Movies - TV
Netflix’s New Top Movie Is Getting Dragged For Good (And Bad) Reasons
By JOE ROBERTS
"Leave the World Behind" quickly became a Netflix hit, claiming the top spot in 85 countries. Directed by Sam Esmail, the psychological thriller has been polarizing.
Amanda Sandford (Julia Roberts) and Clay Sandford (Ethan Hawke) set out on a family vacation, but upon checking into their Airbnb, things take a disturbing turn.
Later, the owners of the vacation home arrive, revealing that a city-wide blackout has occurred. It becomes increasingly apparent that society itself is on the brink of collapse.
A notable strength of the movie lies within the impressively talented ensemble cast, featuring Roberts, Hawke, Mahershala Ali, Myha'la Herrold, and Kevin Bacon.
Despite strong casting, fans still had plenty of critiques, especially when it came to the long runtime. The Independent shared one X user's post: "long a** movie with no answers."
Fans find it problematic that Roberts also appears in "Friends," the series that Rose is attempting to watch throughout the entire film, creating a plot hole.
The film also featured hacked Teslas, which created tension with Elon Musk, who appeared to misunderstand the plot and assumed that the film was specifically targeting Tesla.
On X, Musk gave a mistaken defense of his brand’s innovation, "Teslas can charge from solar panels even if the world goes fully 'Mad Max' and there is no more gasoline!"
The film sits at a 75% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising the overall tone, but it falls short with most fans on social media, particularly in terms of script and story.