To get it out of the way, I really enjoyed ‘Backrooms’. The hype around many of the post-COVID horror films has left me a little iffy. For every ‘Weapons’, there has been a ‘Long Legs’ (fight me on it). However, I’m happy to report that much like Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Frank, I have been happily sucked into the world of ‘Backrooms’.
‘Backrooms’ comes from the mind of 20-year-old horror wunderkind, Kane Parsons. Inspired by reading creepypastas as a teenager, he taught himself Blender and After Effects to create ‘THE BACKROOMS’. The found footage short garnered 20 million views and entered the hallowed halls of “creepiest stuff on the internet”. That first video evolved into 22 additional episodes, leading to an offer from A24 for a feature-length film and to James Wan coming on board as producer.
For anyone with trepidations over whether Parsons, who is yet to reach his athletic prime, can transition from online virality to the director’s chair, need not worry. He handles himself commendably, creating something that pushes past the elevated horror trappings that have ensnared so many films in the 2020’s.
The first half of the film is steeped in both dread and discovery. This may sound like a goofy analogy, but I’d compare ‘Backrooms’ to that episode of ‘The Simpsons’ where Homer becomes lost in the 3D world (“has anyone seen Tron?”). In my mind, I was pleading with them to head back, while simultaneously hoping they would go just a little further.
The cast is led by veteran actor Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Rensive, who turn in solid performances. Both their characters have very horror-movie traumas that would veer into cliché territory if it weren’t for both actors’ innate charisma and talent. No one plays a hysterical man who has a “vision” quite like Ejiofor. However, ‘Backrooms’ offers him a little more grit to dig into than usual. Rensive’s domination of 2026 continues here with a role that starts aloof and stilted before nosediving into a limping scream queen.
However, the real star of the show is the backrooms themselves. The Dijon mustard yellow walls are instantly the stuff of horror movie legend, sitting alongside the Overlook Hotel and The Psycho House. The set design and props feel pulled straight from the 90’s (when the film is set), yet alien at the same time. It’s reported that they built 30,000 square feet of set for this film. For those who’ve only seen the trailers, that’s just the tip of the iceberg of how far the labrinyth-esque hallways stretch. There’s some truly creative and creepy rooms that I wouldn’t dare spoil.
Your mileage on the film really comes down to the second half, where the story and world veer from ominous to full-on psychedelic nightmare. As a light spoiler, this isn’t the type of film that exists all in a character’s mind (to a certain degree). This goes into all-out sci-fi-adjacent territory. If that doesn’t sound like your bag, then the last ten minutes might spoil everything that’s come before. However, I enjoyed where ‘Backrooms’ landed. To me, it was Parsons’ nodding to the conspiratorial vibe of the initial videos that made him an internet darling.
I had a good time with ‘Backrooms’ (unlike the characters). It felt satisfying to watch a hyped film deliver on the originality and spectacle promised in its marketing. I don’t know if this is just the beginning of a sprawling cinematic ‘Backrooms’ universe or just a one-off film that we’ll look back on fondly when thinking about the funnest movies of 2026. If it’s the former, I’ll see you back down there 🫡.
Describe a dog/10
Special thanks to the good people at NIXCO and A24 for inviting us to the special Australian screening. The ‘Backrooms’ theme popcorn was a highlight!
