Never Let Go ending explained: What happens to Halle Berry's character in the end?

On Friday, September 20, 2024, Never Let Go, starring Halle Berry, was released in theatres across the United States. The film also starred Percy Daggs IV and Anthony B. Jenkins.

The survival horror thriller was written by Kevin Coughlin and Ryan Grassby and directed by Alexandre Aja of The Hills Have Eyes (2006) and Piranha 3D (2010). It was produced by Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, Alexandre Aja, and Dan Levine and distributed by Lionsgate.

The characters portrayed by Halle Berry (Momma), Percy Daggs IV (Nolan), and Anthony B. Jenkins (Samuel) are central to the film Never Let Go. However, only two of these characters survive by the movie's conclusion. In a remarkable act of self-sacrifice, Berry's character, Momma, destroys herself to save her children, marking the end of her character's journey.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Never Let Go. Please read at your discretion.

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Halle Berry's character sacrifices herself for her children in Never Let Go

Alexandre Aja's 2024 film Never Let Go centers on the idea of "never let go." This theme applies to the physical rope that binds Momma, Samuel, and Nolam to their home in the woods and to the unseen connections that unite them as a family.

Aja makes the movie more than a story about a few bad guys haunting a family. At the start, it is clear that Berry's character is a devoted mother who prioritizes her children's safety. Her determination to stay close to them, even when facing deadly consequences, stems from her instinct to protect them more effectively by being present.

However, Berry's character cannot hold on to that thought when the evil spirits start taking over her mind and body. In a particularly gruesome scene from the film, when the "bad guys" threaten Halle Berry's character, Momma, that they will make her eat her babies when they get hold of her, she kills herself by slicing her neck with a shard of glass.

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Are the evil spirits in Never Let Go real or just a figment of Momma's mind?

Watching the film convinces you that the evil spirits shown in it are real. They appear in various forms; at times, they resemble a multilegged creature that climbs a tree, and at other times, they take on the appearance of a deformed deceased relative. Yet, it does not seem as if they do not exist.

However, Nolan’s character challenges this narrative as he strives to break free from the established norm and the "never let go" agreement. He believes the evil may not be as real as their mother claims it to be, suggesting that it could merely be a product of her imagination or a manifestation of her deep-seated fear.

The film briefly addresses this psychological aspect of fear and evil but does not delve into it deeply enough to establish it as a central theme. Therefore, by the end of the movie, when viewers see a bloodied Halle Berry after she sacrifices herself to the evil, they are left uncertain about how to respond. Was she truly overtaken by the evil, or was her mind playing tricks with her? It seems the audience may never find out.

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Never Let Go is currently running in theatres across the US.