“Backrooms” is directed by Kane Parsons, who also created a science fiction web series of the same name. This film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor (Doctor Strange, The Lion King), Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value, The Worst Person in the World), Mark Duplass (Creep, Safety Not Guaranteed), Finn Bennett (Warfare, Hope Gap), and Lukita Maxwell (Afraid, Shrinking). This film is about a man who discovers an alternate dimension, as well as his therapist’s mission to save him.

“Backrooms” is a movie that I found out about through a friend of a friend. I spend a lot of time on the Internet. Where do you think I posted this review? But despite dedicating portions of my life to the web, I was never once familiar with the story behind “Backrooms.” Apparently, director Kane Parsons is, as this film is not only inspired by the 2019 Internet story, but this is not the first time he made a project linked to it. He turned the idea into a web series on his YouTube channel, and now, he is getting to bring his creativity to the big screen with the same concept.

I love seeing YouTubers get their shot at making theatrical releases. One of my favorite YouTubers, Chris Stuckmann, released “Shelby Oaks” last year, which I quite enjoyed. While I have yet to check out the movie, I heard some decent things about Markiplier’s “Iron Lung.” “Backrooms” looked like another great example of someone possibly transitioning from YouTuber to filmmaker. I am unfamiliar with Parsons’ background as a filmmaker, but I have to say I am thoroughly impressed with his efforts here.

Kane Parsons not only released a feature film through A24, which is an extraordinary bragging right at any age, but he did so at the age of 20. On top of that, he topped the domestic box office on the film’s opening weekend with $81.5 million. He is officially the youngest filmmaker to reach the number one spot.

This film definitely looks like it has less money put into it than some of its competition like “Star Wars: Mandalorian and Grogu,” which funny enough, looks cheap by “Star Wars” movie standards. But just because the film is made with a smaller budget does not mean that it is lacking in style. The film switches aspect ratios from time to time and even features some blurry 4:3 footage, sometimes enhancing the scares. The film reminds me a bit of “Weapons” in the sense that my skin never tended to crawl while watching it, but there was still a sense of consistent creepiness from start to finish. Parsons nails the atmosphere of his picture. It feels intimate, but packs a glorious punch while doing so.

In addition to reminding me of other movies, this film also reminded me of a couple video games including “The Stanley Parable” and “Portal.” The latter in particular, according to Parsons, served as a massive piece of inspiration for the film. It is easy to see why. Not only does this movie see its characters constantly going in and out of separate dimensions, but the score constantly lingers in the background. This takes me back to times where I played the first “Portal” game in particular. The music is by no means obnoxious. In fact, it is sometimes surprisingly calming, but does occasionally offer a chill. Speaking of the score, not only is this film helmed by Kane Parsons, one of the industry’s youngest directors, but he also collaborated on the making of its music alongside Edo Van Breeman.

In fact, despite a couple video game-based movies coming out this year like “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and “Mortal Kombat II,” one could argue that “Backrooms” is the most video game-like title released in 2026 yet. As our characters explore the titular alternate dimension, there is a sense that I was there with them, learning about the space in the same way they did. I have no idea if I would have felt any different if I had more familiarity with this material beforehand, but this film immersed me in the sense that I was someplace I had not been before and constantly trying to learn the way of the land.

Now that I have had time to think about it, “Backrooms” is not my favorite horror film. It is not bad. It has its moments, but if there is one thing about this film I am bound to remember more than anything else, one could argue it is the overall simplicity it delivers. While there are complicated elements throughout the film in terms of the story and characterization, there is a beautiful simplicity in the film’s sets, locations, and shots. I love a good film that reaches for the sky and offers tons of grand imagery, but that does not need to be the case every time, and “Backrooms” effectively shows why.

