Leave the World Behind poster
Review

Leave the World Behind 2023

Directed by Sam Esmail · 140 mins · 1,939 views

2.8 Letterboxd 2.85(859,390)
Ratings P N J H H O H B W K

Synopsis

A family's getaway to a luxurious rental home takes an ominous turn when a cyberattack knocks out their devices—and two strangers appear at their door.

Trailers

Reviews (25)

  1. P
    Paul Nescau Flamenguista 8 月 24, 2026

    Wait wait wait, so Kevin Bacon and Ethan Hawke are not the same person?

    13,077 96
  2. N
    neorapp 8 月 24, 2026

    i would leave the world behind to spend a day with ethan hawke

    4,117 28
  3. J
    joão vitor 8 月 24, 2026

    in the name of the father (don’t look up) the son (bird box) and the holy spirit (leave the world behind)

    8,550 45
  4. H
    Hank 8 月 24, 2026

    Friends addicted daughter or toothless son

    21,715 49
  5. H
    horrors 8 月 24, 2026

    A film about the American complex. Produced by the Obamas. Ads scattered throughout the film: Starbucks, Tesla. Friends, the TV show. The USA’s “enemies”: Korea, China, Russia, Iran, Palestine. God knows what more. Philippines as a narrative tool, and if you know exactly what it means when the nation’s people are called “tuta ng estados unidos,” it’s clear what role said people play in the film as a narrative tool. A-list actors leading us throughout this film. Nothing but speculative fiction. A What if it was this bad for America? film. Laughable that the book this film was based on was produced 2020, that filming began 2022, that release is 2023. The American complex exhausts me. It is tired. It is so fucking full of itself. I don’t fucking care. You are the terror of the world. The oppressive force that haunts itself.

    4,148
  6. O
    OstrichJames 8 月 24, 2026

    Well I guess no one told you life was gonna be this way.

    9,386 32
  7. H
    Harry Argyle 8 月 24, 2026

    If edging was a movie, this would be it.

    17,038 76
  8. B
    BrandonLikes 8 月 24, 2026

    This is why physical media is king.

    4,661 9
  9. W
    wallflowerist 8 月 24, 2026

    girl ditched her entire family just to finish friends

    6,896 23
  10. K
    KEI 8 月 24, 2026

    alright so what was the point ??

    6,863 31
  11. 𝒃
    𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒕 ꕤ 8 月 24, 2026

    rose would absolutely body letterboxd

    7,680 11
  12. B
    benton tarantella 8 月 24, 2026

    what if i told you this entire plot hinges on the availability of the last episode of friends? at first i didn’t know how to feel about this movie because it had an interesting enough concept but it spends the entirety of its runtime squandering every opportunity it gets to turn that concept into an engaging story. it promises, repeatedly, that something interesting is going to happen, baits you into sticking around for it but never fulfills on its promise. this movie feels like eating without getting full, like sex without an orgasm, like a joke without a punchline. it starts to feel like a parody of itself especially when every single time a character shares some heavy or dark piece of information, the music cue goes dun dun! stop it with your dun dun’s. i am dun dun’ed out, sir!

    4,272 19
  13. T
    TkA 7 月 30, 2026

    **Great film!**

    This film is undeniably intriguing and thought-provoking, shedding light on a situation that should make us all pause and reflect. In a time when our dependence on new technologies has reached dangerous levels, the movie unravels numerous flaws in our modern society. What’s particularly eerie is its sense of predictive programming, leaving the impression that someone may be using this film to reveal their imminent plans.

    It’s puzzling to encounter several negative ratings for this film. Yes, it directly exposes how our excessive reliance on technology could easily be hijacked, throwing our societies into chaos. However, dismissing or ridiculing this over-reliance and its potential consequences instead of preparing, mitigating, or planning for such a scenario is what truly raises eyebrows. I reckon these critiques may have come from individuals who were similar to the unseen characters implied in the film, who found themselves trapped in cities devastated by nuclear attacks, propelled into the ocean by self-driving vehicles or malfunctioning planes, or even confined to food-deprived concrete condominiums perched on the fortieth floor.

    Great watch!

  14. S
    Sierbahnn 7 月 30, 2026

    Movies about crises play out either as competent people make good decisions and are thwarted by circumstances, or by circumstances being mildly infuriating and incompetent people making stupid decisions and paying for it. This is clearly the second kind. The characters don’t face great hardship and yet continue to make bafflingly poor decisions until the circumstances catch up with them. The movie is well acted, well produced, but the fact that the characters behave in such incredibly stupid ways makes you break from the immersion it is trying to instill.

