By watching the trailer for "Let Him Go," the viewer gets most of the action-packed, nail-biting moments in three minutes.
But it's the journey, brought to life by "Monte Carlo" director Thomas Bezucha, to the violence that makes the movie worthwhile.
Retired sheriff George Blackledge (Kevin Costner) and his headstrong wife Margaret (Diane Lane) are grieving over the death of their son James after an accident in the 1960s. Thankfully, they still have their daughter-in-law Lorna (Kayli Carter) and grandson Jimmy to happily tend to. That is until she marries an abusive man named Donnie Weboy (Will Brittain).
One day they leave without warning, and the grandparents set out on a long drive to bring Lorna and Jimmy back home. But they didn't expect the Weboy family to be the largest obstacle in their rescue mission.
LET HIM GO - Official Trailer [HD] - In Theaters Novemberwww.youtube.com
The writing has a wonderful way of keeping viewers engaged and second-guessing what will happen next. It's never clear that the characters are 100 percent safe. It's also not clear if Lorna truly wants to break free from Donnie or not, nor is it obvious if the characters have what it takes to reach within them for some dark courage to do whatever it takes to keep their families safe.
And in a memorable scene, it looks like George and Margaret are getting dressed for a funeral when really they're getting dressed for a wedding. That scene was very early into the movie, and it easily sets the tone that there will be unexpected turns for the next two hours.
Although, the script isn't flawless. Some of the characters could've served a bigger purpose. Donnie's brothers are just the muscle men with no additional traits in the Weboy family. In the movie, it's obvious that the Weboys are feared and powerful. But it's not directly explained why they hold so much power throughout town. They mentioned that an ancestor bought loads of land before it was populated, but that's about it.
However, the movie is anchored with a phenomenal leading cast including Costner, Lane and Lesley Manville, who is terrifying as Weboy matriarch Blanche.
This leading trio are fantastic acting veterans who take their roles in stride and make their respective characters more realistic. It's easy to root for the Blackledges because they radiate this warm energy and put their hearts on their sleeves, which makes it easier to hate Blanche and the uneasy feeling she gives to audiences.
It takes quite a while to get to the action, but those who are in it for the long haul will enjoy the outcome when people are willing to do whatever it takes to protect their family.
If audiences watch "Let Him Go," it will be one of the best (good) surprises of 2020 movies.
Score: 9/10
"Let Him Go" premieres in theaters on Friday, November 6.
Contact the reporter Samantha Incorvaia on Twitter at @s_incorvaia.