Leave the World Behind
2023 · Directed by Sam Esmail
Original language: English
- drama
- mystery
- thriller
The story
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.
What it’s like
Sleek, unsettling widescreen frames of a sun-bleached Long Island rental, all glass walls, pale wood and manicured lawns, with a restless camera that drifts, pushes in and holds on uneasy faces. Pervasive low drones and a score of pulsing, anxious synths swell over long stretches of near silence, and the blackout makes the house feel like a stage with the lights cut. The vibe is tense, sun-drenched unease, the kind that suits a late-night watch alone or a long-haul flight with headphones on. Pacing is slow to build, then rattles in bursts of paranoia, while the adults' marriage and the teenagers' tentative bond are tested by fear and mistrust rather than action. Violence is sparse and mostly implied, with brief sharp shocks and a steady undercurrent of dread rather than gore; there is some tense peril and disturbing imagery of wildlife and unrest. Best for viewers who like social-anxiety thrillers that linger on ambiguity, class tension and fractured family dynamics more than explosions.
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