Leave the World Behind (2023)
Last Watch Date - December 8, 2023
Total Times Watched - Once
Comments
My wife poked me about watching this "new movie" on Netflix. I read the extremely brief blurb on Wikipedia and thought it sounded interesting. At the time, it said this:
The film stars Julia Roberts (who also produced the film), Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha'la, and Kevin Bacon as they attempt to prepare for a potential cataclysm in which electronics become rogue.
ROGUE ELECTRONICS!? Sounds like it could be really weird!
Unfortunately, that is not at all what this movie is about. You have Julia Roberts, who plays an asshole, getting her family to take a little vacation trip out to Long Island when the property owner stops by late at night unexpectedly due to blackouts in the city. From there, you have what really amounts to Julia Roberts being a jerk to the owners, the owner's daughter being a jerk to Julia Roberts, and a lot of "what is going on with the world?" There's really nothing going on with "rogue electronics." What a terrible description.
My biggest problem with this movie is that basically nothing happens. It's sold as a sci-fi thriller but it's more of an interpersonal drama. There's also some weirdness with wildlife, communications, television, etc, but once you find out the reason behind it, it feels much less "sci-fi" and more "alternate timeline."
Oh and this movie is nearly 2.5 hours long. It feels it. There are some scenes that drag and serve only to confuse. Like how Julia Roberts' character goes from "don't let them stay in this house" to ".. I'm married." It's ridiculous. Even if you forgive those, there are extended scenes of people walking around in the woods, staring off into the distance, peering at each other suspiciously, and what seems like character building at times only serves to create more false tension later. This movie should've been much shorter.
The acting is fine. I mean, look at the actors. Of course it is.
Recommended?
No. It's too long and the story isn't very good.
