Backrooms (2026) Movie Review

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:00]Back rooms is one of those film that's going to make you go, "What the?" A strange doorway appears in the basement of a furniture showroom. Well, that's pretty much the worst synopsis ever, but it's all you're going to get because this movie is an experience that begs to be watched. What started out as a YouTube test video that then morphed into a web series has now become a forodingly ominous A24 thriller that thrives on the concept of liinal spaces.

[00:00:24]We follow Chudel Elgio's character of Clark as he discovers a mysterious room inside the basement of his furniture store. And once he enters, he discovers a seemingly neverending maze of similarlooking spaces that sometimes contain objects, but mostly not. And if there are objects, they're in some odd state of being. Clark is seeing a therapist, Mary, played by Ranatada Reniva, and she's got her own emotional baggage and trauma that weaves its way into the story. But mainly, she serves as a sounding board, an emotional guide for Clark as he deals with his issues.

[00:00:56]The film relies heavily on the imagery and atmosphere, typically limiting dialogue in favor of taking us through this unknown that is the back room. And what we get is kind of like what Alice might experience as she goes through the looking glass, where perspectives are shifted, even way off at times, creating visual tricks that are uneasy at first and then just downright unnerving later.

[00:01:15]Now, many films that are trying to keep the audience off balance, they'll utilize a lot of Dutch angles to create distressing tension. But thanks to the physical appearances and then a skew environment, we get the same effect while not needing to have the camera consistently tilt as it moves. And because the series was also sort of a found footage horror, this featurelength production introduces some of that storytelling style while not relying on it for the entirety. Now, there are some moments, especially as the suspense and the dread ramp up, where the camera movements can become kind of nauseating.

[00:01:46]I mean, it's not quite shaky to the level that was utilized in Cloverfield, but we do get that bouncing sense of urgent motion. Now, thankfully, while these scenes are effective, they're also fairly short, so we don't have to struggle through indecipherable shaky cam imagery for too long. And not only are the visuals immersive and somewhat creepy, the sound design is spectacular, building an atmosphere that's lonely yet mysterious. And the use of silence, it can be deafening at times where you can hear the tiny squaltches and squeaks of a character's shoes as they quietly trapes across a carpeted floor, just trying to figure out if they heard something or if it was a trick of their mind. And the Foley artists here, they are awesome. All the right sounds are articulated to make all the wrong feels.

[00:02:30]Few times even raising the hairs on my arms. Now, I think where this film is going to suffer with audiences is how vague it turns out to be. Even once a reveal is made and we get a glimpse into the why and how it's barely mentioned, making the audience have to work for meaning and conclusion. Now, personally, I love how this then made me think and discuss. There are layers in here that come from small segments of dialogue, some flashback imagery, and then inferring meaning from the tiny clues that are scattered about. Now, if you like clear-cut answers to mysterious thrillers, this really could frustrate you. The dots, they're there, but they're sporadically and widely spaced apart. Now, I both appreciate and love some of the messaging that I took away from this. There's a level of acceptance and peace that is reached by the characters, although it's in direct opposition to some real health or peace.

[00:03:18]We get to witness character progressions that are strained and melancholy, but still manage to demonstrate growth. And then within this growth journey, the story uses some nightmare fuel creations to scare the be Jesus out of us. And I'm not talking about cheap jump scares.

[00:03:32]These are true make your skin crawl instances that induce natural firefight moments. Now most of the effects they appear to be practical in nature which only then adds to that sinister vibe of the story. And just like with the whole set design environment, the less is more approach proves to be powerfully effective in garnering the thrills and chills. Now the film doesn't beat us over the head with ominous figures.

[00:03:56]Instead, it uses the influence of shadow and sound to manipulate our imagination, which ends up being way more terrifying in the end. Now, the longer I sit with this, the more I enjoy it. It's not like I walked out of the theater disliking it, and now it's just kind of growing on me. I already enjoyed it, but I wasn't sure to what degree. Now, I am sure that as the days go on and I marinate even more with it, my appreciation is just going to increase. The pacing is good. I never felt the almost two hours and was actually surprised that the length because it felt about 30 minutes shorter than it really was. The performances are enveloping, using restraint to maximize the emotional pull and create some moral, even existential questions that only delve us deeper into the mystery that lies within the ongoing labyrinth of rooms. The idea and execution of liinal spaces create the perfect environment for something intriguing, forboding, and sometimes terrifying, captured expertly through patient camera work and creative set designs. This is probably going to polarize just thanks to the lack of concrete story explanation and resolution. But that's also a lot of the draw and the charm of the concept to give us clues, mess with our minds, and then invite us into these odd spaces to connect all the pieces.

[00:05:07]There's no sex or nudity, some profanity, and then some violence. I give back rooms four out of five couches. Now, as I said, I think I'm going to appreciate it even more as the weeks go by, but for now, it's a satisfying and solid mind bender. Are there any other strange or sparse films that you love that make you think? I would love some recommendations in the comments below. If you enjoyed this review, please give it a like. Also, don't forget to share and subscribe. I'm Chris. This is Movies and Munchies.

[00:05:33]Thanks for couching with