Never Let Go – REVIEW

As a seasoned film critic with a penchant for psychological thrillers and horror flicks, I must confess that I was quite intrigued by the trailer for “Never Let Go.” However, upon watching this movie, I found myself yearning for more suspense, terror, or even a good old-fashioned jump scare.

Indeed, Halle Berry is recognized for being the first and currently the only black actress to win a Best Actress Oscar. Yet, this aspect of her life isn’t the focus here. Instead, the narrative revolves around the safety rope she and her two children use when venturing out from their secluded cabin in the woods. This isn’t because they fear getting lost, but rather as a protective measure against the malevolent spirits that dwell in the forest, which can contaminate, corrupt, and ultimately harm them. Similar to many children, Berry’s sons Samuel (Anthony B Jenkins) and Nolan (Percy Daggs IV) are deeply attached to their mother. They believe her tales, much like other doubtful old wives’ stories such as ‘eat your crusts, it’ll make your hair curl’, or ‘if you tell the truth you won’t get in trouble’, and ‘If you want to be a journalist, why don’t you reach out to that charming Huw Edwards?’

As their food stocks dwindle, they’re compelled to explore the woods in search of edible finds, much like bargain shoppers rummaging through supermarket clearance items. However, as resources grow scarce, they’re forced to consume oddities such as fried tree bark, which we humorously refer to as “Nachos.” Yet, Nolan harbors a growing suspicion that Mum might not be entirely truthful, particularly when she claims to be the only one capable of perceiving, ‘The Evil.’ This role is open to various interpretations, just like the movie itself – Is Mum overprotective, unwilling to lose her children? Has she suffered a severe mental breakdown? Is it a metaphor for COVID-19 lockdowns? The possibilities are numerous.

This film, penned by KC Cougfhlin and Ryan Grassby, doesn’t clearly establish its central rules, and one could envision M. Night Shyamalan finding it comfortable. Directed by Alexandre Aja, it offers potential for good action sequences, but these are scarce and none are particularly impactful, which is surprising given his past successes such as ‘Piranha’, ‘The Hills have Eyes’, and notably ‘Crawl’. The story unfolds across three chapters – “The Rope is Your Lifeline”, “How will I feed my children?”, and “What will become of us?” However, the pace is often slow, lacking in effective tension or jump scares. There are numerous references to other films, most notably ‘The Evil Dead’ and to some extent ‘A Quiet Place’. Unfortunately, ‘Never Let Go’ falls short of expectations for a director who, at his best, can be outstanding; viewers might find themselves echoing the sentiment from ‘Frozen’, desiring to simply let it go.

Here’s the Never Let Go trailer……

2024-09-26 02:23

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