NEWS

Based on the narrative universe started by Kane Parsons, “Backrooms” stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Clark, a down on his luck divorced man, and Renate Reinsve as Mary, his therapist. Stuck running a struggling furniture store, Clark suddenly discovers a hidden passage into what initially appears to be the backroom of the store. He soon learns that area is much more than a simple room, and more like a crack in reality, leading to a chaotic series of spaces made of mismatched and flawed replicas of the real world. Exploring themes of journeys, mental health, and distortions of reality, “Backrooms” pulls the audience in as Clark attempts to prove the existence of the space, only to lose himself, while Mary ventures into Clark’s quest, and finds her own trail.

Though there are creatures in the movie, “Backrooms” relies more on the set itself as well as unique camera angles to generate the suspense and horror. The unnervingly benign nature of the mostly featureless office area also creates a sense of dread without even needing the monsters. Chiwetel Ejiofor is very compelling as Clark. With his stagnant life already taking a toll on his sanity, Clark’s own view of his world gets strained further in the bizarre backrooms. Renate Reinsve as Mary is excellent. Her palpable fear and realizations blend seamlessly into the complex and twisted design.

An interesting and intense film, “Backrooms” does much to play with its environment and the sanity of its characters. This movie is proof that you don't need an ever-present monster to make a good horror film.

7/10

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