As a long-time fan who has followed Alexandre Aja’s career since his early horror masterpieces, I must admit, my excitement was palpable when I heard he was venturing into the realm of Southern Gothic chamber pieces with “Never Let Go”. However, much like the family in this film, I found myself starving for substance and nourishment as the story unfolded.
In a departure from his previous B-movie thrills, Alexandre Aja, known for the Splat Pack, attempts to delve into family-in-peril horror reminiscent of the Quiet Place series with the film Never Let Go. However, instead of delivering the entertainingly cheesy twists that marked movies like Piranha 3D (with its ferocious biting fish) or Crawl (featuring enraged giant alligators), Aja’s new project sadly lacks the fun factor. The movie starts off promisingly intriguing, but quickly loses steam, relying on a few effective jump scares before running out of steam entirely.
Part of the problem with KC Coughlin and Ryan Grassby’s feeble screenplay is the laboriousness of its setup. Halle Berry plays a woman, initially identified only as Momma, living in woodlands isolation in an old timber family home with her preteen nonidentical twin sons, Samuel (Anthony B. Jenkins) and Nolan (Percy Daggs IV). Whenever they step outside the house in search of food, they must remain tied to its foundations with thick ropes and: Never. Let. Go. That way evil can’t touch them and make them do bad things, explains Momma, so many times you want to scream, “Jesus, we get it!”
In simpler terms, this story seems to be set in a world corrupted by an undefined evil, leaving civilization in ruins. The only sanctuary for the characters is a house constructed by their grandfather as a haven for his frightened wife. The narrative unfolds through Nolan’s voiceover and Momma’s chilling bedtime tales, filled with both soothing advice and moments of intense anger. They also recite rhythmic spells before going outside and upon returning, their hands touching the holy wood. However, the story is burdened by complex lore that doesn’t necessarily make it easier to understand.
As a devoted fan, I’d put it this way: In various shapes, evil can manifest – from the serpent that creeps among the forest’s tangled tree roots to the hollow-eyed, undead humans hiding in ambush. These malevolent forces aim to corrupt the bond between the boys, as Momma warns them. They can seep into their minds and sow discord, pushing them to turn against each other.
One form of malevolence that seems particularly drawn to Momma is a woman dressed like a hillbilly, often seen dripping ink and possessing a tongue reminiscent of a lizard, or similar to Gene Simmons during his Kiss era. It’s hinted early on that she may have been part of the family. Additionally, the boys’ deceased father (William Catlett) is frequently spotted lurking around the house at night while Momma sits rocking on the porch, meticulously sharpening her hunting knife. Despite his demise, he appears to be alive, except for the large bullet hole in his back.
Mom is extremely angry following a dangerous situation caused by the boys’ carelessness, she even brandishes a knife at them while making them recite a rhyme for what seems like the 800th time. She also performs a unique cleansing ritual by locking one of them in the cellar at a time, asking them to visualize darkness enveloping their world, and then willing themselves back into the light.
By then, the movie was becoming disjointed because of its unclear and repetitive storyline. However, Berry’s sudden burst of madness, reminiscent of Piper Laurie in Carrie, was a refreshing change. Regrettably, she didn’t fully embrace the fiery hysteria (for now), instead maintaining a simmering witch-like intensity and fear that constantly haunted Momma. Nonetheless, it suggested that her maternal love might be darker than it appeared, leaving room for speculation about its true nature.
Due to a severe winter, all edible plants in their greenhouse have perished, along with much of the wild vegetation suitable for gathering. Wild animals are taking their time returning, which raises the family’s chances of experiencing hunger. A thin squirrel, prepared and cooked by Momma, appears to be their last substantial meal before they resort to cooking and eating tree bark.
The brothers’ relationship strains when Nolan starts questioning his mother’s urgent warnings and decides to venture out without a rope in pursuit of sustenance. They have always trusted their mother’s judgment because she is the only one who perceives danger, but Samuel trusts her blindly, urging Nolan not to jeopardize everyone by taking such a risk.
In his last movie, Aja chose to create tension and suspense within the confined setting of the Netflix sci-fi survival thriller Oxygen. Now, he’s moving on to a broader scale with Never Let Go, which is a Southern Gothic drama centered around three characters. However, the pacing of the story starts feeling slow shortly after we’ve learned all there is to know about Momma’s teachings.
The tension between the brothers is skillfully portrayed by the two talented young actors – Jenkins has been burdened with a substantial amount of villainy lately, following Lee Daniels’ unintended over-the-top exorcism scene in The Deliverance , and the makeup team does an impressive job on all three main characters, making them appear malnourished by sinking their eyes and cheeks. However, the movie starts to feel repetitive as it continually asks “Is Momma insane or telling the truth?”, eventually becoming predictable.
As I approach the midpoint, a startling turn of events heightens the tension considerably, leaving me in awe – all thanks to an ordinary hiker named Matthew Kevin Anderson who crossed my path in this enchanting yet sinister forest realm. By this point, however, the movie takes on a predictable “one by one” rhythm. Despite Aja’s best efforts to inject intensity with fiery battles, perspective shifts, eerie visits from the supernatural, and a dose of disturbing body horror, it falls flat, leaving me underwhelmed and chuckling rather than scared.
From a technical standpoint, the movie “Never Let Go” is meticulously crafted. For years, Aja has collaborated with his cinematographer Maxime Alexandre, who strategically employs expansive shots to place characters in a foreboding and mysterious natural environment. The filming location, disguising itself as rural Tennessee outside Vancouver, is rich and immersive, with its ominous sounds of the elements and mostly hidden wildlife skillfully merged into an intensely unsettling soundtrack by Robin Coudert, a French indie pop artist who goes by ROB in the film industry.
Jeremy Stanbridge, the production designer, gives the house a life of its own, filled with hidden mysteries and illuminated solely by candles and oil lamps. On nights when the moon is new, Momma cranks up an antique gramophone, allowing the boys to croon and jive to the nostalgic country-folk tune “The Big Rock Candy Mountain” from the late 1920s, symbolizing the rich heritage of the place.
As a gamer, I dive headfirst into every role I take on, just like HalleHolly’s producer Berry does with her projects. She strips down to a level that’s almost wild, and occasionally slips into a Southern drawl. This performance is mesmerizing as she skillfully straddles the line between fierce protector and paranoid, often tipping towards the edge of unhinged. However, despite her intense dedication, the story she portrays feels overly complex rather than genuinely complex, and the film seems to carry an air of self-importance that doesn’t quite match its material’s worth.
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2024-09-17 06:25