The Backrooms Review - Kane Parsons use of atmosphere triumphs over character

The Backrooms (2026) Review

Directed by Kane Parsons, The Backrooms follows Clark, a struggling furniture store owner whose discovery of a mysterious doorway beneath his showroom leads him into the Backrooms—an endless labyrinth of empty rooms, impossible architecture, and terrifying entities. As his obsession with uncovering the truth grows, the line between reality and nightmare begins to blur.

Adapting one of the internet’s most iconic horror concepts into a feature-length film was always going to be a daunting task, but Kane Parsons proves he understands exactly what made the original series resonate with millions. Rather than abandoning the eerie liminal horror that defined the source material, he embraces it, creating a film that remains largely faithful while expanding the mythology in a way that feels natural.

The film’s greatest strength is its atmosphere. Every frame is filled with an overwhelming sense of isolation and unease, with Parsons masterfully building tension through sound design, cinematography, and patient pacing. The scares are genuinely effective, relying less on cheap jump scares and more on the constant feeling that something is lurking just out of sight. Visually, the film is stunning, making the Backrooms feel both hauntingly familiar and endlessly terrifying.

Chiwetel Ejiofor delivers a phenomenal lead performance, grounding the film with emotional weight even as the story ventures into increasingly surreal territory. His portrayal of Clark is compelling from start to finish, balancing fear, desperation, and obsession with remarkable subtlety. It’s a performance that elevates the material and gives the audience someone to invest in throughout the film.

Unfortunately, the film’s biggest weakness lies in its characters. While Clark is well realised, much of the supporting cast lacks meaningful development, and several characters suffer from unclear motivations. As the story progresses, the emotional stakes aren’t always as impactful as they could be because the screenplay doesn’t spend enough time exploring who these characters are beyond the central mystery. It’s the one area where the film feels noticeably underdeveloped.

Despite these shortcomings, The Backrooms is an impressive achievement. Kane Parsons successfully transforms an internet horror phenomenon into a cinematic experience that is both unsettling and visually captivating. With expertly crafted tension, memorable scares, faithful world-building, and an outstanding performance from Chiwetel Ejiofor, it’s a horror film that delivers on its promise - even if its thin character development prevents it from reaching its full potential.

Rating: 8/10