Having seen the marketing for this film, it does a really good job at succeeding where many other campaigns fail. Having seen a trailer or two, I had a sense of what this movie would be about, but the marketing splendidly hides so much material. It teases a lot, but it never gives a full picture. When it comes to the aspects involving the alternate dimension, I enjoyed unpacking more of what the film had to offer. That said, much of the film is about Clark’s (Ejiofor’s) journey in therapy, as well as his struggles with alcoholism and his marriage. I cannot quite put my finger on why I was not as attached as I could have been to the main character, but I wish I were a little more invested in his journey. That said, if I had to guess, part of it might be because the best character in the movie is not even a person. It is not even a living thing. One could argue it is the Backrooms themselves. Yes, we see Clark unravel the mystery of this alternate dimension and how such unraveling has an effect on his personal struggles in the real world, but despite a really solid performance on Ejiofor’s part, I did not find his journey outside the Backrooms as riveting as maybe the movie wanted me to. There are no “bad” scenes in the movie, but there are a handful of scenes in this film that I am going to remember more than others. Whether it is Clark discovering the backrooms for the first time, showing it off to other people, or the same character trying to keep himself together while making a commercial for a furniture store.

By the way, said furniture store is called Cap’n Clark’s Ottoman Empire. Whenever my dad and I would find ourselves in a furniture store, we would often utter the phrase “ottoman empire” as part of a joke. Fascinating to see we are not the only people with clever taste in furniture puns.

Not to beat a dead horse, but if I was not already clear enough, this movie took my “Backrooms” virginity. While I cannot quite say that this movie made me desperate to see more of the lore online, it did make me a fan of Kane Parsons, who clearly has a passion for the material he is showcasing. He also has a talent for directing by unleashing good performances out of his cast. Parsons proves that when it comes to making cinema, age is just a number. I have a feeling his next outing will be stronger than this, but I think “Backrooms” is a decent start.

In the end, “Backrooms” is an atmospherically pleasing horror film, but I am not going to pretend that it is the most riveting material I have ever seen. I like some of the characters, and the film for the most part is well-paced. But this film, despite being a connected story, feels like two movies in one where half the story is superior to the other. To my surprise, I was more interested in the Backrooms portion of the movie compared to the scenes involving Clark’s personal struggles. Even with its drawbacks, this movie made me a Kane Parsons fan. I wish nothing but the best for his future. I am going to give “Backrooms” a 6/10.

I do want to give a little disclaimer though about my experience watching this movie, as my reviews for the most part are based on first impressions, part of me does at some point want to give this movie a second viewing and see if my opinion changes. Because I did something at the cinema for this movie that I do not usually do. I walked out of it as it was playing and came back minutes later. For the record, I walked out because I was at a dine-in theater and they never gave me my cheeseburger and fries that I ordered prior to sitting down, which by the way, I already paid for. So, more than halfway through the film, I had to go deal with that. It is quite possible that my lackluster mood during the screening due to this incident may have played a factor in my verdict. Granted, it is a positive verdict, but on the low end. Part of me is surprised I am not rating this higher. I do not think I missed anything super important, but for all I know, I could have kept myself away from the best part of the movie. Who knows?

“Backrooms” is now playing in theaters everywhere. Tickets are available now.

Thanks for reading this review! As a reminder, the latest episode of Scene Before’s original web series Movie Requests is now online! I just posted it Saturday. If you missed the sixth episode of the series, it features comedian and television host Chris Hardwick, who suggested I should watch “Real Genius.” Be sure to check out the video, and if you enjoy it, leave a like and subscribe to my YouTube channel, that way you do not miss new episodes down the line.

Speaking of which, in the coming days, I am going to be revealing five more guests who are going to be featured in Movie Requests. I had a chance to hear their suggestions earlier this year, and I am excited to share them all with you. Right now, the guests are being referred to as “An Asgardian,” “A Ring-Bearer,” ” A Rose,” “A Ruiner,” and “A Tenderloin.” Who do you think they are? Take your guesses, and leave them in the comments section!

My next review is going to be for “Masters of the Universe!” Stay tuned! Also coming soon, I will be sharing my thoughts on “Another World,” “The Breadwinner,” “Disclosure Day,” and “Toy Story 5!” If you want to see these reviews and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Backrooms?” What did you think about it? Or, are you familiar at all with the Backrooms lore? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!