Never Let Go - A un passo dal male

Never Let Go had the potential to be a good movie but it has flaws what brought the ratings down. I think most of the people, myself included, were not happy with the ending which was open to interpretation. I like clear endings, no nonsense, not have to think about what was real and what not, and in this movie there are questions unanswered which is a pity to be honest because for the rest it wasn't bad. Good acting from Halle Berry and from the two kids Percy Daggs IV and Anthony B. Jenkins. As for the horror there are not much of those scenes but the ones that were there were interesting and well made. The movie is good enough to watch once.

On paper, a decent concept, visually gripping but thats pretty much where it ends.

Hallie Berry plays a great part as 'Mamma' with her 2 young loyal sons living in a her shadow as she pretects them from the unknown her has lost all reality.

The run down house that plays the safe haven and backdrop of the movie is almost a character in the moving playing a part in the story arc, the looming dense forest is daunting.... But for everything else?

Young boys to give credit put in great performances, they mesh well with Hallie, and its beautifully short for all artistic feels but its a story that has a very disappointing cliff hanger, save your money.

Never let go is an intriguing, mentally draining psychological horror that quickly hooks you with a central question: is Halle Berry's character losing her mind, or is there something more sinister at play? It's a slow burn where you constantly have to guess what is real and what isn't. The premise is interesting, and for the most part, it keeps you engaged.

The biggest problem I had with the movie, however, would have to be the third act. Prepared to question all that's throughout, it feels like there wasn't much resolution at the very end. It doesn't have the closure I was looking for; instead, it just leaves us with more questions. Some people like that mystery, but for me, it was just the slightest bit more explanation or one additional scene needed to help wrap up things nicely.

That said, it's still worth watching, if not for any other reason than for those who love a good slow burn, psychologically thrilling plot. Just be prepared for an ending that may not be as satisfactory of a wrap-up as it could be.

Never Let Go is a family drama, a supernatural horror film and a psychological thriller all at once. It stars excellent actress Halle Berry as well as child actors Percy Daggs IV and Anthony B. Jenkins. The film's plot is similar to M. Night Shyamalan's The Village. The story revolves around a mother and her two children who have taken refuge in a cabin in the woods. They live in complete isolation and suffer from starvation. The mother keeps telling her children that evil forces surround their home. The only way to avoid a grisly fate is by being tied to a series of ropes that are installed in the cabin's basement. As the children grow into teenagers, they slowly start to doubt their mother's stories. When they finally decide to let go of the ropes, a dramatic series of events occurs.

This movie has several noteworthy strengths. First and foremost, the plot is clever and comes around with several twists and turns throughout. While the general idea of the story isn't new at all, it has been executed with enough wit to keep genre fans entertained from start to finish.

Another remarkable strength is the acting in this film. Halle Berry excels as fragile, obsessive and strict mother. The two child actors convince throughout as well with one of them portraying a son who truly believes his mother's tales while the other one showcases a more rebellious, independent and free-spirited attitude. The two actors complete each other splendidly. Both of them should have great careers ahead of themselves.

The locations have also been chosen with care. The old cabin truly underlines the simple, regressive and difficult lives that the three protagonists are living. The forest with its old trees, rough rocks and colourful moss is the perfect setting for a tale of isolation.

However, this film isn't without flaws. The movie's pace is particularly slow and especially the film's first half needs resilient, optimistic and mature viewers who are open to give this film time to grow. They will be rewarded with a more dramatic second half.

This movie is missing truly gripping scenes. A gloomy atmosphere is present from start to finish but the film plods along without any notable highlights. This is a very mild drama and thriller that would have benefitted from a few more intense sequences.

At the end of the day, Never Let Go is a family drama, supernatural horror movie and psychological thriller that convinces with a clever plot, strong acting performances and fitting settings while suffering from a particularly slow pace and a lack of intensity. Never Let Go is thus recommended to mature, optimistic and resilient genre fans only.

Never Let Go starts with an intriguing premise: a mother in a post-apocalyptic world fights to protect her children from bloodthirsty creatures by keeping them tied to a rope. If they let go, they're attacked. However, despite this interesting concept, the movie fails to create the tense atmosphere the story demands. Instead of pulling us into a truly dangerous and desperate situation, the film loses focus and struggles to convey the real threat the characters face.

The plot twists are another weak point. Some are too predictable, and from early on, I felt like I could guess where the story was heading. Though I'm not entirely sure, because the ending is especially confusing and poorly explained, leaving us without a clear conclusion - as if the writer wasn't sure what message they wanted to convey.

Director Alexandre Aja has proven capable of crafting good films with simpler themes, like the remake of The Hills Have Eyes, High Tension, or Piranha 3D, but whenever he tackles more complex narratives, such as in Horns, he tends to fall short. In his case, "less is more" really applies.

That said, I have to admit the different approach might attract viewers looking for something unusual. However, for me, this film didn't hit the mark. There was a moment of real tension involving the fate of an animal that made me anxious, but aside from that, I felt indifferent in about 80% of the situations.

It's far from terrible due to the original concept that sets it apart from other films in this subgenre, but it lacks the essential ingredients to truly stand out or leave a lasting impression.