It’s always intriguing to see actors and comedians produce works in horror. We’ve seen it with Jordan Peele, World War Z (Brad Pitt), and Spiral (Chris Rock). Now, Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry has joined this club with her latest film, Never Let Go, the first movie under her new production company. Thankfully, Never Let Go brings fresh energy to the horror genre. From start to finish, the film keeps audiences on the edge of their seats by delivering a tense, emotionally charged story under the lens of a family drama. It’s a movie that grabs you by the throat and never loosens its grip.
The film follows a mother’s struggle to protect her twin sons from an insidious evil lurking outside their door. From the first scene, we are drawn into the protagonist’s desperate world, and the stakes are clear. In true Aja fashion, the film plunges viewers into a world of paranoia and dread. Similarly, the psychological tension increases rapidly, particularly when one of the boys begins questioning the reality of the evil outside their door. Every minute is saturated with an underlying sense of dread that builds and builds until it reaches its climax. This is where Never Let Go excels: it knows when to push forward and let the weight of the situation settle in.
The layered storytelling elevates Never Let Go above the average horror film. The combination of family drama and supernatural thriller elements creates a terrifying and emotionally resonant narrative. Of course, none of this would work without the cast’s performances. Thankfully, they’re top-notch, with Halle Berry giving a particularly gripping portrayal of a mother pushed to her emotional and physical limits. She is vulnerable and fierce, embodying a character driven by pure love and desperation to protect her children at any cost. Additionally, Percy Daggs IV delivers a layered performance of someone who wants to be free of his situation and his love for his family.
With gripping performances and relentless tension, Never Let Go pulls you in and never lets up, offering both thrills and emotional weight.
Regrettably, although the film focuses primarily on the family, Never Let Go fails to address many questions and plotlines. Numerous storylines remain unresolved, such as specific backstories and vague background events. Instead of neatly tying up all loose ends, the film opts for ambiguity. While that may enhance the sense of dread and chaos for some viewers, others may find the lack of closure frustrating or confusing.
Nevertheless, Aja amplifies the horror by placing the family in an isolated setting where she can’t trust anyone. The sense of helplessness that saturates the film is palpable. As a result, it’s easy to sympathize with their predicament while also dreading what might come next. At the same time, Never Let Go doesn’t rely on cheap jump scares to scare audiences. That’s not to say there aren’t jump scares in the film, but the jump scares are earned—each one rooted in the raw, emotional stakes of the story.
Overall, Never Let Go is a thrilling ride that blends psychological and supernatural horror with a deep emotional core. Alexandre Aja’s direction and stellar performances create a terrifying and thought-provoking film. It shows that absolute terror comes from the darkest corners of the human mind. However, it also proves that there’s nothing more vital than family. It’s only September, but we’ve seen many good horror films already. Never Let Go continues that streak and is a worthy watch for horror fans.
Rating: 3.5/5 atoms
Never Let Go hits theaters on September 20th.
