Leave the World Behind is Netflix’s newest disaster thriller, taking viewers by storm. Starring Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, and Ethan Hawke, the movie also has a unique connection to the Obamas.

Reportedly, Barack and Michelle Obama produced the movie; however, their involvement was a cause for multiple conspiracy theories. Eventually, these theories were put to rest by the movie’s director, Sam Esmail.

Real Research, an blockchain based survey app, conducted a survey on controversy over Obama’s ‘Leave The World Behind’ movie and the Obamas’ supposed controversial involvement.

Highlights

  • 51.83% felt that the intimate scene featuring dialogue about ‘trusting white people’ was racist
  • 53.88% believe the movie being labeled ‘racist’ had something to do with the Obamas
  • The mixed reviews that the movie received are justified, say a collective 45.77%

Netflix’s ‘Leave the World Behind’ received negative reviews online for claims that the movie allegedly demonizes white people. 54.35% were aware of this, while 45.65% were not. 

‘Trust Should Not Be Doled Out To White People’

A scene from the ‘Leave The World Behind’ movie specifically gained criticism from the masses; a Black couple was depicted saying, “I’m asking you to remember that if the world falls apart, trust should not be doled out easily to anyone, especially white people.”

The dialogue cautioned about trusting white people in particular. 60.8% felt that this sentiment negatively affects white people, whereas 27.68% were certain that it does, and 11.52% felt it doesn’t.

White people are likely to be affected by the comment
Fig 1: White people are likely to be affected by the comment

Was the Scene Racist?

The dialogue in the ‘Leave The World Behind’ movie was found to be racist by over a majority, 51.83%, and 48.17% said otherwise.

The-racist-scene-in-‘Leave-the-World-Behind
Fig 2: The racist scene in ‘Leave the World Behind’

Were The Obamas To Blame For The Scene?

The movie was produced by former U.S. President Obama and his wife, Michelle. The duo was consulted on the movie’s script, for which, the former president had extensive notes on the characters. Some speculated that the racist scene was possibly their doing.

53.88% of respondents felt that the racist scene was the Obamas’ doing, while 46.12% felt otherwise.

Are-the-Obamas-to-blame-for-the-racist-scene
Fig 3: Are the Obamas to blame for the racist scene?

Did the Movie Deserve Mixed Reviews?

Did the ‘Leave The World Behind’ movie deserve the mixed reviews it received?

 54.24% felt that the movie ‘absolutely’ deserved the mixed reviews, while 45.77% thought that the movie probably didn’t deserve to receive the mixed reviews.

Did the Masses Enjoy The Movie?

54.17% of respondents have watched the movie, while 45.83% have not. Likewise, 38.45% enjoyed the movie nevertheless, while 25.65% did not enjoy it, and 35.90% did not enjoy it.

Methodology

Survey TitleSurvey on Controversy Over Obama’s ‘Leave The World Behind’ Movie
DurationDecember 17 – December 24, 2023
Number of Participants6,000
DemographicsMales and females, aged 21 to 99
Participating Countries Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bolivia,… Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, China (Hong Kong) China (Macao), China (Taiwan), Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Greanada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Maldives, Maluritania, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar [Burma], Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe.