What Death Leaves Behind

Jake Warren, a once healthy young man is in need of a kidney transplant. Although his surgery is successful, he is plagued by vivid nightmares which he believes to be visions of his donors death. What Death Leaves Behind opens with the audience being subjected to Jake’s behavior after his transplant. It’s here that we see him acting in a way that is quite alarming. Having the movie start off in the present with flashbacks to the past really helps the audience see just how much he’s changed. Although it is not listed on the movie poster, the role of Jake Warren is played by new comer Khalil McMillan.

When you are in need of a transplant you don’t get to just waltz into the hospital and get a new Organ. You are added to a list of possible recipients. Unfortunately these lists tend to be very long and the sad reality is that a lot of people don’t make it by the time it’s their turn. Adding this detail to the story was a great way to help the audience feel a connection to the character. I think part of what makes this film work so well is that you have a multifaceted character and a topic that everyone thinks about. Death. No one can escape it but we can try to live our days to the best of our ability. What I got out of this film is that you never know what could happen. One day you’re perfectly healthy, and that can change in the blink of an eye.

The cinematography is done really well. It really captures the heart of the film. It’s because of this that visually it felt like I was watching the lives of real people. The soundtrack is beautiful. It can be difficult to transition from a somber scene with serene music to a more dark, ominous scene but I think the composer did a great job blurring these lines.

I would recommend What Death Leaves Behind to anyone who enjoys realistic, stylized action films. I rate this film a 7/10. I really enjoyed it and I think with a little more fine tuning it could have been a 10 for me. What Death Leaves Behind premieres on September 11th in Los Angeles, California following its release it will be available at select theaters.