LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND Review

"Leave the World Behind," adapted from Rumaan Alam's prophetic 2020 novel, is a film that explores the apocalypse with a nuanced focus on the unknown and the unspoken. Directed by Sam Esmail, this adaptation stars Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke as Amanda and Clay Sandford, a couple from New York who find their vacation interrupted by ominous and unsettling events. The film, like the book, thrives on the tension of the unexplained, leaving viewers in a state of lingering unease.

Set in a remote house in the woods, which is paradoxically close to the Manhattan skyline, Amanda and Clay's vacation takes a bizarre turn when Mahershala Ali and Myha’la Herrold’s characters, GH and Ruth, arrive at their doorstep. Claiming a blackout in the city, they seek refuge in what turns out to be their house. This unexpected encounter marks the beginning of a series of inexplicable events that suggest a looming apocalypse.

Esmail’s adaptation, while maintaining the novel's central premise, diverges in its execution. The film opts for a more direct approach, inundating the audience with potential causes for the apocalypse. From white liberal racism to class divisions, conspiracy theories, technology, and market fluctuations, the movie becomes a montage of America's ills. This barrage of issues, however, dilutes the narrative tension, reducing it to a passive experience for both characters and viewers.

The film's thematic exploration is ambitious, covering a range of contemporary concerns, including societal division and the manipulation of a fractured nation by external forces. However, Esmail's attempt to address these themes results in a somewhat disjointed narrative, lacking the subtlety and restraint that could have rendered the story more impactful.

Despite the accomplished cast, the characters feel somewhat misplaced in a narrative that oscillates between being overly explicit and frustratingly vague. The movie’s use of camerawork, particularly the overhead spiraling shots, suggests an unseen observer, but this element fails to integrate meaningfully into the story, leaving the characters feeling stranded within the plot.

The ending of the film offers a somewhat ironic twist, implying that in the wake of societal collapse, physical media might outlast digital technology. This notion, presented in a Netflix production, adds a layer of irony to the film’s conclusion.

Overall, "Leave the World Behind" stands out as a thought-provoking, albeit flawed, adaptation of Alam’s novel. While it captures the essence of the book's unsettling atmosphere, the film struggles to balance its ambitious thematic scope with narrative coherence. The result is a movie that is as intriguing as it is frustrating, offering a glimpse into a society on the brink of collapse but failing to fully engage with the depth and complexity of its source material.