There are corners of the internet that I am not well-versed in. The genre of “Creepypasta” is new to me and one that has spawned a life of its own. Backrooms is a part of this genre. Images and videos of empty office spaces that are infinitely connected have spawned a full-feature movie directed by the series creator, Kane Parsons. Now, how does this series translate to a full-length movie? That is in the eye of the beholder.

If you are familiar with the series, you might walk away with an expanded look at the lore. If you are new to this, like me, you might walk out knowing you’ve experienced something big, but not quite sure why. In my out-of-theater reaction, I stated: “There is not much going on, but a lot is going on.” Be it visually or aurally, the movie will take you to a place that you might not be comfortable traveling to.

What’s Going On?

Chiwetel Ejiofor, plays Clark, the owner of a discount furniture store that is not doing well financially. Facing past due bills, a failed marriage, and a career choice, he spends his time drawing and meeting with his therapist, Mary, played amazingly by Renate Reinsve.

Mary has her own issues, which we see glimpses of in flashbacks. Although Mary is an established therapist and even with accolades and her own self-help program, she exudes a sense of loneliness.

What are the Backrooms

One night, Clark discovers a portal that leads him into a series of connected rooms that seem to go on forever. These rooms give Clark a new sense of purpose, and he spends a lot of time exploring them. While the premise of walking into empty office-looking rooms seems simple, a lot is going on in these rooms.

First, there is the consent buzzing/humming of the fluorescent lights. For anyone who has ever worked in an office, this sounds starts to slowly dig into your mind. People get an almost Pavlovian response to hearing this noise constantly in the background. The sound design in this movie is fantastic. It really finds a way to crawl under your skin and just make you feel uneasy.

Second, the rooms represent the lives of the characters in the movie. Both of them are looking for something to fulfill their lives and search these rooms for some type of validation. Clark is trying to prove that he is not a failure, and Mary is trying to prove that she is a success due to her childhood.

What does all this mean?

There is an online series of the Backrooms that could be helpful for those who know nothing about it. I went into the movie blind and walked away a bit confused. After sitting on my thoughts, I realized that Backrooms is a bit deeper than expected. Through Clark and Mary, we can reflect on what is considered success in our lives. Do we have to have validation to feel successful? Is searching in our lives worth all the stress and trauma?

The Backrooms represent all that is in front of us, but also all that is hidden. Our minds make us remember things a certain way, and we see that with certain designs of characters in the Backrooms. Once the terror is unleashed, the movie takes a new turn and really gets under your skin.

Final Thoughts: Backrooms gets under your skin by taking you into the unknown. The movie is more psychological horror than a full-blown horror movie. The concepts of success, failure, and belonging are mirrored in the backrooms, with Chiwetel Ejiofor giving a stunning performance. Renate Reinsve’s Mary is also fantastic in trying to assist Clark with his issues while also working on her own. The movie might not be for everyone, as the lore of the location is bigger than what is discussed here. Be forewarned that the shaky cam footage might cause motion sickness. The sound design is skin-crawling!

Violence: The amount of violence in the movie is minimal. There is verbal abuse during heated therapy sessions. Towards the end of the movie, it does get bloody and brutal.

Kid Friendly: If your child has seen the YouTube Backrooms series, they might be ok watching this. I would recommend this for ages 16 and up.

A strange doorway appears in the basement of a furniture showroom.