It’s been a fantastic year for YouTubers-turned-filmmakers. Iron Lung surpassed all industry expectations, with fan demand pushing the film into 2,500 theatres worldwide; The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act is set to make over $36 million at the global box office; and Obsession, a horror film initally slated for a humble YouTube release, is now Focus Features’ highest-grossing movie of all time.
Backrooms, the debut film from 20-year-old Kane Parsons, was arguably one of the first movies to kickstart this wave of “YouTube cinema”. Parsons had already seen viral fame through his Backrooms webseries, which now sits at over 85 million views on YouTube; yet, when A24 first announced a film adaptation in 2023, both fans and outsiders alike were skeptical. Was this a major studio’s cheap attempt to cash in on a viral moment? Would a blockbuster budget water down what made the series so effective in the first place?
Thankfully, that’s not the case. For those unfamiliar, the Backrooms is a piece of Internet horror fiction based on a 4chan post from 2019, imagining a world where people can “noclip” out of reality, trapping themselves inside a series of endless corridors known as the Backrooms. While many Internet users have created their own short films, games, and stories expanding on the concept, Parsons’ webseries became one of the most popular Backrooms interpretations by far, capturing viewers’ imaginations with its startlingly effective visual effects and storytelling.
The film version stays remarkably true to the spirit of Parsons’ webseries, with the increased budget allowing for scenes that could not have been achieved by the original’s YouTube found-footage format. For the first time, we see what this world looks like outside of the series’ shaky handheld cameras, now brought to life for the big screen with striking cinematography that vividly renders both the surreal Backrooms and the quiet suburban town that our characters live in.
Our central characters are Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a down-on-his-luck furniture store owner who discovers the Backrooms in his basement; and Mary (Renate Reinsve), his therapist who hides secrets of her own. Both actors deliver strong performances, particularly Ejiofor, whose character is deeply flawed, yet compelling to watch as he descends into madness. The inherent horror of the Backrooms – being trapped in a neverending maze, unable to escape, with monsters lurking just around the corner – is amplified by a chilling score that kept me on the edge of my seat.
For those wondering whether prior knowledge of the Backrooms webseries is necessary to enjoy the film, I’d say it helps, but isn’t essential, as the movie introduces the core concepts of Parsons’ Backrooms universe early on. Viewers familiar with the webseries (or even just the analysis videos) may find certain moments more suspenseful, as recognizing specific elements can hint at what’s coming, but they aren’t crucial to enjoying the film.
With that said, I think there’s one aspect where it helps to already be familiar with Parsons’ work. The film’s ending is extremely true to his writing style, in that it’s cryptic, open for interpretation, and won’t give most viewers the narrative satisfaction they might be looking for. I can see why general audiences have been split on how Backrooms ends, but I personally liked it for what it was.
Rating: 8.5/10
Kane Parsons is A24’s youngest-ever director at just 20 years old. It’s a fact that’s been repeated to the point of near-parody, but it’s still worth reiterating just how remarkable of an achievement that is. Backrooms is an incredible beginning to what will surely be a long and fruitful career, and I’m sure this film will be remembered fondly for being the one that started it all.
(P.S. For maximum immersion points, catch a late-night screening of this movie at the quietest mall you can find.)
