Backrooms is the kind of film that gets under your skin and stays there. A24’s big-screen adaptation of the viral internet phenomenon is deeply unsettling, it lingers in the back of your mind long after you leave the cinema. From the moment you enter the Backrooms, into its fluorescent-lit labyrinth there’s a creeping dread that never quite lets up.

 

I really enjoyed the performances from Chiwetel Ejiofor (Clark) and Renate Reinsve (Mary) . They anchored the film with grounded, compelling work that keeps the more surreal and terrifying moments feeling emotionally real.

 

What surprised me was the talent behind the camera. Director Kane Parsons, who first brought the Backrooms to life on YouTube as a teenager. For someone so young he has a remarkable talent for the cinematic. He honours the eerie, analog horror roots of his original web series, scaling it up without losing what made it special.

This is especially evident in the film's found footage sequences which is surprising as the format has been run into the ground over the years and people have become weary of it. But Kane has managed to make these sections feel purposeful rather than lazy. The grainy, handheld aesthetic pays genuine homage to the Backrooms’ origins as an internet phenomenon and is an absolute treat for fans of the format. Parsons uses the technique selectively and effectively to deepen the lore and connect the film to the immense online history that made the Backrooms a cultural moment in the first place.

 

Overall I loved the film, my only gripe being there were moments that were a little too predictable. Don’t get me wrong these moments were few and far between and for the most part I was left on the edge of my seat completely in anticipation of what was to come next. Backrooms keeps you on the edge with plenty of unexpected turns to ensure you’re never fully comfortable in your seat.

 

The film does a rare thing of answering lots of questions about the mythology behind what’s going on but leaves you with just as many new ones. This feels balanced and earned, open enough to haunt and stick with you long after you leave the theater. This is a hard thing to pull off and the Backrooms nails it.

 

Backrooms is thought-provoking, atmospheric and genuinely unnerving. A very strong debut from an up-and-coming filmmaker absolutely worth watching.