When a terrifying evil takes over the world, the only safety is being tethered to their home for a mother and her twin sons. But when the mental and physical ties start to fray, how long will they survive?
From Alexandre Aja who previously directed films such as ‘The Hills Have Eyes’ and many more with Shawn Levy as producer of the massively successful ‘Stranger Things’, comes a familiar premise of solitary confinement in a comparatively open yet oppressively dark wooded space. Filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia in 2023 and originally titled ‘Mother Land’, Mark Romanek of ‘One Hour Photo’ plus many massive music videos was originally drafted in to direct but left one month later due to creative differences which opened the door for Alexandre and Halle Berry to step in with the additional cast joining within weeks.
Set once again in a cabin in the woods comes a familiar story of the mental and physical unknown, where a family must fight for survival against what is seemingly the immediate world that has apparently been swallowed by a devastating yet unknown evil. Tethered to their cabin as their means of safety the three must source from an ever dwindling supply of woodland food including insects and tree bark from the surrounding area restricted by the safety of their ropes whilst keeping safe from the evil that lurks behind almost every tree.
Starring a small yet strong cast including academy award winner Halle Berry as Momma with her twin sons – and comparatively new to the industry – Nolan, played by Percy Daggs IV and Samuel played by Anthony B. Jenkins, the script begins tightly with the claustrophobia and prayers to the house for their protection and Halle’s ability to portray a loving single parent who is torn between the protection of her children whilst desperately trying to keep her mental demons at bay. These include her ex-partner who appears just briefly but more disturbingly, her dead overbearing mother who is revealed as a devil like apparition bent on pushing Momma over the mental edge. These claustrophobic interactions do become more tense as the story progresses, yet the ultimate payoff seems to come from the script of another film entirely. What does work brilliantly is how Berry, Daggs and Jenkins play with the script to lift this into something more competent than it has any right to be.
Set over a few cruel autumn months, the tension is most definitely there between the three who hold a script that starts strong, but then bit by bit begins to unwind itself illustrating a want from director Aja who seems torn between wanting to make us to jump yet also leave with thoughts of schizophrenia and its damaging effects it can have on our immediate loved ones. Psychological thrillers are designed to indeed thrill us whilst keeping the gore at bay, Never Let Go unfortunately loses its grip in the third act with a twist that will leave one empty – like the characters stomachs – rather than fulfilled and satiated.
What could have been tense and thrilling turns into the want for the payoff and here we have a trio who shine within a film that never really shifts the oppressive mist of a confused storyline and a disappointing twist. What we are led to believe is that the outside world has become apocalyptic, and the trio are our only survivors. However, the twist that civilisation is still intact is not really a surprise at all and becomes the ultimate frustration rather than a reveal.
With talks of a prequel and several sequels, this may have to be looked at again by Lionsgate – who have had a tough year with the likes of the much maligned ‘Borderlands’, and ‘Megalopolis’, own the rights with the possibilities the further releases may go straight to streaming rather than the cinema screen due to promotional costs. This may not be such a bad thing as the audience could grow from a premise that doesn’t necessarily require the big screen for the required tension, although it does of course help.
‘Never Let Go’ unfortunately does in the third act leaving many with a sinking feeling of wanting the brilliant twist many of this trope have delivered superbly before, such as Sixth Sense and Shutter Island over the years. Go for the acting although you may leave hungry for something with more Substance.
Author: Piers, Maidstone Store
