[REVIEW] Leave the World Behind
Based on the novel by Rumaan Alam (That Kind of Mother), Leave the World Behind is a post-apocalyptic thriller written and directed by Sam Esmail (Mr. Robot 2015-2019). After suffering a bout of melancholy, Amanda (Julia Roberts) convinces husband Clay Sanford (Ethan Hawke) to take their two children—Friends obsessed Rose and Archie—on vacation to a holiday home on Long Island. The film progresses as a typical thriller does: family appears to be normal, idyllic scenery, and a huge house that Amanda muses as being owned by a cybersecurity nut. After a power outage, the owner of the vacation house G.H. Scott (Mahershala Ali) and his daughter Ruth Scott (Myha'la) arrive unannounced at the home. With them, they bring news of a city wide black-out that has impacted their ability to stay in their regular home.
Like most post-apocalyptic theme films, Leave the World Behind explores a variety of current world issues that were made evident throughout: technology, detoxing from overstimulating lifestyles, and the uncertainty of the future. Esmail disseminates information in small drops that feel like they need to be remembered for later. The narrative throughout is very obvious, however, there are moments where the cohesiveness falls apart due to there being a lack of synthesis being interwoven. The recurring themes of the film—technology, end of the world—add interesting facets to the film, but fall flat because of the cohesive ties that string the messages together, leaving gaps and omitted information. During the first half of the film, it feels like an alien invasion however drifts off without substantial evidence; this lingering insinuation gets worn out could leave viewers feeling frustrated and tired of the ongoing anxiety about why the end of the world is imminent.
Leave the World Behind incorporates a number of horror inspired moments that bolster some of the lacklustre narrative faults and gaps. The most gruesome of scenes depicting the loss of a mouthful of teeth, the cause eventually being determined, but unfortunately once again adding to a muddy storyline. These are the moments where the lack of stitching together a cohesive narrative fall short for the overarching storyline and messages that the movie is addressing.
As far as pacing goes, the sense of urgency and tension is built within the first ten minutes of the film as an oil tanker runs aground at the beach. The tension carries throughout with Julia Roberts overprotective performance as a mother, wanting to deny the Grant’s the right to be in their house. While Roberts does a brilliant job, her role shines in a film that doesn’t provide a strong intertwining narrative.
The production and cinematography of Leave the World Behind is undoubtedly beautiful, the feeling of vacation and isolation is captured throughout by cinematographer Tod Campbell does positive favours for the film. There are brief moments of humour and horror that contribute to an enjoyable viewing of the film. However, the lack of tying up loose ends can lead to frustration throughout. It took a lot of convincing from friends to watch Leave the World Behind. Apocalyptic and end of the world genre films are often terrifying, however offer insight into human behaviour at an incredibly vulnerable and unnavigated period of humankind. Leave the World Behind would have benefitted from a stronger plot-line that comes together in a strong ending.
