Leave The World Behind is a straightforward commentary on the way in which we react to large disasters. The way we theorize, rationalize, and try to think of everything we have learned from past disasters to be prepared in a moment's notice, only to realize you never fully can be. This film has come at a time where the message is really able to drive its point home.

 

The filmmakers are very aware of all existing end of the world movies and use that to build upon the audience's ideas and expectations of what we think will come. However, by the end, you realize none of that actually matters, and I think that's pretty cool. 

 

Written and directed by Sam Esmail of Mr. Robot fame, we follow a family of 4 who travel to the coast to get out of NYC to relax in a fancy Airbnb house. There, they are surprised in the middle of the night by the home’s owners. The renters let the owners stay, despite their uncertainty of whether these strangers are who they say they are. They spend the whole runtime at odds but realize they need to stick together in order to survive a little longer. 

 

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I've been thinking about this movie. At first I wasn't too sure about the ending but the more I've thought about it, the more I actually dig it. The cast is stacked, the pacing is entertaining, and the writing is sharp. I encourage everyone to check this one out before our next (inevitable) worldly disaster. You can stream Leave The World Behind on Netflix.