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I thought Leave the World Behind, an adaptation of the 2020 novel of the same name, was a solidly crafted psychological/apocalyptic thriller. That said, I can understand the mixed responses.

Don’t go into this one expecting an epic end-of-the-world blockbuster packed with disaster sequences. It’s a contained story taking place within a larger one. For much of the film, the characters and us, the audience, have little to go on regarding what’s happening in this larger story. The confusion the characters feel, we feel too, and I dug that approach.

Good performances here from a reliable cast; Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali were particularly good. And although there’s a smaller focus, there are a few large-scale sequences that I thought were well done.

There’s slick direction from writer-director Sam Esmail (creator of the series Mr. Robot) and his script scatters a number of interesting themes throughout. There are some intriguing, metaphor-heavy moments, although some of the attempts at profundity feel somewhat excessive when all is said and done.

Ultimately, we’ve seen a lot of this before in other films, but I enjoyed most of it. I thought there was enough tension and food for thought to make it a worthwhile watch.