Never Let Go Parent Guide

M. Night Shyamalan called: he wants his movie back.

Never Let Go is a horror movie about Momma, played by Halle Berry, who has isolated herself and her two sons to protect them from “The Evil”. The Evil has turned humanity against one another and the only safe place is within the characters’ mountain homestead. Momma teaches her sons to be tethered to the foundation of the home by long ropes as the Evil cannot touch them so long as they are connected to the house. Eventually, Momma’s sons begin to question whether there is more beyond their homestead and wonder whether the ropes tethering them to the house are in fact trapping them there.

Never Let Go wasn’t bad so much as it was forgettable. The plot is nothing new and was generally predictable. There are some themes of family, love, sacrifice, and questioning the way in which one is raised but those horses have been beat to death, resurrected, and then beat to death again by countless other movies.

The major standout here is the acting. The family, played by Halle Berry, Percy Daggs IV and Anthony B. Jenkins (as her two sons) are both compelling and heartfelt. Unfortunately, these performances are wasted on a movie that gets bogged down by its overpowering boredom. The actors have the ability to bring the characters to life, which brings a sense of urgency to their plight, but the story doesn’t come to any satisfying conclusions. The movie builds tension incredibly well and the cinematography and directing complement the performances, but nothing can save this production from its vague plot.

That said, the script provides some interesting world building and I found myself wanting to know more about the characters’ past and the nature of The Evil. However, these questions are never answered which leaves the movie feeling like an hour and half trailer for some future horror franchise.

All things considered, the movie is remarkably tame for a horror movie so it may be a good introduction for viewers who want horror driven by tension and jump scares as opposed to blood and gore.