Backrooms – Film Review
Reviewed by Harris Dang on the 28th of May 2026
Nixco presents a film by Kane Parsons
Written by Will Soodik based on Backrooms by Kane Parsons
Produced by James Wan, Michael Clear, Roberto Patino, Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, Dan Levine, Osgood Perkins, Chris Ferguson, Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, and Kori Adelson
Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell
Cinematography Jeremy Cox
Edited by Greg Ng
Music by Edo Van Breemen and Kane Parsons
Rating: M
Running Time: 105 minutes
Release Date: the 28th of May 2026
Set in 1990, Backrooms tells the story of Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a distraught, downtrodden furniture store owner undergoing therapy with his doctor, Mary Kline (Sentimental Value’s Renate Reinsve). His business has no customers, he is in deep financial debt, his long-time partner has left him, and his dreams of becoming an architect have shattered.
Forced to sleep in his store, he notices peculiar occurrences involving the power going on and off, leading him downstairs to examine the fuse box. Upon examination, he inadvertently enters another dimension that resembles the inverse layout of his office building with some off-kilter elements.
While Clark is eager to share his discovery, Mary is sceptical because of her patient’s alcoholism. Consequently, he asks employees Bobby (Finn Bennett) and Kat (Lukita Maxwell) to follow him and document his findings with a video camera. The deeper they dive into the world, the more they realise the world is not meant for human minds.
The film’s germinating idea is a fascinating one. It started from a 4chan forum thread as a fictional location that formed an internet horror legend (i.e. creepypasta). Young emerging filmmaker Kane Parsons then adapted the legend into a YouTube web series of the same name. Shown as found-footage documents involving a research institute investigating the dimensions, the series became viral and led to the film’s conception.
Following the trend of YouTube creators becoming filmmakers (Curry Barker’s horror film Obsession being a recent example), will Parsons continue the upward trend with critical and audience success?
Backrooms is a sterling example of youthful exuberance, vivid imagination, and confident storytelling. It shows the horror genre is an evolving, engaging, and innovative cornerstone of cinema. The film strays from being an assaultive horror experience involving plentiful jump-scares, a rollercoaster narrative, and lashings of blood and gore.
Instead, Parsons opts for the power of suggestion and plays with the audience’s perceptions. This is attributable to a marvellously sparse production design, a wonderfully conducive score by Edo Van Breeman and Parsons, striking and well-timed sound design/editing, and pensive editing by Greg Ng.
The fear of the unknown is amplified to haunting effect as exposition is replaced by character action. The film is clever in its ideas of inverse worlds courtesy of it storytelling by Parsons and screenwriter Will Soodik.
While admirably restrained in explanation and exposition, it falters slightly with characterisations and telegraphing ideas. Dialogue involving analogies, including therapy speak, is fitting considering the young target audience, but it also removes potential food-for-thought.
Regardless, Ejiofor and Reinsve are fantastic performers and have plenty of meat to chew on with their roles. Ejiofor is refreshingly overstated in his performance and Reinsve continues her cinematic reign effortlessly. However, the simplicity of their characters slightly hinders their work.
While it makes the supposed metaphorical path of trauma and consequence palatable and refreshingly frank (Mary calls out Clark for his actions in the curtest way), their character arcs are predictably executed. Fortunately, the arcs are complete and gratifying enough that the conclusion (which is fitting considering the origins) is satisfyingly ambiguous and promising in how far-reaching the world can go.
Ultimately, Backrooms delivers on the hype. By capturing the shorts’ spirit and expanding the scope without showing too many cards, it provides a satisfying horror experience that will haunt, thrill, and stir debate.
Summary: Backrooms is a sterling example of youthful exuberance, vivid imagination, and confident storytelling.
4.5
Excellent
Related Posts
Mother Mary – Film Review →
Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu – Film Review →
Welcome to the Greenland, home of the shortest football season on Earth! →
