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Produced by Barack and Michelle Obama, the apocalyptic thriller Leave the World Behind made its debut on Netflix on December 8, 2023. The movie intricately weaves in Easter eggs that resonate with Black History, a fitting tribute to some of the esteemed names that are associated with the project.
The film is directed by Sam Esmail and boasts a stellar cast, including Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, and Marshala Ali. The official logline as per Netflix for Leave the World Behind is as follows:
“A family's getaway to a luxurious rental home takes an ominous turn when a cyberattack knocks out their devices — and two strangers appear at their door.”
The movie creatively uses metaphors, music, and artwork to draw attention to several important issues, including society's over-reliance on technology, the emergence of artificial intelligence, environmental degradation, and racism in America.
5 Black History Easter Eggs in Leave the World Behind
1) Point Comfort
In Leave the World Behind, Amanda Sandford, played by the legendary Julia Roberts, plans a five-day getaway to a beachfront retreat house with her husband and their two children.
The home is situated in Point Comfort, New York, a made-up town. Surprisingly, the location refers to Nikole Hannah-Jones’ 1619 Project, which reinterprets American history in light of its close connection to slavery.
Historically, the Transatlantic slave trade was allegedly started in 1619, when 20 African slaves were transported to Point Comfort, Virginia, marking a pivotal moment in the nation's complex history.
2) Fort Mose
The Sandford family trip to Point Comfort comes to a stop at exit 76. However, there is a deviation in the path that goes to Fort Mose Road, a detail that experts will quickly recognize due to Fort Mose’s significance to African-American people. Constructed around 1738, Fort Mose was a free Black community close to present-day St. Augustine, Florida.
Additionally, Fort Mose played a crucial role in the Reverse Underground Railroad, which allowed fugitive slaves—mostly from South Carolina and Georgia—to go to Florida, then ruled by Spain, in order to escape slavery and obtain their freedom.
3) White Lion
On the first day, the Sandford family arrives at Point Comfort, where they witness an oil rig known as White Lion on the beach. The tanker's side is painted with the name White Lion, which is only displayed momentarily in Leave the World Behind.
This is yet another Easter egg in the movie that references African-American history. The transatlantic slave trade began in 1619 when the White Lion, a slave ship carrying 20 Africans, arrived at Point Comfort, Virginia.
4) Artist Barthelemy Toguo
When the Sandford family arrives at the villa, they are mesmerized by the beautiful artwork and the decor displayed across the home by GH Scott, played by Marshala Ali, an African-American and rich investment advisor.
Barthelemy Toguo's painting, Talking to the Moon, which has a repeating set of eyes staring at everyone who enters, is located at the Scotts' front door. The artist, Togou, a native of Cameroon, once had a show titled Craving for Humanity: The World of Barthelemy Toguo. The display addressed global crises, including hunger, violence, and power abuse. This instance also serves as another subtle Easter egg in Leave the World Behind.
5) Acknowledgment of Aldous Huxley
After the Scotts and Sandfords meet up on the third day, GH chooses to see his neighbors, the Huxleys, who he knows have a satellite phone, since the mobile network and wifi fall out.
In this scene from Leave the World Behind, the name "Huxleys" is a reference to author Aldous Huxley, who wrote the dystopian novel A Brave New World, which was released in 1932. The novel predicted that mankind would be brainwashed by modern technology and would submit to artificial intelligence.
Considering the depiction in Leave the World Behind, where AI-controlled and electric-powered gadgets fail, this warning seems prophetic. Fans may draw multiple conclusions from the movie on the reason behind the chaos, such as the fact that technology is no longer under human control.
Leave the World Behind is now available for streaming on Netflix after its initial release on October 25, 2023. As of now, the movie holds a rating of 6.5 on IMDB.
