Never Let Go

There's something uniquely compelling about horror where the source of terror is unclear. Films like 10 Cloverfield Lane, The Babadook, and Take Shelter skillfully make us question the protagonist’s sanity—are there real monsters, or is it all in their mind? Never Let Go tries to evoke this psychological uncertainty but leaves us just as confused as we were at the start.

In Alexandra Ava’s post-apocalyptic supernatural Halle Berry is a mother desperately trying to keep her twins safe from a world filled with monsters only she can see. To do so, she insists they remain tethered to their ‘holy protector’ of a house by rope: a comically far-fetched device. If they let go, even for a minute, a whole array of evil will descend on them. The creatures are impressively scary, from centipede-like humanoids to demon apparitions of the mothers ex-partner.

Soon, however, the fact that the boys can’t see any of the horrors their mother describes begins to raise suspicion in the inquisitive Nolan, played by Percy Daggs, despite his brother Samuel’s (Anthony B. Jenkins) unwavering loyalty to her visions. This tension, combined with dwindling food supplies, creates as much turmoil inside their four walls as the bleak situation outside.

From this point, the film, which was once coherent and tense, descends into chaos. It cycles through trope after trope, touching on everything from satanic symbolism to arson, each too brief to build real dread or resolve the many loose ends in the plot. Amid the madness, there are a few scares, but the suspense is too fleeting to leave you spooked after the credits roll.

Of course, like any scary movie, there are various metaphors and deeper meanings to google afterwards. The most obvious of these are generational trauma and the suffocation that can come from overprotective parenting, but there’s also hints at post pandemic isolation and nuclear fear. Despite Berry’s best efforts though, none of them come through powerful enough, making this a perfectly entertaining but equally forgettable dystopian tale.

Of course, like any scary movie, there are various metaphors and deeper meanings to Google afterward. The most obvious are generational trauma and the suffocating effects of overprotective parenting, but there are also hints of post-pandemic isolation and nuclear fear. Despite Berry’s best efforts, none of these themes are strong enough to resonate, relegating Never Let Go as yet another entertaining but forgettable dystopian tale.