  15. C
    claristo 6 月 1, 2026

    now I’m not saying I’d do particularly well in an apocalypse but they were so enragingly incompetent I’m still annoyed thinking about this movie well over a year after I watched it

  16. D
    Dean 5 月 18, 2024

    Just another stupid American movie…

  17. M
    MarciaClarke 1 月 8, 2024

    This movie is watchable but pretty dull for an end of the world movie. The whole mystery woo woo sound track through the first half is heavy handed and detracted from any actual suspense. The biggest problem with the movie overall is that I just don’t buy it. I don’t buy the characters or the motivations for any of their actions or their interactions with each other, despite it being filled with big name actors who should be able to sell it to me. But what I really wanna know is, what is in those pills? Gotta stock up.

  18. H
    hamfaceman 1 月 4, 2024

    For the most part Leave the World Behind, an adaptation of the novel by the same name directed by Mr. Robot’s Sam Esmail. Some good performances, especially by Ethan Hawke, and some nice tension building between the two families. There is an excellent plane crash scene that is memorable. Kevin bacon is in it! I learned after watching this movie that it was produced by the Obamas, which is pretty weird.

  19. M
    MovieGuys 1 月 3, 2024

    I’m amazed by the positive reviews this one is receiving.

    For me, Leave the World Behind, feels like a stew of half baked conspiracy theories and stereotypes of modern Westerners, set against a politely apocalyptic, backdrop. People are lazy, apathetic, paranoid, indulgent and ultimately, divided, even at the end.

    This may be partly true but I don’t think its in any way broadly representative of humanity. Perhaps, in truth, it reflects an elite view of ordinary people, they themselves don’t really know and just as tellingly, understand? Suffice to say, I can only speculate…..

    Its unsurprising then, that the ending to this tale has no real punch. I feel this is due to what I would characterise as general lack of awareness in this film, that can only lead to a meek conclusion.

    Are there any positives here? Well the acting is decent if unremarkable. The more surreal scenes, such as automated, driver less, Tesla’s piling up like crisp white cardboard, is, on a certain level, captivating.

    In summary, a film that feels like it wants to say “something” but is hampered by its lack of insight, depriving it of a resonating voice.

  20. C
    Chandler Danier 12 月 28, 2023

    Acting! They’re good. Everyone is so good and does some acting. Gets silly in the end. Fun to watch.

  21. 徐
    徐燕华 12 月 23, 2023

    The movie only told us you should buy a big house for the emergency.

  22. G
    GeekyRedhead 12 月 19, 2023

    Decent film, but the ending sucks a$$.
    Not sure how or why they chose to end this way instead of tying up loose ends, but “Hollywood” is notorious for ruining many a movie by taking a dump on the ending. There were some fine performances, most notably from Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, and Ethan Hawke. And we got Kevin Bacon for literally 5 mins., if that. But with the names attached to this film, it couldn’t have come into being cheaply, so to kill all word-of-mouth with a crap ending makes absolutely no sense. It was a good storyline and plot twists and such, so I can bet it was a decent book. Makes me want to pick it up and compare now…

  23. B
    BornKnight 12 月 11, 2023

    Psychological thriller film written, directed and produced by Sam Esmail (Mr. Robot Series), based on the 2020 novel of the same name by Rumaan Alam, with some alterations in the screenplay.

    First of all what called my attention was the Obama’s interest in the movie that is explained by a-) He is a huge fan of the book; a-) Obviously as an ex-president he had insight into the military parts;

    To those who don’t know what to expect about the movie I can call it a mix of M. Night Shyamalan and Jordan Pelee with the obvious personal touch of the director based by the social-technologic chaos that we seen in Mr. Robot. Btw this was the fact that gave in most of the story to me well in the start of the movie events.

    The movie basically tells what happens when a up-mid class white family goes into vacations into a Airbnb upstate NY high-class house for vacations and strange events like an oil tanker losing control and crashing into beach (hmmmm let me guess… no GPS?) and internet stops unexpectedly (hmmm let me guess cyberattacks? coup d’etat by unknow enemies????) and wild life starts to act strangely, like deer and birds (this is the MNS part, probably because of some sort of disruptive effect that I suspect in the start to be a solar flare until it mentioned only in US when I kill’d the movie plot).

    The comes the J. Pelee part when a black father and daughter shows up in the house after the strange effects telling they are the ones that own the house and came back for retreat of the chaos. Yeah racial tension on.

    Individually all characters have their little details of psychology and backstory which is a nice touch and well done part of the movie. And so are the acting.

    I guess that my main problem is watching too much stuff – there is a point that to get a movie that introduce something unique to you, specially knowing the background of the directors and writers is something difficult to impress yourself.

    Out of these plot parts the movie have some cool paranoid ideas (that actually aren’t so paranoid because they would work as in the movie like Obama were advised) and a very nice soundtrack by Mac Quayle (Mr Robot, American Horror Story) and cinematography with some cool and interesting cameras shots by Tod Campbell (Stranger Things, Mr Robot, Boyhood).

