'Leave the World Behind' is #1 on Netflix - but Audiences Criticize on Rotten Tomatoes

'Leave the World Behind' is #1 on Netflix - but Audiences Criticize on Rotten Tomatoes

Netflix released several high-profile films this year. Some of them, like "One Piece," have won the hearts of fans and critics alike. However, Netflix's new film, "Leave the World Behind," received lukewarm reviews from critics and was a huge disappointment to audiences.

Still, the psycho thriller didn't just jump to the top of Netflix's rankings, securing the No. 1 spot just days after its debut and overtaking the kid-friendly "Family Switch." Obviously, the film's not-so-good score of 75% on Rotten Tomatoes by more than 100 reviewers isn't keeping viewers away, nor is the much lower viewer score of 37%, culled from more than 2,500 reviews. Most of them condemned the ending of Leave No Behind.

We're trying to decide if this polarizing new film is worth sitting down and watching. Here's what you need to know before you watch this top-rated Netflix favorite.

The apocalyptic thriller from "Mr. Robot" creator Sam Esmail follows Amanda Sandford (Julia Roberts) and her husband Clay (Ethan Hawke), along with their children Rose (Farrah McKenzie) and Archie (Charlie Evans) The film follows them on a surprise trip to Long Island, New York. They head to a rented house. There, they find no cell phone service and people moving erratically around them. The same day, a man named George "G.H." Scott (Mahershala Ali) shows up. Scott (Mahershala Ali) and his daughter Ruth (Mihala) appear before them.

G.H. reveals that the house is actually his own and that he and Ruth have returned home because of a power outage in town. Amanda and her family are initially wary, but eventually agree and let them spend the night. In the morning, a news alert on Amanda's cell phone reveals that there is a hacker who caused the outage, although service is seemingly restored. A spooky symbol also appears with it, making Amanda and the rest of the family uneasy.

Confused, fearful, and worried about their future, both families must live together and try to understand what they are going through. Who is telling the truth, who is not, and what is the apocalyptic event that will forever change the world they know.

Critics such as Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, The Hollywood Reporter, and RogerEbert.com have given mostly favorable reviews of the film, while others have been less favorable.

David Fear of Rolling Stone testified that the film "pokes" at the notion that we have sown the "seeds of our own destruction" and argued that it "could be a documentary with movie stars."

Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair magazine, described the film as "a brooding, miserable sit-down" and that it was more "exhilarating" because of these characteristics.

The Hollywood Reporter's Stephen Farber praised the "great acting" that "reinforces the problematic visuals."

Robert Daniels of RogerEbert.com was less kind, claiming that the film "struggles where it matters most, creating a real stake in the mess."

A topic that comes up repeatedly in audience reactions is.

Tim G. praised the "good acting" but lamented that "there was no real ending or climax at the end. A bad ending, even if the rest of the film was good, would have ruined the whole film for me. But it wasn't."

Eric M. wrote: "I made an account to give this garbage the worst review. What a waste of time movie. Absolutely nothing is explained.

Brian B. compared it to one of the most infamous endings of all time: "The ending was (unbelievably) worse than 'The Sopranos'."

However, some audience members disagreed. Angela P. said, "I think the ending was genius."

So what the heck did or did not happen at the end? Spoilers.

After spending most of the film together in an atmosphere of confusion, distrust, and paranoia, the two families separate; G.H. (Ali) and Clay (Hawke) have a tense standoff with their neighbor Danny (Kevin Bacon). Amanda (Roberts) and Ruth (Michala) wander the woods in search of Amanda's daughter Rose (Farrah McKenzie).

Amanda finds a mansion nearby and thinks (she is right) that Rose may have gone there. The two then see New York City being bombed in the distance.

Rose breaks into the mansion and discovers a bunker. There, an emergency alarm sounds, revealing that the United States is at war with rogue armed forces and that a nuclear attack is imminent. She finds a DVD containing the final season of Friends and begins watching the finale, "The Last One."

The movie ends with Rembrandt's "I'll Be There For You" playing over the end credits.

It is not yet known if "Leave the World Behind" will be made into a sequel or continuation in any form. Since the ending is open-ended, it is possible that the story will continue on some level, but there may not be a sequel to this Netflix hit. To begin with, this is not the type of film that would warrant a sequel, even if it deviates from the ending that Rumaan Alam's original novel had planned.

According to Variety, Alam does not even know what happens at the end. In fact, writer/director Sam Esmail explained to Digital Spy that the decision to leave the film's ending ambiguous was a risk of sorts.

"Because just like in life, we always have to face ambiguity. There are no easy answers or solutions, we have to face them and move on in spite of them."

With that in mind, it is very possible that Netflix may decide that the film needs a sequel, or even a similar story set in the same time frame. For now, however, the answer is "I don't know," but that doesn't mean it will stay that way.

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