Leave the World Behind (2023). Horror (really?) / Mystery / Thriller (again, really?). 2h 20m.
The first few minutes of the movie strike me as conflicting. There are four different music scores played, very different styles, and the family is heading to a rented mansion for the weekend.
Thriller, or drama..?
Throughout the movie, there is a lot of talk during the blackout. The focus is really on the dynamics between the two families as the crisis deepens. But the pace is awfully slow and it feels as if it slows down throughout the movie. There is no climax, it just peters out into a situation of “We don’t know, let’s get drunk and talk about the possible horrible reasons for the blackout.” That’s probably what many would do, but does it warrant a feature movie that is +120 minutes long? Give it an hour and see if you want to complete the second half of the movie.
Remembering Tremors (1990) and missing suspense
Kevin Bacon’s character reminds us of an aged Valentine McKee from Tremors (1990). I guess this is how he could have evolved, seen creatures from under the earth roaming around. But Mr. Bacon only shows up towards the end of the movie, in the only tense and thrilling scene that we notice. How his character Danny buckles under pressure is just too easy for what is supposedly a hardened person living in the outback. I don’t believe it. Mr. Hawke also does a decent confused character portrayal but the remaining performances are not quite believable.
Other movies that this reminds us of
- Knock at the Cabin (2023)
- Greenland (2020)
- The Road (2009)