Never Let Go - A un passo dal male

Alexandre Aya's "Never Let Go" is a serviceable horror film that offers a familiar blend of jump scares and haunted house tropes. While it doesn't break new ground, it delivers a solid performance from Halle Berry and a few tense moments.

The film is about a family trapped in their home, besieged by a mysterious, malevolent force. While the film does a decent job of building suspense and creating a claustrophobic atmosphere, it ultimately falls short of delivering anything truly original or terrifying.

Halle Berry delivers a solid performance as the determined mother, but the film's real strength lies in its depiction of the growing tension between the family members. The boys' fear and doubt slowly erode the trust and unity that once held them together, creating a palpable sense of dread.

Unfortunately, the film's pacing is a bit uneven, with some sequences feeling drawn-out and others moving too quickly. The climax, while tense, feels somewhat predictable and lacks the emotional impact it should.

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.

Firstly, my review: I really enjoyed this movie. It's a solid psychological horror that keeps you guessing the whole way through. The movie does a great job of creating a creepy and eerie atmosphere that pulls you in and makes you feel uneasy. What I loved most is how it keeps you thinking - there were plenty of moments where I wasn't sure what was real and what wasn't. It's such a nice change from the usual horror movies that spell everything out for you.

The plot is interesting and engaging, and unlike most horror films today, jumpscares are used only when they actually add to the tension. They don't rely on them just to scare you every two minutes. The acting is really good, too - it helps make the whole thing feel more real and adds to the creepy vibe.

Now to my rant on horror movie reviews: After watching, I was excited to read some reviews and see if people shared my thoughts, but I was shocked by the number of people complaining. Some said the plot was "too confusing," or that there weren't enough jumpscares, or they just didn't get it because they were distracted on their phones for half the movie.

I feel like a lot of people just don't appreciate good horror anymore. They'd rather watch movies filled with cheap jumpscares and predictable plots, instead of something that actually makes them think. It's frustrating because real, scary horror movies are becoming so rare these days, and I'm worried about where the genre is headed if this is what people want.

It can't just be me who thinks like this, right?

This film is currently sitting at a 5.7 and I think that's criminally low. Not sure if anybody paid attention to the ending shot but that answers the question in no uncertain terms.

The question is whether or not the danger in the forest is real or just a figment of Halle Berry's imagination. It's a layered, heartfelt story of a woman and her two children living in isolation and what may very well be a case of a mother having ruined her life along with her two young sons due to untreated schizophrenia. Are there scary things in the woods? Are the ropes really protecting them? At different points in the film it's impossible to decide and it does keep you guessing until the end.

Halle Berry is competent as always but the two young actors are real standouts here. They've got some heavy lifting for such young inexperienced actors and they do a shockingly good job. From about the midpoint on they are essentially carrying the film.

Aside from some all around great acting the practical efx on the monsters in the Woods is refreshing. There is some small amount of CGI, but there's plenty of good old fashioned blood and makeup to make these creatures just strange looking enough to be mildly spooky.

Overall Never Let Go has a lot going for it. It's not the first film to toss around the question of whether or not mental illness is at the root of the horror. I admit it's a widely used trope in this genre. But this movie handles it more competently than many others. And again it's helped out by some great child actors. I'll be expecting to see more of those boys in the near future.

Solid 7/10 for me.