"Leave the World Behind: A Dystopian Film with a Deceptive Twist"

The film adaptation of Rumaan Alam's novel "Leave the World Behind," directed by Sam Esmail, leaves behind lingering unease for different reasons than the book. While the novel cleverly leaves room for imagination about the cause of the apocalypse, the film throws everything at the screen, exploring themes of white liberal racism, class divisions, conspiracy theorists, and more. However, the relentless onslaught of issues dulls the narrative tension and leaves the characters feeling stranded. The film's ending implies that physical media will survive the apocalypse, adding an ironic twist to the Netflix movie.