    Overall it isn’t a bad movie – on contraire it is interesting if you don’t know what to expect. Not bad, but the racial part was unnecessary imo. Even so, for me it is one of the good movies of 2023 so it win a heart too.

    My score: 7.5 out of 10 / B+.

  24. B
    Brent Marchant 12 月 9, 2023

    What would you do if you suddenly began experiencing a series of anomalous, apocalyptic-style events? With communications crippled and transportation severely hampered, it’s impossible to figure out what’s happening or how to formulate a feasible exit strategy. Yet, as all this is unfolding, the troubling and unexplained events continue unabated. Now what? Such is the chilling experience of an upscale New York City couple and their two children who unwittingly wind up sharing a luxurious Long Island vacation home with the wealthy property owner and his adult daughter in the midst of all this chaos. As they struggle to determine what’s transpiring, they come upon revelations about themselves, one another and the world at large, which clearly is not everything it appears or has been made out to be. The result is a creepy but astute cautionary tale, one we’d be wise to heed given current sociopolitical trends and prevailing conditions. While director Sam Esmail’s second feature outing generally manages to maintain a certain edge-of-the-seat quality, it could nevertheless stand to use some trimming to pick up the pace in spots, especially in several instances where the dialogue becomes strained and in others where the narrative veers into needlessly and cryptically stringing viewers along from one enigmatic event to another. In addition, while I am certainly no prude when it comes to off-color language, the screenplay contains a surprisingly inordinate number of f-bombs, a script device that seems decidedly inappropriate, often out of place and vastly overused. The picture makes up for this with a fine ensemble cast, particularly in the performances of Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke and Kevin Bacon, as well as some intriguing cinematography, though the film’s inconsistent soundtrack/score doesn’t always work as well as it could have. “Leave the World Behind” truly comes across as a sincere effort at telling a compelling, suspenseful and enlightening tale, but it doesn’t always get all of the components right. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth watching, but the term “cautionary tale” is certainly apropos in describing more than just its insightful content.

  25. M
    Manuel São Bento 12 月 8, 2023

    FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://fandomwire.com/leave-the-world-behind-review-a-thought-provoking-psychological-study-on-humanity/

    “Leave the World Behind intricately intertwines Sam Esmail’s directorial finesse with Rumaan Alam’s thought-provoking source material, delivering a compelling exploration of familial dynamics, societal issues, and the impact of fear and uncertainty on human behavior.

    While Esmail’s adaptation steers towards a more straightforward apocalyptic thriller, it retains thematic depth, as the layered characters, portrayed by a stellar ensemble cast with Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali as brilliant standouts, serve as compelling conduits for these themes, offering nuanced reflections on contemporary society. Exquisite cinematography and a pulsating score contribute to a tense, immersive experience, despite occasionally distracting camera work, minor pacing issues, and repetitive narrative elements.

    In the end, it’s a profoundly interesting cautionary tale that everyone should see before the year’s end.”

    Rating: B

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J Julia Roberts Amanda Sandford
E Ethan Hawke Clay Sandford
M Mahershala Ali G.H. Scott
M Myha'la Ruth Scott
F Farrah Mackenzie Rose Sandford
C Charlie Evans Archie Sandford
K Kevin Bacon Danny
V Vanessa Aspillaga Salvadora
O Orli Gottesman Taylor
A Alexis Rae Forlenza Danny's Daughter
J Josh Drennen Crow
E Erica Cho Jocelyn
P Pavel Frolov Plane Crash Victim #1
J Jesse King Plane Crash Victim #2
K Kevin Kenny Plane Crash Victim #3
S Sam Esmail Capt. Esmail (uncredited)
Director Sam Esmail
Writer Sam Esmail
Producer Lisa Roberts Gillan, Marisa Yeres Gill, Sam Esmail, Chad Hamilton, Julia Roberts
Executive Producer Rumaan Alam, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Tonia Davis, Daniel M. Stillman, Nick Krishnamurthy
Editor Lisa Lassek
Original Music Mac Quayle
Sound Beau Borders, Timothy R. Boyce Jr., Kevin Buchholz, John W. Cook II, Tavish Grade, Jason King, Dan Kremer, Dan O'Connell, Joe White
Stunts Mike Burke, Doug Coleman, Joanne Lamstein, Vesselin Todorov-Vinnie, Ashley Pynn, Heidi Germaine Schnappauf
Art Direction Christine Foley, Eric Bryant
Casting Beth Bowling, Susie Farris, Kathleen Parker
Synopsis
A family's getaway to a luxurious rental home takes an ominous turn when a cyberattack knocks out their devices—and two strangers appear at their door.
Director
Sam Esmail
Writer
Sam Esmail
Studio
Esmail Corp, Red Om Films, Higher Ground
Country
USA
Language
English, Spanish
Year
2023
Runtime
140 mins

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