In "Never Let Go", director Alexandre Aja fearlessly takes familiar narratives of haunting spirits in secluded woods and rescales them into new psychological depths. While containing echoes of “Bird Box” with its story of a mother's desperate bid to protect her two children from an ominous force, Aja’s film constructs its own frightening narrative corridor. It invites us into the disturbing, intensifying ordeal of a family locked in spiritual and psychological warfare amidst their enclosed cabin space. Although the film may not perfectly string together all its innovative ideas by the end, it deftly interlinks themes of grief, sanity, rebellion, and redemption in claustrophobic horror, augmenting an atmosphere of creepiness and paranoia.
Halle Berry's character, Momma, shields her fraternal twin sons Samuel (Anthony B. Jenkins) and Nolan (Percy Daggs IV) from the malicious world outside, nested deep in their grandparents’ remote cabin. The extensive forest encircling the property works as their protective barrier, warding off societal horrors. The essence of the plot disentangles from the family's day-to-day rituals and the terrifying world Momma has concocted for her children, designed to shield them from the lurking demons eager to corrupt their innocence.
But this familial tranquility begins to crumble when an excursion outside shatters their safety circle leading to a series of unsettling events. And whilst their survival becomes more threatened, the brotherly bond weakens, paving the way for further horror.
Drawing from his past accomplishments in films like “High Tension” and “The Hills Have Eyes”, Aja skillfully crafts narratives imbued with ordinary people trapped in terrifying circumstances. Coupled with the screenplay by KC Coughlin and Ryan Grassby, the film sharply escalates suspense and empathetic pull. The audience is led into torn anticipation of the day when the family's limited resources dwindle away in a scare-ridden fight for survival.
The prowess of the young cast members, Jenkins and Daggs, shines particularly in their raw performances, lending a haunting reality to the narrative. The true horror of the film however, emanates not only from ghastly apparitions, but also from the disintegration of an erstwhile happy family into doubt, dissent, and deception.
A noteworthy component of this horror drama is Berry’s execution of the complex character, Momma. Her portrayal cloaks the character in layers of wit, wisdom, and an intriguing internal world. The film delivers a gripping exploration of the mother figure's desperate struggle to safeguard her children against an evil she earnestly believes exists, while alluding to the possibility of mental illness lurking beneath.
The crux of the plot keeps the audience questioning the existence of the monsters. While the film successfully keeps us engaged in this terrifying cat-and-mouse game, the one shortcoming seems to lurk in its resolution. Despite this, "Never Let Go" largely maintains a tight, dreadful grip on its audience, drawing us deep into its unique brand of horror and compelling psychological critique.
