Netflix deserves to make an even larger splash with “Leave the World Behind,” a better apocalyptic thriller with a foot so firmly planted in reality that those who stream it might not sleep for days. The company made waves with “Don’t Look Up,” an alright disaster film bolstered by its daring premise. It’s a logical continuation of the conversation writer-director Sam Esmail initiated with “Mr. Robot,” edgy, unnervingly paranoid, and truly intelligent.
In addition to star power from Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Julia Roberts (who previously collaborated with Esmail on the Amazon series “Homecoming”), and the Obamas, “Leave the World Behind” is the couple’s first fictional film produced under their Higher Ground production label.
.. Five years into their partnership, the firm is providing Netflix with benefits that go beyond vanity and the prestige of being associated with the former president, thanks to its astute selection of elegant documentaries.
Esmail, who is adapting Rumaan Alam’s book, stages the picture in a style that occasionally resembles a filmed play, allowing for extended character interactions. While some of those seem a little awkward at first, he breaks them up with startling visuals and an unsettling soundtrack that provide an idea of the mayhem that seems to be unfolding, much of it happening quietly off screen.
With their two teenagers, Charlie Evans and Farrah Mackenzie, who are hilariously obsessed with “Friends,” Amanda (Roberts) and her husband Clay (Hawke) have rented a house in a secluded part of Long Island for a vacation. When chaos breaks out, Farrah Mackenzie’s only concern is whether she will ever be able to finish her binge watch.
Following an odd incident at the beach, G.H. (Ali), the man claiming to be the owner of the house they are renting, arrives with his adult daughter “Industry’s” Myha’la. Clearly rattled by the way things are going and the fact that they are unable to access media following a blackout that was allegedly brought on by a cyberattack, he shows up with his daughter.
“Leave the World Behind” feels more literary because it is divided into chapters, and problems with trust could be made worse by racial and class-based conflicts. The ambiguity surrounding the situation, on the other hand, highlights the fragility of our digitally connected world while helping the viewer imagine themselves in the characters’ place.
As previously mentioned, Esmail capitalized on that particular aspect of the zeitgeist with “Mr. Robot,” but the plot of Alam’s book not only fits in with that but also enhances it, delving into the micro and macro fragility of society in a manner that pays homage to a specific “The Twilight Zone” episode while modernizing it for the present day (to name which episode would be giving away too much away).
Whereas “Don’t Look Up” used exaggerated humor to highlight people’s ignorance and indifference to the climate catastrophe, Esmail offers another somber message, tinged with caution, in a package that combines terror with the paranoid thrillers of the 1970s.
While it is entertaining, it is one of the few movies that successfully provokes viewers’ thought processes. While Netflix has given the film the customary theatrical run alongside its other prestige-seeking entertainment, it’s also important to remember that the movie’s impact will probably be stronger when watched at home in our own little media cocoons.
“Leave the World Behind” should start discussions on things other than whether or not to click the “like” button, whatever the viewer’s conclusion may be. Give Esmail credit for a film that, by that standard, is difficult to look away from, whether it is vertical or horizontal.
