Halle Berry returns to the horror genre in Never Let Go (2024), a psychological thriller directed by Alexandre Aja. Released in theatres worldwide last month, the horror thriller is now available on Video on Demand services. Exploring themes of fear, trauma, and family bonds through the story of a mother and her two sons trapped in their home by a mysterious and malevolent force, the film is tense with ambiguity surrounding every aspect of the tale. If you were baffled by the Never Let Go ending and want to understand how the film questions the nature of reality, blending elements of supernatural horror with psychological dread you are at the right place.
With a strong performance from Berry, Never Let Go dives into the complexities of grief and paranoia, although, some of its more over-the-top elements and forced metaphors could have used some fine-tuning to have an impact.
In the following article, we will take a deep dive into Never Let Go, navigating each aspect of the tale. If you haven’t seen the film, consider this as your spoiler warning.
Never Let Go (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis
The film is set in a dense, remote forest, where Halle Berry plays a character known only as “Momma.” She lives in a house with her two young sons, Nolan (Percy Daggs IV) and Sam (Anthony B. Jenkins), after what she describes as “the end of the world.” The trio is haunted by a shapeshifting entity that roams the woods outside, which only Momma can see. To survive, they tether themselves to the house, which she claims is blessed and keeps them safe.
However, tension begins to rise when Nolan starts doubting the existence of the entity and whether their isolation is necessary. He notices that even when they find themselves untethered, nothing bad seems to happen, other than their mother’s heightened paranoia about something death-like taking them into their realm. This doubt creates a rift between the two boys since Sam remains completely faithful to Momma.
What happens when their food supply gets dangerously low?
Initially, the three of them live well with Momma making sure that her two boys are well fed even if it means that she keeps herself started. However, the family’s food supply dwindles during a harsh winter, and when Momma plans to kill their dog, Koda, for food, Nolan, in a desperate act of rebellion, traps her in the greenhouse. There, Momma encounters the evil force—appearing in the form of her mother—and dies by suicide.
Never Let Go (2024) Movie Ending Explained
Was the evil real or imaginary?
Left alone and starving, the boys’ situation becomes even more dire when a hiker named Cole stumbles upon their cabin. The revelation that the world has not ended and the evil might not be real shocks Nolan. However, Sam, still holding onto his mother’s beliefs, kills the hiker, fearing he is part of the evil force. As the boys attempt to survive, the film builds up to a confrontation with the mysterious entity. But the true nature of the evil remains unclear as the boys are eventually rescued by modern-day emergency responders.
The ending of Never Let Go (2024) leaves viewers grappling with the question: is the evil force real, or is it a product of Momma’s paranoia and mental illness? Throughout the movie, director Aja presents conflicting perspectives, making it hard to discern what is truly happening. For much of the film, only Momma sees the evil, which manifests as snake-like creatures or figures from her past. Her extreme religious upbringing and traumatic history are hinted at through her tattoos and scars, suggesting a potential psychological explanation for her delusions.
The final scenes offer a potential resolution but no clear answers. After Momma’s death, Sam believes the evil is real and is possessed by a creature resembling the hiker’s daughter. However, both boys are severely malnourished and on the brink of starvation, raising the possibility that they are hallucinating. The ambiguity is heightened when Nolan confronts the evil, which appears as a scaly, humanoid snake-monster version of his mother. In the film’s last moments, a selfie Sam takes during the house fire reveals the hand of the snake monster on his shoulder—suggesting he may still be under its influence.
The reason why director Aja deliberately avoids giving viewers a definitive explanation is to make them question their own faith, their commitment to the idea that ‘everything your family tells you is true’ and how you can sometimes not escape the curse of inherting trauma within the family tree.
The evil force could be real, with supernatural elements driving the family to the brink. Alternatively, the entire situation may be the result of Momma’s broken psyche and the trauma passed down to her children. Sam’s eventual possession and his belief in the monster may also represent the way trauma and fear are inherited, leading to destructive behavior.
The religious symbolism throughout the movie reinforces the theme of fear passed down through generations. Momma’s obsessive efforts to protect her sons from the world mirror her own parents’ attempts to shield her from evil, which may have caused her deep psychological scars. The snake, an obvious reference to the Biblical story of Adam and Eve, further blurs the lines between religious metaphor and real-world horror.
Never Let Go explores the complexity of motherhood, the overwhelming need to protect one’s children, and the fine line between safeguarding them and unintentionally harming them. Momma’s character embodies this tension, isolating her sons in a remote cabin under the belief that an Evil has wiped out the world, using extreme measures to ensure they stay safe—sometimes holding them at knifepoint to ensure they aren’t possessed. Berry’s character wrestles with her sanity, and as the audience we follow along.
In an interview, star Halle Berry highlights that the film’s core question—whether the Evil exists or is purely in Momma’s mind—mirrors how trauma and fear can distort reality. For her character, the threat is very real, even if it may not be to the outside world. This uncertainty is further emphasized when Momma slashes her own throat, believing she’s cornered by a malevolent entity that might force her to harm her children. Berry notes that this moment sparks a new journey for the boys, forcing them to navigate their survival without their protector and uncover the truth for themselves.
In the end, Never Let Go leaves much for the audience to interpret. Is the evil real, or is it the product of a mind corrupted by fear and past trauma? In the closing moments when one of the boys says ‘Momma loved me more’ is a clear implication that the trauma has infested the boys too, and there is only little chance for either of them to escape it.
