Director Alexandre Aja (Crawl, High Tension) and actor/producer Halle Berry (Gothika, The Call) came to Fantastic Fest to present their new film, Never Let Go. Written by Kevin Coughlin (The King Tide, V-Wars) and Ryan Grassby (The King Tide, V-Wars), Never Let Go tells the story of a mother and her two sons living in a secluded forest after evil has possessed the world. While the boys have spent their entire lives tethered to this home, one of them begins to question if the evil really exists.

Never Let Go is quite a departure from what Aja’s fans are used to seeing from him. He trades action-packed, suspenseful thrills for a more nuanced supernatural story. In the film, we meet Momma and her fraternal twin sons, Samuel and Nolan. They live in a house built by Momma’s parents that’s tucked away in the woods. The twins were born in the house, so they don’t know anything else. Anytime the family leaves their home, they keep thick, long ropes tied around their waists to keep them connected to the house and to protect them from the evil that wants to possess them. The audience seems to mostly view this world through the eyes of Nolan. He and his brother have never seen the evil or the outside world, trusting their mother. When Nolan begins to question this way of life, the audience begins to see the cracks. It’s the kind of film that keeps the audience in the dark as to whether Momma’s stories are true or if she is mentally ill. These kinds of stories are, unfortunately, often about women losing their mind, which Never Let Go does lean into quite a bit, though I do appreciate some of the different paths the film takes. While the complexity of the story works more often than not, it unfortunately doesn’t quite stick the landing. It will likely leave audiences somewhat confused, but it will also certainly lead to many conversations as people try to unravel the truth.

With a small cast in a remote location, Never Let Go relies on the performances to bring the story to life. Naturally, Halle Berry is phenomenal as Momma. Her performance has many layers, being a loving mother while also trying to keep the evil outside, and her own demons within, at bay. Even when she is at her most unhinged, Berry makes it crystal clear that Momma loves her sons and will do whatever it takes to keep them safe. Anthony B. Jenkins (The Deliverance, The Wonder Years) plays Samuel, the older of the twins. Samuel is the one who seems to trust Momma implicitly, often being the one to keep his brother in line and acting far beyond his age. Jenkins is great at conveying his character’s strength, but he’s even better at revealing the hidden fear and uncertainty just beneath the surface. Percy Daggs IV (Solos, Undone) plays the younger twin, Nolan. Daggs’s performance absolutely blew me away. Nolan is all of us, watching Momma and wondering if what she says is true. His performance grounds the film and also adds great emotional weight. In one particular scene Nolan gives an impassioned speech that will surely bring some audiences to tears. Individually, these three actors are fantastic, but the familial chemistry between them is incredible.

Every artistic element of Never Let Go is a true work of art. The set is an important piece, since the house is the only thing protecting the family. It’s run down, but clearly filled with love, and it fits well in the woodland location. A real highlight is the snake motif used throughout to represent the evil. Whenever Momma sees the evil in the woods, trying to lure the family to venture further than their ropes will allow, the sinister entities look like the living dead with snake skin peeking out of their wounds. It’s some truly stunning creature design audiences will surely remember. Bringing everything to the screen is remarkable cinematography that strikes just the right balance between highlighting the beauty, as well as emphasizing the horrors.

Never Let Go is a compelling story of a family’s love keeping evil at bay, but unfortunately, the final act leads to far more questions than answers. It’s nice to see Aja branching out into a different style of horror film, and it’s clear he had a great vision for the film. The script is also, for the most part fantastic, but it could have gone through a few more revisions to create a more satisfying conclusion. Luckily, the performances and the imagery are truly spectacular. Be sure to see Never Let Go on the big screen, now in theaters everywhere.

OVERALL RATING: 6/10