Months after the release of Sam Esmail’s apocalyptic thriller Leave the World Behind, its ending has continued to remain a subject of debate. As the movie progressed, it left several unanswered questions, making its cliffhanging ending much more frustrating for viewers. However frustrating it might seem, it was intentional and created to end with an open-ended question, subject to the viewer’s interpretation.
The 2023 Leave the World Behind had Rumaan Alam’s 2020 novel of the same name as its source material. Although the movie’s ending differs significantly from the novel, they both offer their audiences flummoxed and hoping for a sequel. With a star-studded cast of Hollywood heavyweights, there’s no doubt the Netflix movie (and its source material) is created as an allegorical interpretation of today’s world and state of affairs. Here’s a closer look at the events of the Leave the World Behind movie and what they represent.
Recap of Leave the World Behind Plot
The Sandford family is introduced in the opening scenes. The matriarch Amanda Sandford (Julia Roberts), a misanthrope, books an impromptu getaway at a vacation rental home away from the city. Her husband, Clay Sandford (Ethan Hawke), is happy about the trip with the family. Although the children come along, Rose (Farrah Mackenzie), their youngest child, is least enthused about the trip. She’s more concerned about completing the finale season of Friends TV show.
Besides noticing a man stocking up on large quantities of canned food and water at the grocery store, everything seems normal until they go to the beach close to their vacation home. After an oil tanker runs ashore, they notice their TV and Wi-Fi isn’t working. At night, a misanthropic Amanda is unsettled after G.H. Scott (Mahershala Ali) and his daughter, Ruth Scott (Myha’la), show up at the door seeking shelter, claiming it is their home.
In search of answers about the strange events occurring, they realize the world as they knew it no longer exists. As the adults stay focused on the events, try to understand them, and provide solutions, Rose ventures out of the rental home. She arrives at Thorne’s home with a bunker designed for apocalyptic survival. While the world burns above, Leave the World Behind ends with Rose finally watching the series finale of Friends.
Animal Symbolisms
These were a recurring theme throughout the movie, with the herd of deer as its primary animal. Besides the deer, flamingos moon bathe in Scott’s home swimming pool, a flock of birds fly hysterically above, and eagle-eyed viewers would have noticed an unrestrained horse standing alone by the side of the road. At the core of these animal symbolisms is a representation of disruption and chaos. When Clay goes into town, on the car’s radio, it is revealed these attacks had affected the natural navigational instinct and migration patterns of animals.
While on the surface, this is true, it’s also important to point out that deer have a natural, instinctual fear of humans and would run away in the opposite direction when approached. In Leave the World Behind, the herd of deer seems keen on approaching the house and staying in the woods, irrespective of human presence. This should have been the first sign and warning that even the deer were running from a greater danger and considered the area surrounding Scott’s home safe. Similarly, despite having a beach close by, the flamingos chose the pool to rest before continuing their journey. As it is quickly shown, no one except Rose noticed that something was wrong.
Amanda Sandford & Ruth Scott
Despite having a strained relationship from the onset, Amanda and Ruth go into the woods searching for the missing Rose. They somewhat trash out their differences while hiding in the shed. As they step out, they are confronted by a herd of deer. It was the first time audiences watched a misanthropic Amanda care for another human other than herself and her family. Although Amanda and Ruth never hug or apologize for how they’ve treated each other, watching a bomb go off in the city, they impulsively hold hands.
Allegorically, although humans have become selfish and loathsome of one another when tragedy strikes, we revert to our instincts to seek comfort from each other. However, as much as Ruth may have wanted to continue the search for Rose when the set timer goes off, she abandons it all to return home to her supposedly waiting father. Her actions are understandable, considering her lack of trust for the Sandfords and her father being her only surviving family. Judging by the safety of the woods at that point, Amanda and Ruth returned safely to the house.
G.H. Scott, Clay Sandford, & Danny
Having probably endured years of being laughed at for being a doomsday conspiracist, Danny (Kevin Bacon) had no interest in wasting resources on anyone. The standoff between Clay and Danny was unarguably understandable as both sought to protect their family. It was this determination in Clay that seemed to have calmed Danny. For the first time, viewers watched a fearful G.H. explain what he understood was happening in the world. G.H., Clay, and Archie Sandford (Charlie Evans) left Danny’s property with only one course of action: to find the bunker on Thorne’s property.
At this point in Leave the World Behind, the true nature of the attack or events didn’t matter anymore. They were in survival mode and would instinctively seek shelter. G.H. is more than capable of finding the bunker. However, it all boils down to trust, as the Scotts want to survive as much as the Sandfords. While there’s no doubt the trio would make it back to the house, Rose is still missing and could hinder the Scotts from entering the bunker or trusting the Scotts will let them in when they find Rose. Although he has a good heart, Clay has shown he would do anything to protect his family.
Rose Sandford
Oplus_0
Maybe because she’s young, but there’s a certain level of innocence about Rose Sandford. Besides her fanatical love for Friends, she seems to be the first to grasp that all hope is lost. Interestingly, no one ever pays attention to what she says. When she tells her mother her version of the famous parable of the drowning man, it’s a nod to her, knowing they’re doomed and must find help. Although it appears she leaves to find the finale episode of Friends, Rose leaves the house to find help. Again, she’s the only person who realizes they’re already doomed.
Finding the Thorne home and the bunker was sheer coincidence, as she had no idea what was on the other side of the woods. Luckily, she finds the bunker. It has everything and more for survival. Although one would think she would return immediately to inform her mother and family, she’s lived a life where no one ever takes her seriously. In the bunker, she has found the one thing that has eluded her for days. She sits to watch it, safe from the decaying world above her. Although the novel hints that she returns to Scott’s home with supplies, the movie leaves her actions as vague as possible for viewers’ interpretation.
The Friends finale episode (“The Last One”) is split into two parts, with a combined runtime of about 224 minutes. It is most certain that Rose will return at the end of the finale. It is also enough time for the Scotts to find their way to the Thorne’s home. Whether Rose will return to meet a searching party at the Scott home or find that they have fought themselves over the ownership of the Thorne’s bunker is subject to their level of trust (a scare quality throughout the movie). The inevitable Leave the World Behind ending is a post-apocalyptic one. If you enjoyed reading about the Leave the World Behind ending, read Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’s Climactic Ending Explained.
Follow Us
