Alexander Aja’s survival horror feature “Never Let Go” never fully gained its footing, even with a great cast and intriguing concepts.
The film takes place in a remote cabin in a dense forest and follows a woman, referred to as Momma (Halle Berry), and her two sons, Nolan and Samuel (Percy Daggs IV, Anthony B. Jenkins.) The loving but tough Momma tries to protect her children from a supernatural entity only known as “The Evil” that only she can see.
The cabin is their haven, and to venture out, the family must tie themselves to the house using a long rope to keep “The Evil” from touching them. According to Momma, they are the last survivors of the destruction of humanity by the entity.
The slow-paced scenes at the beginning show a glimpse of the day-to-day life of the family. Viewers are sucked into the world through the family’s inadequate meals and evil cleansing rituals. The cinematography allows these moments to linger through a minimalistic, straightforward approach.
The film also builds on great performances from Berry, Daggs and Jenkins. They are the central focus of the story, and the internal conflict within the family is what makes this film so interesting.
Berry’s performance as the loving but fiercely protective Momma fully displays her talents. Viewers feel empathy for her struggles and can see her love for her family, not just through her explicit actions, but through the little unnoticed moments.
Daggs and Jenkins play the contrasting roles of Nolan and Samuel to fantastic heights. Young actors face unique challenges in the film industry due to their inexperience, but the duo exceeded all expectations.
Daggs especially conveys intense emotions and depth in his performance of Nolan in a way that resembles a full-fledged actor.
However, all these positive aspects of the film are devalued by its glaring faults.
Most disappointingly, this horror film isn’t horrifying at all. “The Evil” isn’t given much screentime, which is a good thing as the designs and concept of the shapeshifting entities come across as silly and cliche rather than terrifying.
The film could have been a very good survival thriller, but it leans more into the genre it is weakest in.
The story never materializes into what it promised to be. The confusing plot leads viewers from one conclusion to another and not in a good way. All this buildup and misdirection ultimately ends on a frustrating note.
“Never Let Go” hangs on its performances, but as the performances become less important, the quality of the film visibly deteriorates.
The characters and their world, which were so important in the first half of the film, become secondary in the final scenes of the film. Even the most integral questions like what “The Evil” really is, are forgotten in the rushed ending.
More time should have been given to continue the interesting world they were successfully creating instead of falling to the old cliches of explosive, Hollywood-style endings. 
