Backrooms - Movie Review

Backrooms (2026) — Review by Dylan Goebel

Backrooms is one of those rare internet-inspired horror films that actually understands what made its source material unsettling in the first place. Rather than relying solely on familiar creepypasta imagery, director crafts a genuinely atmospheric horror experience that feels unnervingly immersive from beginning to end.

The film follows a therapist whose patient mysteriously disappears into a dimension beyond reality. Determined to save him, she ventures into the unknown and finds herself trapped in a nightmare landscape where the rules of reality no longer apply. It's a simple premise, but one that allows the film to explore fear, isolation, and the terror of the incomprehensible.

What impressed me most was Parsons' direction. For a feature-film debut, he demonstrates a remarkable understanding of atmosphere and tone. The Backrooms themselves feel oppressive, endless, and genuinely threatening. Every hallway, room, and corner feels like it could conceal something horrifying, and the film does an excellent job maintaining that tension.

The performances are another major strength. delivers exactly the kind of grounded emotional performance needed to make the story work, while brings both vulnerability and determination to her role. Their performances help elevate the material beyond what could have easily been a simple horror spectacle.

The film's found-footage sequences are easily the highlight. These scenes capture the unsettling feeling of the original online videos perfectly and contain some of the movie's most memorable scares. The sense of realism they create makes the horror hit much harder than many of the traditionally shot sequences.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the comedic elements sprinkled throughout the film. They're used sparingly, but they provide welcome moments of relief without undercutting the tension. On top of that, the body horror sequences are incredibly effective, delivering some genuinely disturbing imagery that lingers long after the credits roll.

That said, the film isn't without its issues. At over two hours, it feels longer than it needs to be. The pacing occasionally drags during some of the non-found-footage sections, and there are stretches where the momentum slows considerably. The biggest problem comes in the final act, which feels somewhat tacked on. The story suddenly shifts focus away from the main character, making the conclusion feel less emotionally satisfying than the rest of the film.

Even with those flaws, Backrooms succeeds far more often than it stumbles. It's a visually impressive, atmospheric horror film that proves Kane Parsons has a bright future as a filmmaker. While the pacing issues and uneven ending hold it back from greatness, the strong performances, memorable horror sequences, and excellent world-building make it well worth watching.

Final Verdict: A flawed but highly effective horror film that delivers on its premise and showcases a promising new directing talent.

Grade: 7/10

Review by Dylan Goebel