The 2020s has seen an explosion in horror films directed by YouTubers, with films such as “Talk to Me,” “Iron Lung” and “Obsession” all achieving significant box office success. Poised to join them is “Backrooms,” an A24 internet horror adaptation that was released May 29. While the film shows promise for the young director Kane Parsons, it is ultimately marred by underdeveloped writing and uneven narrative pacing that doesn’t fully realize the potential of its central concept.
The film’s concept revolves around the titular Backrooms, an endless, fluorescent-lit liminal space that seems to exist in a different dimension. Originating from a 4chan post, the concept has since become an online sensation and a modern-day creepypasta. The film adaptation gained attention when it was revealed that Kane Parsons, who went viral in 2022 for his Backrooms-related content on YouTube, would be the director.
“Backrooms” primarily follows Clark, the owner of a struggling furniture store, played by Chiwetel Ejiofor. After experiencing strange electrical phenomena in his store, Clark discovers a portion of the wall that allows him to phase into the Backrooms. As he decides to explore further, he slowly starts to uncover what and who resides in the Backrooms.
The film’s first forays into the Backrooms remain its best. The production design of the unnerving landscape is remarkable, with its strange angles and confusing architecture creating an unsettling atmosphere. Parsons smartly includes sequences shot entirely in found-footage style, amping up tension as the audience strains to get a look at what may be hiding in the nooks and crannies. While there are scares, “Backrooms” is restrained in what it shows, never letting the viewers see more of a glimpse at the true horrors. It is the part of the film most similar to Parsons’ YouTube videos, and is thus the most effective.
Unfortunately, the sections of the film covering anything but the Backrooms tend to fall flat, with unfinished character arcs and confusing exposition defining its time spent in California. After his first adventure, Clark reveals his discovery to his therapist Mary, played by Renate Reinsve. While initially skeptical, she eventually ventures into the Backrooms herself, and becomes tangled in its mystery. As “Backrooms” progresses, it becomes clear that the rooms are somehow intrinsically linked to the psyches of the characters. The film attempts to flesh out Clark and Mary’s characters through therapy sessions and flashbacks, but the story does not effectively tie these moments together. What is left are still undeveloped characters, several scenes that do not accomplish much and a connection between the characters to the rooms that feels tenuous and confusing.
Once Clark and Mary become veritably trapped in the rooms, the film also undergoes a noticeable shift in style. “Backrooms” worked best when it operated as an unsettling, liminal horror, but Parsons likely realized that this would become repetitive. So just about three quarters of a way in, the film starts to unshed some of the mystery, revealing the nature of the entities residing in the rooms. From here on, “Backrooms” becomes more of a typical monster chase film. While this section still delivers some tense moments, it is still not as captivating as the previous sequences in the film.
As the characters are pursued around the rooms, a team of researchers are also present, who had been studying the Backrooms. While they do act as a convenient rescue squad, they are only seen in a handful of scenes dotted across the film, and their plot thread is mostly inconsequential. It is an example of a part of the film that feels like filler, contributing to the film’s nearly two-hour runtime. Some concepts, perhaps, are better suited for shorter mediums.
While “Backrooms” has some undeniably brilliant moments, it suffers overall from half-baked character development and meaningless plotlines. Still, the film showcases a large amount of potential for the 20-year-old Parsons, who is the youngest director for A24 in history. “Backrooms” has already experienced eye-popping financial success, so Parsons will likely have many opportunities in the future to hone his craft. Though not flawless in his debut, Parsons’ first eerie project still signals that the future of horror cinema is in good hands.
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