Backrooms

Backrooms is a fascinating, if ultimately uneven, horror film that proves you don't always need darkness to leave an audience deeply unsettled. Weaponizing the internet-born phenomenon of liminal spaces, the film subverts traditional genre tropes by constructing an environment that is garishly, uniformly well-lit, yet entirely hollow. Instead of hiding its monsters in the shadows, it forces the audience to confront the oppressive weight of endless, empty brightness.

The first half of the film stands out as a masterclass in building tension, relying heavily on "home video" styled cinematography. These grainy, handheld textures evoke a jarring sense of found-footage realism that is framed exceptionally well. By utilizing tight corners and repeating geometric hallways, the director effectively traps the viewer inside a growing sense of panic, capturing pure, unadulterated dread early on.

This visual triumph is anchored by an incredibly sophisticated sound design. The auditory landscape is heavy and unrelenting, utilizing a low-frequency hum that beautifully mirrors the sterile environment on screen. However, as the film transitions into its second half, a frustrating pattern emerges in the editing. Time and time again, the sound design masterfully ramps up the acoustic tension, pulling you to the absolute edge of your seat — only for the actual scene reveal to fall flat. Because the narrative payoffs rarely match the brilliant technical build-ups, the second half loses the momentum so carefully established by the opening act.

Despite these late-stage stumbles, Backrooms remains a thoroughly engaging theatrical experience. It is a film where the technical craftsmanship frequently elevates a lightweight script, making it a perfectly respectable middle-aisle feature. While it may not completely stick the landing, its unique visual identity and stellar audio work make it a journey well worth taking on a premium big screen, serving as an excellent catalyst for post-theater debate — even if your buddy walks out liking it a bit more than you do.