Leave the World Behind (2023)

Leave the World Behind (2023) is a gripping psychological thriller directed by Sam Esmail, based on the novel by Rumaan Alam. The film delves into themes of fear, trust, and survival as it explores the fragility of modern life in the face of an unexpected, catastrophic event.
The story begins with a seemingly idyllic family vacation. Amanda (Julia Roberts) and Clay (Mahershala Ali), a married couple, along with their two teenage children, travel to a remote vacation home in Long Island for a peaceful getaway. The house, tucked away in nature, promises an escape from their fast-paced lives in New York City. However, their vacation takes a dark turn when an unexpected knock on the door interrupts their solitude.

The visitors are Ruth (Myha’la Hernandez) and G.H. (Kevin Bacon), the homeowners, who return to find their house being occupied by strangers. They explain that a massive power outage has struck New York and much of the East Coast, causing widespread panic and confusion. What starts as an inconvenience quickly turns into a nightmare as strange, inexplicable events unfold, and the family is forced to confront the possibility of a much larger, global catastrophe.

As tensions mount and communications with the outside world become increasingly unreliable, the characters are faced with paranoia, uncertainty, and fear. With no answers as to the cause of the blackout, they must rely on each other for survival, even as their relationships are tested. Trust becomes a scarce commodity, and the line between who can be trusted and who is hiding something begins to blur.