The mysterious loud noise in Leave the World Behind remains one of the biggest unsolved mysteries of the new Netflix apocalyptic thriller. Directed by Sam Esmail, the creator of the acclaimed hacker series Mr. Robot, Leave the World Behind has become one of the most popular and talked about new releases on Netflix in December 2023. The film expertly designs an unsettling doomsday scenario that feels very close to home as the United States experiences an unprecedented coordinated cyberattack aimed at destabilizing the entire country all at once.
It is never revealed in Leave the World Behind where the source of the loud piercing noise is even though it is heard throughout the atmosphere at the Long Beach, New York vacation home where the main character is staying. The noise appears to have the ability to cause mental and physical harm to people who hear it, making it seem like it is part of the coordinated attacks on the United States. The loud noise occurs in conjunction with the internet blackout, disabled satellites, and the widespread hacking of automated transportation vessels ranging from oil tankers and commercial airplanes to driverless Teslas.
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Danny Suggests Leave The World Behind’s Noise Was Caused By Microwave Weapons
Clay (Ethan Hawke) and G. H. Scott (Mahershala Ali) seek out doomsday prepper Danny (Kevin Bacon) for help with Clay’s son Archie. Danny was the contractor on G. H.’s house but is not friendly to G. H. when he shows up with Clay on his doorstep asking for his assistance. It’s unclear how much Danny knows about the whole ordeal, but he does have several intriguing theories that offer a glimpse as to what is happening with Archie, whose teeth are basically falling out of his mouth. Archie also omitted a mysterious black mass earlier in the film.
Danny mentions the possibility that the loud noise in Leave the World Behind is an indication of directed microwave radiation. This would explain Archie’s strange and gruesome symptoms and classify them as a result of microwave radiation poisoning. Danny recalls something similar that happened not long ago in Cuba which is a reference to the real-life Havana Syndrome. In 2016, a group of American diplomats reported having nausea, headaches, and other neurological issues after hearing a loud noise that was later revealed to be targeted microwave radiation.
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Leave The World Behind’s Book Hints The Sound Could Be Caused By A Futuristic Plane
The Havana Syndrome connection might have been an additional detail that Esmail made specifically for his film, as the novel suggests another potential explanation for the loud piercing noise altogether. Rumaan Alam’s book claims that the noise could be coming from futuristic planes that people didn’t even know existed yet. The book explains that the sound is from the highly advanced airplanes flying overhead, although it’s not clear what the exact purpose of the planes in the book is or who is functioning them.
The loud piercing noise in the Leave the World Behind movie doesn’t sound like a plane or any type of jet-fueled aerial vessel, so it’s possible that Esmail changed this aspect of the story. This would be congruent with the other references to real-life disasters made throughout the film and effectively makes the film more frightening and unsettling. A futuristic plane explanation for the loud noise in Leave the World Behind would ultimately sound fantastical and would take away from the thoughtful plausibility that Esmail achieved in the film.
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How The Noise In Leave The World Behind Impacts The Characters
The noise in Leave the World Behind appears to have serious effects on the characters in both physical and psychological ways. The worst effects are clearly seen through Archie, who is presumably losing his teeth and puking black contents from microwave radiation poisoning. If what Danny is predicting about the Havana Syndrome is actually true to the noise in Leave the World Behind, then it will most likely only be a matter of time before some if not all of the other characters get sick in a similar way.
The noise also smashes through glass windows in the film, acting as a tormenting agent that completely overrides their senses. The psychological element of not knowing what the noise is, what it does, or where it’s coming from also takes a great toll on the characters, as does all the other bizarre and confusing things that are happening around them. The novel explains that the noise comes from highly advanced planes flying overhead, however, the piercing sound in the Leave the World Behind movie makes it seem like it’s another Havana Syndrome situation.
Leave the World Behind
- Release Date
- December 8, 2023
- Director
- Sam Esmail
- Cast
- Julia Roberts , Mahershala Ali , Ethan Hawke , Myha’la , Kevin Bacon
- Runtime
- 141 Minutes
