Halle Berry recently starred in a movie entitledNever Let Go, and those who enjoyed that will almost certainly find these other family-oriented monster movies just as interesting.Never Let Gois a 2024 horror thriller that follows a woman known as Mommaand her two twin sons. Momma is plagued by visions ofan invisible force called The Evil, which forces her and her children to rarely leave the house and remain tethered to each other with rope. However, when one of the twins begins to doubt the existence of The Evil, their sheltered lives begin to fall apart.
In some ways,Never Let Gopulls on some ofthe horror genre’s most popular tropes.There is a mother trying desperately to protect her children, an unseen monster that the characters must hide from, and a number of twists and turns that have audiences questioning what is real and what is not. In this way,those who lovedNever Let Gowill definitely be able to find other similar horror movies that are just as much fun. These films include some of the same themes and ideas asNever Let Go,but with distinctly different executions.
Mother!
Cast
Mother! is a psychological horror film directed by Darren Aronofsky. Released in 2017, it stars Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem as a couple whose serene life is upended when unexpected visitors arrive at their home, challenging their relationship and shattering their peace.
When it comes to movies about mothers, it is hard to ignore the 2017psychological thriller movieliterally entitled,Mother!Starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem,Mother!follows a young woman who is renovating the Victorian mansion she and her husband live in.Yet, her plans suddenly go awry when a mysterious couple and their child arrive at the home, and make the woman wonder why her husband is so friendly to them but not to her.
Mother!may not be for everyone, but it definitely provides the same mystery and tension asNever Let Go.Audiences are forced to sort out what is happening piece by piece, all while Lawrence’s Mother is broken down by what is happening around her. Furthermore,Mother!provides a huge revealthat parallelsthe twist ending ofNever Let Go.Thus, the movies are well-matched, despite their differing styles and premises.
The Road
Based on Cormac McCarthy’s novel of the same name, The Road centers on a father and son who attempt to make it to the coast after a global apocalypse wipes out all plant and animal life on Earth. The Road was directed by John Hillcoat and stars Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee.
For those who really enjoyed the dynamic between Momma and her sons,The Roadis a great movie to check out. Based on the novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy,the story follows a father and son who are traveling across the post-apocalyptic wastelandthat is now America. Using the father’s survival skills and the son’s innocent hope, the pair try to keep civilization alive, despite gangs of criminals who have nefarious intentions.
Once again,The Roadoffers up a father-son connection that is similar to what is portrayed inNever Let Go.Though the son may be too young or innocent to understand the reality of his situation, the father is more aware of the dangers surrounding them. However, it is important to note thatThe Roadmay not be as mind-bending asNever Let Go.Rather than being a psychological mystery,The Roadleans more toward sci-fi and action. Regardless, it is a story that shares many ties withNever Let Go.
Hereditary
The feature film debut of writer-director Ari Aster, Hereditary tells the story of the unwittingly cursed Graham family. Annie Graham (Toni Collette) lives with her husband Steve (Gabriel Byrne) and their children Peter (Alex Wolff) and Charlie (Milly Shapiro). After the death of Annie’s mother, the family is beset by disaster and stalked by a supernatural entity that dredges up a past that Annie had spent her life trying to overlook.
One of the most popular horror movies of the late 2010s isAri Aster’sHereditary.This horrifying movie follows a suburban family after the death of their matriarch. Following her funeral, each member of the family is haunted by their ancestral ties and the secrets that lurk beneath their history. Eventually, everything comes to a head when a dark force infiltrates the family once and for all, leading to some of the scariest scenes in recent horror movie history.
Just like how Momma, Samuel, and Nolan each have different perspectives on The Evil, the various characters inHereditarysuffer or cope in distinct ways.
