Leave the World Behind

'Leave the World Behind' is an American science fiction thriller written, directed, and produced by Sam Esmail. It is based on the eponymous novel published in 2020 by author Rumaan Alam. The film stars Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha'la, Kevin Bacon, and Julia Roberts, with the latter also serving as executive producer.

The film transports us to a secluded vacation home on Long Island, where Amanda Sanford (Roberts) and her husband Clay (Hawke), along with their two technology-obsessed children, Rose and Archie, have just arrived for a few days of rest and disconnection. Upon settling in, they discover that the house has no mobile coverage, so they decide to go to the beach. It is there that a tanker crashes onto the shore. Returning home, they find that they also have no WiFi or television.

That same night, GH Scott (Ali) and his daughter Ruth show up at the house. They claim the house is theirs and that a blackout in the city has forced them to return. Clay allows them to stay the night and hopes to find answers the next day. However, when he tries to drive to the city center, his car's GPS doesn't work, and he begins to notice strange behavior in the locals.

Soon, they witness a stampede of autonomous cars and believe they are facing a governmental conspiracy or an attack with electronic weapons. Faced with an apocalyptic situation, how will these two odd but situationally united families react?