Alexandre Aja is no stranger to tales that question perception and reality. The psychological horror film Never Let Go continues and expands that query’s scope in stylish fashion with Halle Berry at the core.
The Lionsgate Blu-ray release rolling out this month delivers the film’s atmospheric and at times beautiful cinematography nicely for the home audience. It’s less brutal and kinetic than Aja’s divisive High Tension but preserves the director’s meditations.
Berry plays Momma, the possibly delusional protector of twin sons and a dog. The family resides in an old family house sequestered in a deep forest and decorated with some ornate wooden flourishes that hint at eldritch properties.
Momma is the keeper of family knowledge and lore. Or is it folklore? She has taught Nolan (Percy Daggs IV) and Samuel (Anthony B. Jenkins) that evil is all around and the house protects. Only by remaining tethered to the house by long ropes can the family remain untouchable to lurking, decaying intruders.
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The viewer is forced to wonder if the threats are Momma’s twisted perception or if family legend is accurate and the threats are real. Nolan becomes the skeptic, willing to test boundaries, while Samuel is more of a true-believer.
Food has become a challenge in the isolation and threatens to force a confrontation with what might be delusion, and the story delivers a variety of twists and surprises that maintain engagement as everyone keeps guessing.
The beautiful outdoor photography blends well with the sometimes warm and almost-cozy feel of the sequestering house, providing perfect surroundings for spiraling events. Berry is at her absolute best here, spinning her often-heroic on-screen persona in new directions. Both Daggs and Jenkins offer standout turns as well.
Occasional jump scares are synched well with sound design, and those are preserved in the home environment.
Reminiscent in a way of Goodnight Mommy (2014), the coy journey should be worth a look for those in search of cerebral explorations.
The Blu-ray offers worthwhile extras to enhance the appreciation of the experience including documentaries on story development and set design.
The disc is now available following a brief theatrical release in September.