Hereditaryis yet another horror movie that pulls on themes of family. However, what really parallels this movie withNever Let Gois the ways in which each character is affected differently by the situation at hand. Just like how Momma, Samuel, and Nolan each have different perspectives on The Evil, the various characters inHereditarysuffer or cope in distinct ways. However, once both movies reach their climaxes, it is impossible to pull apart the families and the evils coming after them.
The Babadook
The Babadook, directed by Jennifer Kent, explores the struggles of a single mother grieving her husband’s death while confronting her son’s fear of a lurking monster. As they contend with this unseen entity, the sinister presence grows increasingly pervasive in their lives.
Another title that is probably recognizable to most audiences isthe movieThe Babadook.This Australian film follows a single mother who is hauntedby the violent death of her husband. Meanwhile, she must contend with her son’s fear of a monster lurking around their home. Ultimately, the woman’s trauma and her son’s imagination collide when she discovers that a dark force may actually be inside her house, influencing her every move.
In many ways,the relationship between Amelia and Samuel inThe Babadookparallels the relationship between Momma and her sonsinNever Let Go.Amelia and Momma are both desperate to protect their children, no matter the cost. However, their sanity is also on the line, making it more and more difficult for them to fight off the danger coming to them. Although Samuel and the twins have different reactions to the monster at play, both movies explore the idea of trauma and mothers fighting tooth and nail for their children.
610 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
A Woman Is Stuck In A Bunker
Despite its sci-fi roots,10 Cloverfield Lanehas much more in common withNever Let Gothan some might think.This 2016 movie follows Michelle, a woman who gets into a car accidentand wakes up in a locked underground bunker with two men who claim the apocalypse has arrived. Stuck between feeling safe and endangered, Michelle must come to her own conclusions about what is going out in the outside world, and more importantly, who she can trust.
10 Cloverfield Laneis part of a horror franchise, includingCloverfieldand theCloverfield Paradox.
10 Cloverfield Laneis ideal for those audiences who love being at the edge of their seat, wondering what the truth is. Just likeNever Let Godangles the question of whether The Evil is real,10 Cloverfield Laneconstantly makes viewers wonder whether the apocalypse is actually happening, or if something more sinister is at play. Ultimately,10 Cloverfield Lanedraws on more sci-fi elements thanNever Let Go,but it is still an engaging watch with a central mystery that will grip almost any audience member.
Mama
Mama is the 2013 feature-length adaptation of Andy Muschietti’s horror short film of the same name. It follows a pair of little girls, Victoria and Lilly, who get adopted by a supernatural spirit. When their uncle Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and his girlfriend Annabel (Jessica Chastain) intervene, they realize that helping the feral children is no easy task.
A lesser-known movie that sort of flips the script onNever Let GoisMama.Released in 2013,Mamatells the story of two sisters who go missingon the day their parents die. After five years of desperate searching, the girls are found safe and sound, and are brought to live with their uncle and his girlfriend. However, as she tries to adapt the girls to normal life, the girlfriend realizes that the girls may not be as unscathed as they originally seemed.
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There are some fairly clear connections betweenMamaandNever Let Go.For example, Jessica Chastain’s Annabel is responsible for two little girls, meanwhile a monster creeps under the surface. However,what is more interesting is howMamafollows the complete opposite script ofNever Let Go.While the twins in the 2024 movie wonder whether they can trust their mother, Annabel must ask herself whether she can trust the twins. In this way,Mamaoffers a very similar story, but completely flipped on its head.
Take Shelter
Take Shelter is a psychological thriller directed by Jeff Nichols. The film follows Curtis LaForche, played by Michael Shannon, a man overwhelmed by apocalyptic visions. As he grapples with disturbing dreams and hallucinations, Curtis’s behavior begins to alienate his family and friends. Jessica Chastain co-stars as his supportive wife Samantha. The film explores themes of mental illness, trust, and the boundaries between reality and illusion.
