuck in the past or venture forth into the future where freedom lays? Want a Feminist angle? Berry’s Momma is a strong female character, not flawless, but constantly struggling to keep her family together despite insurmountable odds. Throughout the film, Berry must not only assume the role of mother, but also the role of the bread-winner in this fractured family. This film interested me because it can be dissected from many angles with many critical tools. And while most critics seem to only want to use one or two tools in the critical toolbox, I find looking at these films from various ways makes criticism more interesting to me and hopefully for you as well.

Back to the film. While I wouldn’t call NEVER LET GO terrifying, I was heavily invested in the characters plights and concerned for their safety in this wildly unpredictable story. Most of the effects scenes were spoiled in the trailer, but they are quite creepy and makes for some treacherous challenges for our three heroes. I will admit, though, that I shot back in my chair very early in the film due to a very well-timed jump scare.

NEVER LET GO is very similar to other films we’ve seen this year, but it does every one of those familiar aspects exceptionally well. The film could be examined from a dozen different angles and that is due to a story that plunges forward and keeps the audience guessing. It’s also due to some very solid talent involved in front of and behind the camera. While Alexandre Aja has had his share of hits and misses, NEVER LET GO is one of his better ones. Knowing that Aja was behind the mind-scrogging HIGH TENSION, the surprisingly twisted HILLS HAVE EYES remake and the mainstream and fun CRAWL, it’s no wonder how thematically hefty and thoroughly entertaining NEVER LET GO turned out to be.

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Music Written by Tim Heidecker
Music & Arrangement by Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy https://youtu.be/PDySbxQgZMg
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