Leave the World Behind: A Realistic and Believable Disaster Film with Enhanced Performances

"Leave the World Behind" stands out as one of the more realistic and credible disaster mystery films in recent memory. The depicted disaster scenario is believable and avoids exaggeration, while the characters' reactions align more closely with reality. The movie heavily utilizes dark humor to satirize society's heavy reliance on high-tech gadgets like GPS, smartphones, the internet, and artificial intelligence. It highlights how people have become so dependent on these technologies that they've forgotten how to rely on their own skills and cooperation for self-preservation.

In contrast to the earlier film "Knock at the Cabin", which incorporated mystical and enigmatic elements, "Leave the World Behind" sharply focuses on exploring the impact of modern technology on human life and the potential crises it brings. For instance, in the past, people relied on remembering driving routes, but now excessive dependence on GPS, smartphones, and the internet has made individuals lose their way and even forget basic details like phone numbers and addresses once these tools are unavailable. Previously, people made efforts to learn various knowledge and languages, but now reliance on the internet has led to underutilization of their minds. Overreliance on these technologies leads to a decline in cognitive ability.

Take, for instance, Tesla drivers who have grown accustomed to the safety prompts provided by the car. Once without their Tesla, they might forget basic driving precautions. One particularly intriguing and satirical segment in the film depicts a group of brand-new Teslas operating on autopilot colliding with each other. This scene humorously highlights the potential dangers of relying too heavily on autopilot technology, as these cars can be both controlled or lose control due to their autopilot functions.

The film touches upon a chilling concept: the most devastating method to cripple a powerful nation isn't through direct attacks but by severing all communications. This action induces panic, suspicion, and distrust among people due to the inability to communicate or access information. This chaos eventually spirals the country into civil unrest and self-destruction. Frankly, this scenario isn't implausible.

Unlike films that directly portray the effects of an apocalypse, both "Leave the World Behind" and "Knock at the Cabin" opt to showcase everything from the viewpoint of a few individuals confined to a quiet, isolated suburban house, far removed from the potential disaster's severity. The main characters in the film could be seen as fortunate. They find themselves stuck in a lavish mansion when the "disaster" strikes, and besides the absence of communication signals and the inability to leave, they lack nothing in terms of resources. However, despite their comfortable situation, there's a prevailing atmosphere of distrust and suspicion among them. This, coupled with their lack of information about the situation outside, triggers significant panic and anxiety because nobody knows what the future holds.

The emotions portrayed in the film are similar to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many uncertainties, rumors and speculations. Therefore, the feelings it evokes in the audience are very familiar.

As with many disaster films, viewers inevitably feel a sense of identification and contemplate how they would behave in such situations. Watching these genres of films always helps people realize three important points:

A. During a disaster or war, living in sparsely populated but affluent suburbs undoubtedly increase one's chances of survival compared to living in densely populated cities.

B. Do not overly rely on the internet and high-tech products; instead, have basic survival skills and common sense. Even if you drive an electric car, you should have a gasoline-powered car as a backup. Traditional items such as gasoline cars, radios, DVD players, and printed content, which may seem outdated, are still useful in critical situations.

A DVD player might seem outdated, but in a scenario like the one depicted in this film—where there's a disruption in internet and communication but electricity remains intact—it proves to be a valuable tool. You can still watch DVDs to pass the time and not be left without any entertainment due to the lack of internet access. The film satirizes the consequence of over-reliance on streaming video platforms, highlighting how people might lose access to their favorite content without an internet connection, depriving them of a source of happiness during a crisis. Even if one feels powerless amidst external chaos, having the ability to watch beloved DVDs while awaiting an uncertain fate is portrayed as a possibly ideal way to spend an apocalypse.

In summary, even without the internet, one should possess survival skills and entertainment options. Once the internet is cut off, you can't rely solely on streaming media like Netflix.

C. During a disaster, if the situation is unclear and it is safe at home, it's best to stay at home and not wander around.

This is what I think: if a major disaster occurs, instead of fleeing, I would rather stay at home wrapped in a blanket and comfortably watch my DVDs, waiting for my fate to arrive. If there's no power, I'll read books. Love it or leave it.

Overall, this film offers the "most comfortable" ways of "dealing with a disaster" and "waiting for death" in disaster movies for everyone's reference, while strongly satirizing the modern lifestyle. It is slightly more relaxed than most disaster films, but still contains elements of suspense and mystery. For example, the perspective always follows the characters, so the audience only sees what the characters see, often witnessing events within a very limited range. Gradually, they anxiously search for more answers. This storytelling approach in disaster movies is cost-effective and effective, as it is closer to the perspective of ordinary people and resonates more with the audience.

The ending of the film is intriguing as it abruptly stops when most people are unprepared. I would like to know what will happen next. I would say this film is on par with "A Quiet Place", just that it lacks monsters. The performances of the actors are remarkable and greatly contribute to the suspense of the film. The dialogue is also well-written. However, some plot points related to animals can be confusing and seem to be unnecessarily mysterious.