Backrooms (Kane Parsons, 2026)
The cultural phenomenon of 2023’s ‘Barbenheimer’ event was immediately off-putting for me. I had little interest in either Barbie or Oppenheimer. The juxtaposition of these two properties, manufactured by the hype machine, felt both insufferably cringeworthy and profoundly artificial. A similar rivalry also emerged this year with the release of two critically acclaimed horror films directed by Gen Z YouTube filmmakers. One of which, Curry Barker’s Obsession, is my favourite film thus far in 2026; the other, is this gem, that I’ve intentionally put off watching until now.
Kane Parsons’s Backrooms is a work of liminal horror that effectively exploits the unsettling nature of isolated environments. It represents a substantial advancement over the 2022 film Skinamarink, which employed a similar premise, but bored me to tears. There’s only so much I can take at having to stare at a carpeted floor or a lego brick and have to work out what’s going on before I start to lose interest. Parsons’s success may be attributed to his YouTube web series, which offered a platform for the development of the liminal horror concept. Moreover, Backrooms originated much earlier; emerging as a 4chan creepypasta in 2019.
Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor), the proprietor of Cap’n Clark’s Ottoman Empire furniture showroom, has reached a nadir. Following the dissolution of his marriage, he has developed a dependency on alcohol and is receiving treatment from Dr. Mary Kline (Renate Reinsve), who is herself contending with deep-rooted trauma stemming from her mother’s institutionalisation. Clark’s difficulties extend further with his business failing. His ill-judged promotional campaign, featuring him dressed as a pirate, is a desperate effort to stimulate trade. Worst of all, Clark now sleeps in one of the bed’s in his showroom. During the night, Clark observes freakish electrical effects that may account for his substantial electricity bill. While examining the fuse box, he notices a peculiar sliver of light emerging from the solid wall ahead. To his surprise, this proves to be a portal to an alternate dimension; characterised by sparse furnishings that merge with their environment. The realm comprises spaces with pallid, yellow walls, fluorescent lighting and scattered, old furniture. To Clark’s alarm, he discovers that he is not alone in this bizarre setting. And yet, he continues to explore this abstract environment.
Completing the ensemble are Clark’s employees, Bobby Franklin (Finn Bennett) and Kat Taylor (Lukita Maxwell); a couple drawn into this surreal environment. Their role is to document this off kilter and anomalous space; thereby, invoking the conventional tropes of found-footage horror. The film also introduces family man Phil (Mark Duplass), later disclosed as a scientist for the Async Research Institute; a corporation which once made MRI equipment and now investigate the Backrooms phenomenon.
Aside from the increasingly unstable Clark, the characters serve as either fodder or intentionally under-developed. Fortunately, Backrooms succeeds as an atmospheric film. It’s incredibly immersive. The concept of a physics-defying dimension resembling a labyrinthine IKEA store is what makes it such an acid trip and genuinely unsettling.
As an ageing gamer, I found the film evocative of the disorienting experiences I usually encountered in titles such as Tomb Raider and Doom; where navigation was often challenging and baffling due to blocky polygons and re-used assets. Backrooms’ concept has effectively resurrected these migraine-inducing sensations; transforming them into a remarkably competent horror production. The association between Backrooms and video games is entirely evident given Parsons’s acknowledgement of the puzzle platformer Portal 2 being a major influence for the film.
In retrospect, my initial hesitation to view Backrooms earlier this year nearly caused me to overlook one of the most significant releases of 2026. Beyond its exceptional atmospheric quality, along with Obsession, the film demonstrates that YouTube creators have secured a credible position as serious cinematic talent.