Leave

 Leave (2022)

Trailer provided by Falcon Films via YouTube

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

Release Date: October 28, 2022

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Supernatural Thriller

Platform: VOD / Limited Theatrical Release

Director: Alex Herron

Writer: Thomas Moldestad

Cast: Alicia von Rittberg, Herman Tømmeraas, Stig R. Amdam, Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Morten Holst

Movie Review: Leave (2022)

Leave (2022), directed by Alex Herron in his feature film debut, takes a daring leap into the haunting realm of Nordic horror, weaving a slow-burn tale centered around identity, trauma, and ancestral curses. Anchored by a deeply personal mystery, the film stars Alicia von Rittberg as Hunter White, a young woman on a desperate search to uncover the truth about her origin after being abandoned as a baby wrapped in satanic symbols and a blanket with an inverted cross.

While Leave sets out with a strong concept and an atmospheric location—rooted in Norway’s shadowy woods and wintry countryside—the execution walks a fine line between evocative and underwhelming. This is a film that both benefits and suffers from its genre’s tropes: a haunting score, a lone female protagonist, cryptic locals, and, of course, the eerie family secrets buried just beneath the surface.

Plot Summary

Hunter White has spent her entire life in the U.S., never knowing her birth parents. As she turns 20, her curiosity peaks, especially given her mysterious origin: she was found abandoned in a cemetery as a baby, wrapped in occult symbols and strange items suggesting a dark past. Determined to trace her roots, she travels to Norway, armed with only a few clues and a growing suspicion that something sinister lies behind her abandonment.

As she delves deeper into the isolated regions of Norway, she begins to piece together her disturbing past. But each answer brings a new layer of fear: a local church resistant to her presence, villagers with secrets, and family ties darker than she ever expected. The deeper she digs, the more she realizes the truth may be worse than fiction.

Performances

Alicia von Rittberg carries the film with a commendable performance. She strikes a balance between vulnerability and tenacity, portraying Hunter as both a victim of circumstances and a woman determined to take control of her story. Her portrayal adds gravitas to the often-familiar horror beats, keeping the viewer invested even when the pacing falters.

Herman Tømmeraas, best known from Netflix’s Skam, offers an effective supporting role that provides a brief emotional anchor in Hunter’s otherwise bleak journey. However, other characters feel more functional than memorable, often serving as little more than mouthpieces for exposition or red herrings along the way.

Direction & Cinematography

Alex Herron’s background in music videos is evident in Leave’s stylistic choices. The film is beautifully shot, with hauntingly stark visuals of the Norwegian landscape, echoing the protagonist’s inner turmoil. Cinematographer Sjur Aarthun creates a desaturated, cold color palette that visually isolates the characters, reinforcing the eerie tension that underpins the story.

Where Herron shines is in his use of setting—abandoned churches, empty fields, misty forests—all contribute to the growing unease. But despite these aesthetic strengths, the pacing is inconsistent. The film often takes too long to move from one plot point to the next, which detracts from its potential to be truly terrifying.

Writing & Themes

Thomas Moldestad’s script mixes elements of family drama with supernatural mystery, attempting to create a layered narrative that explores themes of identity, inheritance, and the psychological scars of abandonment. These are powerful ideas, and the film hints at deeper commentary about religious fanaticism, cultural repression, and trauma passed down through generations.

However, the execution occasionally falls into clichés: creepy old villagers, cryptic warnings, and a twist ending that doesn’t quite land with the impact it could have had. That said, Leave does succeed in creating a growing sense of dread, even if it doesn’t always deliver on that suspense.

The pacing and exposition-heavy dialogue sometimes weigh the story down, but it’s clear there was ambition behind the writing—to craft a personal story within the horror framework rather than simply rely on gore or jump scares.

Sound Design & Music

The score by Jamie Christopherson is subtle but effective, often relying on atmospheric tones rather than dramatic melodies to build tension. The sound design incorporates eerie silences and sudden bursts of noise, which works well for the horror genre but feels underused in the latter half of the film, where the suspense could have been heightened with more dynamic audio choices.

Overall Impressions

Leave is a respectable entry in the horror mystery genre that dares to tackle personal and historical trauma through a supernatural lens. It’s not groundbreaking, nor does it offer a particularly fresh take on occult horror, but its commitment to storytelling, strong central performance, and striking visuals give it enough merit to recommend—especially for fans of slow-burn horror.

It’s a film that leans more toward psychological exploration than outright scares, and that might disappoint viewers expecting a more intense experience. But if you’re intrigued by identity-driven horror with a chilling Nordic backdrop, Leave may just hold your attention, even if it doesn’t haunt your dreams.

Final Verdict

Leave won’t revolutionize the genre, but it offers a thoughtful, character-driven story that stands out for its setting and tone. While it stumbles in pacing and lacks a climactic punch, the thematic depth and Alicia von Rittberg’s performance carry it far enough for a one-time watch.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)