Lionsgate’s Never Let Go sees Halle Berry return to horror in a film blending a monster flick and psychological terror. The story unfolds in a secluded cabin in the woods. Never Let Go teases a sinister force lurking outside—one that decimated civilization. She warns her children, played by Anthony B. Jenkins and Percy Daggs IV, to tie a rope to themselves that’s attached to the house. Without it, if the monsters touch them, it’s game over. While her children adhered to her warnings, one of them now questions whether the danger is real.
Directed by Alexandre Aja and written by KC Coughlin and Ryan Grassby, it feels on par with a film like the underrated Frailty. There’s something about the psychological impact of a controlling parent, however well-intended, that resonates with viewers. She wants to shield her children from what’s outside, and takes it to the extreme to achieve her goal. Still, in the trailer, it’s hard to be sure what’s onscreen is accurate and not born of the imagination from constantly hearing about the monsters outside. If the danger is real, does the end justify the means?
Seeing Halle Berry in traditional horror in the woods setting is exciting. She was terrific in Gothika, a film filled with tension and surprising twists. And there should be a John Wick spinoff about her brutally tough Sofia with her canine companions.
On top of that, Alexandre Aja also directed Crawl, an entertaining, nail-biting flick with a woman squaring up against alligators to save her dad during a catastrophic hurricane. With this combination, it’s easy to feel confident that Never Let Go will deliver. Whether real or imagined, the trailer offers some chilling imagery in the forest gloom.
What do you think of the trailer?
Never Let Go releases on September 27.
