Leave the World Behind

In the Netflix film 'Leave the World Behind,' adapted from Rumaan Alam's 2020 novel, Director Sam Esmail explores themes of isolation, class division, and the collapse of social order in the face of a societal crisis. The story revolves around Amanda and Clay, a couple from New York, who have taken their teenage son, Meredith, on a well-deserved break to the Hamptons. They have rented a beautiful home, managed by the enigmatic and friendly Garrett, but their vacation is disrupted from the moment they arrive. The days spend learning to relax in peace, but on the night of the second day, the couple discovers the cyber attack that slowly starts to take over all of their digital lifeline including phones, smart watches and more. At first they're frustrated that their vacation was cut short but it is on the third day when the attack spreads in such a magnitude that the home loses its power supply, leading to a descent into chaos. The family's tranquility is shattered when two strangers, Ruth and Dutch, arrive at the doorstep of their rental home. Ruth is resolute and unforgiving in her worldview, while Dutch, her partner, appears to be more open-minded and anxious about the situation they find themselves in. As the cyberattack gains momentum, the four individuals must navigate their relationships and complex interactions. The unexpected guest's presence imposes on the already compromised time spent by the family, exasperating their ordeal. Initially, Clay, an avid technological enthusiast, sees Ruth and Dutch as unwanted intruders, disrupting their well-orchestrated plan of escape through a possible rescue via text message - the goal to arrive to safety in the coming hours with the power out. Ruth, however, insists on treating the immediate world in the home as it truly is: a world where no news is spreading, without information, or any rule. Her methodical responses, with her cold matter of fact demeanor leads Clay not find solace in acceptance. In this confined space, the guests must rely on their social skills and memories of human interactions. Clay, fascinated by technology and how it has governed his daily life, turns out to care for Ruth's stoic demeanor despite her bleak evaluations. Clashing perspectives are at the center of the narrative - the chaos Ruth has learned to cope with makes her the odd one out in a home that craves all things digital - contrasting against an open and adaptable temperament of Clay and his relatively fragile family, they may bring. Likewise, this serves to depict stark variations between different social sets. The conversations and moments of social bonding illuminate the connection between the hosts and the guests, who uncover their histories and personalities, forcing Clay and Amanda to confront the complexities of Ruth's worldview, the seemingly tough Ruth opens up about the family she keeps as a core group of care and understanding - that being Dutch. Ruth provides glimpses into the isolation of a world where not having news means detachment - yet something you can expect only happens if something new is in order at hand to be known about where there isn't space to have the perception - her tough exterior turns soft as conversations bear progress further. These evolutions resonate across personal dynamics: her fragile underpinning at heart that had been masked was noticed; a stark set apart by another at contrast – contrasting the two as contrasts are drawn. Amanda starts to open up to Ruth about personal struggles in their past that put strain on the otherwise tranquil escape. As Amanda accepts this situation without panic at least briefly over recent moments however, Ruth becomes more willing to let grief and fear into her heart while explaining why she is steadfast in preventing panic despite an atmosphere leading to fear all around: sharing how even during ordinary times she feels nothing so they too feel this feeling - she has also gone - during which we also catch a taste of how her methods of management were developed primarily through all the years using coping mechanisms having in them the fears, making this apparent - the sense one catches in so managing the difficult circumstances of something you wouldn't want. Garrett, who we still see, gradually fades into the scene, adding a new dynamic as his duties intersect with them as the entire community, in unison, slowly starts disintegrating and losing structure upon their individual contact and communication methods - finally the message informing the whole district of power loss doesn't reach – also telling so much to learn from observing the inhabitants beginning to panic who get news when and not when – panic turns into chaos leaving the majority in search of options about what they were to go through at first. Ruth brings them something new to the scene much like Amanda after she changes focus of trying everything she thought she had tried before ending up at an isolated meeting where it results in both interacting with that which lies at their core: compassion, understanding, anger, fear. Amanda and Ruth begin pushing Clay; time brings us into Ruth's, unrequited struggles left within, seeking only to let go of herself – to others who become an option available. Time doesn't end soon and the dynamics leading into frustration reaches a climax allowing 3 to eventually learn but end ultimately - find a way to end in realisation of wanting - and of loss - let slip yet how do we stand after realisation - find the self that stands. Ultimately, the film uses the cyberattack as a backdrop to scrutinize human interactions, interpersonal differences, and our relations with technology. In one world that is based on technology it can not bring you success and in the other world based on empathy which allows you to access strength through other people. By using this collapse of a digital world, it challenges its viewers to step back into reality and focus more on making connections and interacting with others in genuine human terms - to go through the different life processes & not to think just what would have been, but what is true at the core without needing technology – to not live in fear when in truth we are facing breakdowns to cope, it's the real ability that gives us a better view on it. Despite a rapidly changing world that strips them of physical comforts and basic human comforts that technology seemed to provide for us today it also brings into our view the resiliency of the human spirit in re-examining it and navigating different levels & letting feelings breathe & going with the natural order of things as it comes – not the strength through struggle to technology that seems vital for survival.