From the very first moment Never Let Go appears on the screen, it grabs you and it does not let go. You’ve probably heard that before about films, especially those in the horror genre, but this is no exaggeration.
Never Let Go screened as the opening night feature at Fantastic Fest 2024. Fantastic Fest , the nation’s largest genre film festival made a perfect choice for opener of this nineteenth edition of the festival which features horror, sci-fi, fantasy, restored classics and documentaries about these genres and their filmmakers and stars. The festival takes place at Austin’s Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar, with special events being shared with Alamo Drafthouse locations across the country.
House in the Woods
This film proves that even an extremely common, and perhaps overdone, horror premise can still deliver a powerful story.
“The mama”, played by Oscar winner Halle Berry (for Actress in a Leading Role in 2001’s Monster’s Ball), lives in an isolated cabin in the woods with her twin sons, surrounded by a mysterious evil force. Sound familiar? Sure. But don’t let that stop you from seeing Never Let Go.
Berry’s character explains to her two sons that an evil lurks outside their isolated home which has destroyed the entire world, but for their little family. She has established rituals and procedures to ensure their safety when they do go out of the house to gather food or do other chores. The most important of these: hang onto a rope tied to the house from which they must never let go.
The twin boys, played by Anthony B. Jenkins (The Deliverance) and Percy Daggs IV (The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey), must balance what their mother tells them against what they observe with their own eyes.
A Family Drama?
Never Let Go is at once horror, mystery, and family drama. It goes deep into the complexities of family love and trust. That might sound like a hard mix to pull off, but director Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes) does a superb job of balancing suspense, secrets, and a hidden past.
As you watch the film, you will wonder whether what you see on the screen really exists in the world of the film or does it only exist in the mind of the mama. Are the boys really being protected or are they being fooled into believing some nonsense? What is the mama’s motivation? Does she even know what is happening?
Almost every scene brings a new question, a new worry, and a new scare.
Filmmaker Thoughts
After the film, Aja and Berry answered questions about the creation of the film.
Towards the end of the discussion, Berry asked the audience if they’d be interested in knowing what happened to “mama” before the story in the film began and to the boys after it ended. She got an enthusiastic response.
“Great! A trilogy”, she joked. Or maybe, it won’t turn out to be a joke. Never let go and you might find out.
Never Let Go is showing only in theaters, now. You can watch the trailer below.
For information about next year’s Fantastic Fest, check their social media on Facebook, their X page, and Instagram.