Those seeking more of a psychological thriller than a horror movie should definitely check out 2011’sTake Shelter.The movie stars Michael Shannon as Curtis, a regular small-town man who begins having nightmaresabout an impending apocalypse. Shook by his dreams, Curtis begins acting strangely towards his peers, and more importantly, building a storm shelter in his backyard. Eventually, Curtis' behavior and dreams put a wedge between himself and his beloved family.
Take Shelteris a movie that really hones in on a character like MommafromNever Let Go.Although those around Curtis, and maybe even the audience, want to believe in him, his actions become so erratic that it is easy to question his sanity. On top of that,Take Shelterincludes that family element that makesNever Let Gothat much more complicated and high stakes. Though there may not be a monster at play here,Take Shelterwill certainly leave audiences with a lot of burning questions.
It Comes at Night
Written and directed by Trey Edward Shults, It Comes At Night is a Psychological Horror film starring Joel Edgerton and Christopher Abbott. The 2017 release chronicles the fate of a family that attempts to hide in the woods away from society when the world is overtaken by a deadly virus.
For those who like their horror movies a bit more ambiguous,It Comes At Nightis the perfect pick. This horror mystery is set during an apocalypse that wiped out most of the human population.Two families live in a house together, banding together against the evil outsidedespite their discomfort with each other. Yet, things take a turn when they realize that the real evil may not be outside the house, but within it.
Until the veryend ofIt Comes At Night,the movie keeps audiences on their toes. Viewers are constantly second guessing what is real and who to trust. Furthermore,likeNever Let Go,characters' actions can completely upend reality, leading to even more danger and risk of death.It Comes At Nightmay be more vague thanNever Let Go,but it is still gripping and full of haunting images and scenes.
Bird Box
Bird Box shows the apocalypse through the ears of Malorie Hayes (Sandra Bullock), a mother of two who tries to get her children to safety after realizing that the demonic entities who are ravaging the world only affect their victims through their eyes. The 2018 Netflix hit is based on Josh Malerman’s 2014 novel of the same name.
A hit horror movie from 2018 that definitely has ties toNever Let GoisBird Box.This horror action flick starring Sandra Bullock takes place in a world where a mysterious force has decimated humankind. All the survivors know is that if they look at the monster, it will take the form of their worst fears, and they will die. Therefore,a mother and her children must travel to a potential sanctuary blindfoldedin the hopes that they can make it there with their lives.
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Bird Boxis ideal for those who love horror movies where the monster has a unique twist.The fact thatBird Box’scharacters have to remain blindfolded for much of the movie is such an interesting twist, it makes the rest of the film that much more enticing. On top of that,Bird Boxbenefits from an amazing cast including Sarah Paulson and John Malkovich. LikeNever Let Go, Bird Boxhas a gimmick that works.
A Quiet Place
A Quiet Place, directed by John Krasinski, follows a family navigating a post-apocalyptic world where they must live in silence to evade deadly creatures that hunt by sound.
What is likely the best movie to watch afterNever Let GoisA Quiet Place.This horror sensation starring John Krasinski and Emily Blunt tells the story of a family who must remain silent at all timesto protect themselves from alien invaders who track their prey down through sound. Using sign language and a number of intelligent tactics, the family tries to keep themselves alive while the mother prepares to give birth to another child.
Horror movies often rely heavily on loud noises to scare their audiences, butA Quiet Placedoes the opposite.
IfA Quiet Placeis anything, it is an experience. Horror movies often rely heavily on loud noises to scare their audiences, butA Quiet Placedoes the opposite. It builds tension through silence, and the risk of catching the attention of the monster. Once again,A Quiet PlaceparallelsNever Let Gobecause of the monster’s distinct gimmick, but it also includes themes of family and protecting those you love. All in all,A Quiet Placeis the perfect movie to watch afterNever Let Go.
Never Let Go
A mother and her twin sons are trapped in their house by a malevolent force, relying on their familial bond and physical connection for safety. When one son questions the reality of the evil, their unity unravels, leading to a terrifying battle for survival in this psychological thriller/horror.
