Having established himself as a prominent figure in the Splat Pack, filmmaker Alexandre Aja ventures into the realm of family-centric horror, akin to the Quiet Place series, with his latest film Never Let Go. However, the French director primarily evokes nostalgia for his previous works that delved into B-movie territory, featuring carnivorous fish in Piranha 3D or giant alligators in a hurricane setting in Crawl. Despite their flaws, these movies offered enjoyable popcorn entertainment with a bite. Regrettably, Aja's latest endeavor lacks the same level of amusement, initially holding promise but ultimately falling short after a few intense moments.
One of the issues with KC Coughlin and Ryan Grassby's weak screenplay is the tediousness of its introduction. Halle Berry portrays a character known only as Momma, residing in seclusion in a rustic family home with her two non-identical twin sons, Samuel (Anthony B. Jenkins) and Nolan (Percy Daggs IV). They are tethered to the house when venturing outside, as a precaution against evil influences, a concept reiterated so often that it becomes exasperating.
