Alexandre Aja’s latest horror thriller Never Let Go marks Halle Berry’s return to the genre, placing her and her two young sons in a post-apocalyptic setting, trapped inside their home by a mysterious evil. The film combines tension and mystery, blending supernatural horror with psychological themes. Though reviews have been mixed, the film has earned Halle Berry her highest Rotten Tomatoes score in five years.
Never Let Go Ending Explained
Never Let Go is set in a remote forest, filled with thick trees and vines. Halle Berry plays a character known only as Momma, who is isolated in her home with her two young sons, portrayed by Percy Daggs IV and Anthony B. Jenkins. The family is trapped after “the world ended,” according to Momma’s description. A shapeshifting entity, which only Momma can see, roams the forest, keeping them confined to their house. The family uses ropes to tether themselves to the house whenever they venture outside, believing its protective nature keeps them safe.
As the story unfolds, Nolan, one of the boys, begins to question the validity of Momma’s warnings. They experience instances where they end up outside untethered, only to find nothing dangerous happens to them. In contrast, his brother Sam wholeheartedly believes in their mother’s warnings. This causes a growing rift between the brothers as they struggle to understand their situation. Tensions rise further when, during a harsh winter, Momma decides to kill their dog, Koda, for food. Nolan reacts by trapping her in the greenhouse, untethered, to save the dog. In the greenhouse, Momma dies after encountering the evil entity, which takes the form of her own mother.
The Boys Left Alone: Reality or Illusion?
After Momma’s death, Nolan and Sam are left alone. Soon after, a hiker named Cole arrives at their cabin, revealing that the world hasn’t ended, contradicting Momma’s story. This raises the possibility that she was either lying or delusional. A weak and starving Sam kills Cole, believing him to be a manifestation of the evil entity. Later, Sam encounters the hiker’s daughter, who is actually the evil entity in disguise. Sam becomes possessed, attempting to kill Nolan. In a final confrontation, Nolan faces the entity, which has taken the form of his mother. The film ends with both boys being rescued by EMTs, but questions about the nature of the evil remain unresolved.
Throughout Never Let Go, Aja keeps the nature of the evil entity ambiguous. It’s unclear if the entity is a real supernatural force or a product of Momma’s paranoia and mental illness. Momma is the only one who can see the entity, and it often takes the form of people from her past, like her mother or ex-husband, but in twisted, serpent-like forms. Momma believes that the entity is trying to possess her and her children, manipulating them to kill each other. However, Nolan’s skepticism casts doubt on her claims, leaving the audience uncertain about what to believe.
Nolan’s Final Confrontation: A Question of Reality
In the film’s climax, Nolan faces off with the entity, which has taken the form of his mother before transforming into a grotesque, humanoid snake monster. However, Nolan is weak and starved, further complicating the interpretation of events. The final sequence leaves the question open, as Nolan sees a selfie taken by Sam just before the house burns down. The image shows the snake monster’s hand on Sam’s shoulder, suggesting that Sam may still be possessed, but it’s unclear if this is real or another hallucination. Aja purposefully leaves this open to interpretation, urging the audience to decide which occurrences are real and which are the result of delusion.
The Tragic Death of Momma
Momma’s death is a tragic culmination of her fears and mental struggles. She’s been trapped in her paranoia, seeing the evil entity as a constant threat. Ultimately, her fear becomes her undoing. She commits suicide by cutting her throat in the greenhouse to prevent the entity from possessing her. This decision stems from her belief that if she is killed, evil can’t force her to kill her children. Her suicide marks the tragic end of a character whose mental instability and trauma led her to this point.
The film introduces a new character, Cole, a hiker who arrives at the cabin. His true identity is shrouded in doubt. While Sam sees him as a manifestation of the evil entity, there are subtle clues suggesting that Cole might have been a real person. For example, Nolan sees Cole using an iPhone, something the family wouldn’t have known about. Additionally, Nolan finds real food in Cole’s bag, further suggesting that Cole is indeed human, and Sam’s violent actions are a result of his delusion and fear.
The Roots of Momma’s Lies
Throughout the film, it’s clear that Momma’s beliefs and actions are deeply tied to her past. She grew up in the same house where she is now trapped with her children. The house is full of religious symbols, hinting at a strict and fanatical upbringing. The presence of scars on Momma’s back suggests past experiences of self-punishment, possibly tied to religious practices like flogging. As the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that Momma may have initially lied to her children about the state of the world to protect them. Over time, however, her past trauma led her to believe her own lies, further complicating the situation.
The Deeper Meaning of Never Let Go
While Never Let Go is a supernatural thriller, it also explores deeper themes of fear, grief, and the impact of family trauma. Momma’s extreme actions stem from a universal parental fear: the desire to protect one’s children from the world’s dangers. Her intentions are rooted in love, but her fear and trauma warp her ability to protect her children. Momma’s upbringing, marked by religious extremism, passes down the trauma, making her fear-driven actions more extreme. The movie also delves into the long-term effects of grief, as Momma’s hallucinations often manifest as people from her past, including her parents and her husband.
