The controversy created by the Obama’s involvement in this Netflix movie was the only reason I took the time to watch it. I am still curious as to what part Barack and Michelle Obama played in the making of this movie other than being listed as producers. It left me disappointed and I would not recommend it to others.
“Leave the World Behind,” is writer/director Sam Esmail’s psychological thriller relative to his take on what would come to pass in apocalyptic times. There is a white well off family caught in world-altering circumstances with a black upper class family who comes to join them at this uncertain time.
The white family rents a vacation home for a weekend from a wealthy black family who happen to have two homes. Both families live in New York City but this second home is away from the urban sprawl in Long Island and sits out in scenic woods and grasslands. It is during this weekend gaunt all hell breaks loose in the form of loss of all satellite communications and thereafter an electric grid blackout.
The racial divide between the white Sandford family and the black Scott family is front and center to much of this disaster film. Perhaps that is where the Obama’s were involved, more race baiting. To me, the race issue was overplayed and unrealistic in this movie.
What was underplayed was survival skills and the world of preppers. While one was briefly portrayed in the movie by Kevin Bacon as an off-grid prepper, Danny, his attitude towards his black neighbor friend G.H. Scott was questionable. The crisis makes Danny instantly distrust Scott. Many will find this part of the film doubtful.
At one point in the movie a narrative comes out that while these average Americans are not sure who is responsible for this apparent attack on America (China, Korea, and Iran are mentioned) the process is outlined as follows:
The first step the movie mentions is cyberattacks and power outages to isolate people and keep them from communicating with one another. Much of the movie shows how people simply want to know what happened and what’s going on.
The second step is sowing “synchronized chaos” with misinformation campaigns such as leaflet drone drops in the movie in language of the Middle East on the east coast and Chinese or Korean on the west coast.
The third step is what the movie calls a period of civil war. “Because if the target nation was dysfunctional enough, it would, in essence, do the work for you,” G.H. says. “Whoever started this wants us to finish it.”
One of three was a pretty good warning but the other two were both stupid and wrong on a number of levels.
Step one I had no problem with as I believe a number of experts would agree that this “element of surprise” of a next attack on America and is realistic and would be parallel to both Pearl Harbor and 911.
Step two I had a real problem with as why would anybody drop leaflets in a foreign language with the intent to sow chaos? They wouldn’t as nobody could read them! More likely they would engage in a misinformation campaign similar to the three of 2020; the Covid-19 pandemic protocols, George Flloyd’s cause of death while in police custody, and the integrity of the November General Election.
Step three I had a problem with as well. I think most patriotic Americans believe in the old adage, “United we stand, divided we fall.” While some experts are saying America will resort to “tribalism” if all hell breaks loose, I think most conservative people of faith will pull together and work cooperatively in community.
The hit country song, “Try that in a Small Town” by Jason Aldean (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1_RKu-ESCY) offers a more realistic philosophy of how most of geographic America will respond in such a crisis.
Giving credit to the actors of this film; Julia Roberts as Amanda Sandford, Ethan Hawke as Clay Sandford, Kevin Bacon as Danny, Mahershala Ali as G.H. Scott, Myha’la as Ruth Scott, Farrah Mackenzie as Rose Sandford, and Charlie Evans as Archie Sandford.
I like to laugh at people who are transparently stupid. I mentioned in another article how the Democrats under the leadership of Joe Biden absolutely hate Elon Musk to the point of slighting him in any recognition for his remarkable accomplishments such as electronic vehicles.
One portion of the movie that offers this transparency in stupidity is when the Obama’s decide to take a partisan shot at Elon Musk’s Teslas which actually is used in the movie trailer.
To any thinking persons, not Biden voters, they would be asking, “HEY, WAIT MINUTE, IF ALL THE GPS SATELITES HAVE BEEN BLOWN OUT OF THE SKY OR MAINFRAME COMPUTERS HACKED, HOW ARE ALL THESE BRAND NEW TESLAS STILL ABLE TO DRIVE THEMSELVES AUTONOMOUSLY OFF CAR LOTS?”
So instead, stupid people are watching this scene and swallowing it hook, line, and sinker and labeling this scene such things as “Killer Teslas”.
RUN JULIA ROBERTS RUNNNNN
— Netflix (@netflix) December 8, 2023
Leave the World Behind is now on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/0C1WgAmLpf
Julia Roberts also served as a producer on this film which was released mid-December. I used to like and respect her. Not anymore. I once found this quote attributed to her:
“Republican comes in the dictionary just after reptile and just above repugnant.” – Julia Roberts, Source Brainy Quote
My response:
“Democrat comes in the dictionary just after delusional and just before dimwit.” – Mark Schwendau
The holes in the plot of this movie you could drive a gas-powered truck through!
Copyright © 2023 by Mark S. Schwendau
