Leave the World Behind (2023): A Haunting Glimpse of Collapse
Leave the World Behind is a psychological thriller that lingers in the mind long after the credits roll. Directed by Sam Esmail and based on Rumaan Alam’s novel, the film tells the story of a family getaway that turns into something much darker — a reflection of how fragile modern life truly is.
Amanda and Clay, played by Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke, rent a luxurious home on Long Island for a weekend with their children. Their peace is quickly shattered when two strangers — G H and his daughter Ruth — arrive claiming to be the rightful owners. What begins as an awkward situation soon spirals into chaos as a mysterious blackout sweeps the region, technology fails, and the outside world grows more uncertain by the hour.
The strength of the film lies in its atmosphere. There are no explosions, no monsters, no loud alarms — just silence, strange behavior in the animals, and the creeping sense that something terrible is coming. Mahershala Ali delivers a quietly powerful performance as a man trying to hold onto truth in the face of confusion. Myha’la Herrold adds intensity as his skeptical daughter.
Themes of race, trust, and class play beneath the surface, as the characters wrestle with fear, uncertainty, and the question of who they can really rely on. The film builds slowly, almost agonizingly so, but that slow burn is deliberate — it mirrors how disaster in real life often creeps, not crashes.
Leave the World Behind is not a movie for everyone. It refuses to provide neat answers or tidy resolutions. But for those willing to sit in discomfort, it offers a chilling meditation on the collapse of order and the thin line between security and survival.
