Leave the World Behind review: Intense and unnerving

Leave the World Behind revolves around a family’s vacation. After the arrival of two strangers, their vacation turns sinister due to unusual occurrences. The film is now streaming on Netflix.

Story 

A misanthrope named Amanda lives in New York with her husband, Clay, and two children, Archie and Rose. To get away from the city and the people who live in it, she rents a house outside the city for a family vacation.

However, the family’s vacation is not as relaxing as Amanda wanted it to be. First, a ship crashes onto the beach when her family is there. They all manage to get out of the ship’s way in time, but this is just the first of many strange incidents that have yet to occur.

The WI-FI stops working, and there is no service on their phones or the television. Then, at night, a man and his daughter, George and Ruth, come to the house. They own this house and want to spend the night there, as there is a power blackout in the city.

Amanda does not trust George and Ruth and is rude to them, but she fails to prevent them from staying under the same roof as her family. Inexplicable occurrences continue rattling Amanda and Clay, forcing them to question who, or rather what, is threatening their lives.

Performances

It cannot be denied that Julia Roberts performs her part very well, as the audience will not like her prejudiced character. She makes Amanda’s fear and distrust palpable. 

On the other hand, Mahershala Ali’s gentle and forgiving character is very likable. He can easily hold the audience’s attention and make them listen to every single word that he utters. His performance is quite impressive.

Ethan Hawke successfully makes Clay seem friendly and trusting. When his character gets lost and makes problematic choices, Hawke manages to portray his anxiety and guilt. 

Myha’la Herrold’s Ruth is bold and not afraid to speak her mind, whereas Farrah Mackenzie as Rose is perceptive in a way that the adults in the film are not. 

Positives

From the very first scene, the film starts building a sense of foreboding. The audience can almost feel that all is not right. Even when the family is enjoying their vacation, a feeling of unease persists.

There is also suspense surrounding the incidents that spook the family. The background score and the direction constantly build tension, keeping the audience on the edge of their seat during highly intense scenes, such as the one depicting Archie’s sickness.

The camera follows the characters closely. At times, it keeps the audience’s attention solely on them, allowing them to observe their reactions. In a way, the film examines humans and their society.

The audience will get to see how prejudices prevent humans from trusting each other. Amanda does not trust George and Ruth not only because she dislikes people, but also because she is racist. Her disbelief over George owning the house makes it evident.

Rose’s obsession with her TV show highlights the kind of lives that people are living in this day and age. Like Rose, they are lonely. When no one is willing to listen to them, they turn to technology to keep themselves satisfied with their lives. The film also depicts humans as beings unable to function without technology. 

However, as not all people are the same, there are various types of characters in the film. When everything is going down, the characters find it hard to trust and help each other. That is what makes George, a man who chooses to do the right thing, special. 

The film also underlines the fragility of the world that humans have created. It is terrifying just how easily the world’s most powerful country starts to crumble in the film. 

Negatives

The film tries to build suspense around every unusual event, and there are a number of them. Due to that, the audience gets used to it, and they lose their allure for a while in the middle.

Verdict

Leave the World Behind is a thriller that seeks to examine humanity in the modern world. With its impressive performances, this intense film engages and discomforts the audience.

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Also Read: Leave the World Behind summary and ending explained