What’s It About
A family consisting of a mother and her twin sons has suffered from the torment of a malicious spirit for many years. However, when one of the boys starts to doubt the existence of the evil, the family’s sacred bond is broken, leading to a dangerous fight for survival.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
“Never Let Go” slithers onto the screen like a dark fairy tale, ensnaring viewers in a maze-like forest of twisted branches and moss-encrusted boulders. At the heart of this eerie setting lies a lonely wooden cabin, where Momma, portrayed by Halle Berry, and her twin sons, Nolan and Samuel, are cloistered. Momma insists they are the last remnants of humanity, claiming an evil force has wiped out the world and continues to persecute their family. However, despite this intriguing premise, “Never Let Go” ultimately disappoints as its promising performances become overshadowed by an increasingly bewildering narrative maze. The film flails wildly, never fully committing to a coherent storyline. It hints at a dystopian survival tale of a paranoid mother tethering her sons to their makeshift sanctuary, only to veer erratically between unreliable narrator tropes, religious allegories, and supernatural threats. The movie teases with many ideas: one son’s devout faith clashing with the other’s growing skepticism, flirtations with demonic possession that go nowhere, and religious symbolism compared against vaguely tangible otherworldly forces. Even zombies briefly appear, but their existence is fleeting and ultimately suspect. This haphazard barrage of themes builds toward a climax that raises more questions than it answers. While ambiguity and plot twists can elevate a narrative, “Never Let Go” falters by failing to maintain character continuity or plot coherence. The film, steeped in woodland folklore, showcases the family’s defensive rituals entwined with ancestral superstitions. A mystic rope ties them to their sanctuary, and the house itself is revered, its timeworn planks stroked tenderly as they chant ancient verses to cleanse their souls from evil. Against this backdrop, Samuel and Nolan lead a sheltered existence, their worldview shaped entirely by Momma’s draconian rules and bizarre rituals. Momma claims a unique ability to detect the shape-shifting evil that haunts them, with apparitions manifesting as decaying family members who torment her with painful memories. However, as the boys grow older, the menace never materializes before their eyes, and doubt begins to rot. Samuel remains pathetically obedient, clinging to the safety of his mother’s teachings, while Nolan’s skepticism blossoms into full-blown incredulity. Starvation and desperation push their fragile beliefs to the brink, setting the stage for an inevitable clash between loyalty and rebellion. Despite moments of brilliance, “Never Let Go” is ultimately a messy and uneven exploration of familial trauma and the struggle for adolescent autonomy. The evil within the family serves as an apt metaphor, and Nolan’s internal battle for independence echoes a universal desire for self-determination. Momma’s revelation of her rebellious past suggests a cyclical, intergenerational conflict between conformity and freedom. However, rather than delving deeper into these rich themes, the film meanders content to raise questions without offering satisfying answers. The pace drags, and the disjointed climax leaves viewers in unresolved tension. For all its compelling concepts and atmospheric setting, “Never Let Go” fumbles its potential, releasing its grip on coherence when it should have held on the tightest.
OUR RATING – A RESPECTLESS 3.5