Backrooms
Based on viral YouTube horror series about endless office spaces that trap people inside
The brief
Kane Parsons transforms his viral YouTube horror concept into a suffocating descent that feels like being trapped in a fluorescent-lit nightmare you can't wake up from. Chiwetel Ejiofor anchors the existential dread with quiet desperation while the film builds tension through endless yellow corridors and the maddening hum of buzzing lights rather than jump scares. The pacing crawls deliberately, letting claustrophobia seep into your bones as characters wander through impossible architecture that defies logic. Perfect for fans of The Platform or anyone who found themselves genuinely unnerved by those liminal space TikToks during lockdown.
The verdict
If you crave psychological horror that builds dread through atmosphere and have the patience for deliberately slow pacing, this suffocating nightmare will burrow under your skin. If you prefer traditional scares or need constant plot momentum, the endless fluorescent-lit wandering will test your limits more than entertain you.
Watch with
- 👤 Best experienced alone for maximum immersion
- ⚠️ Skip if you're claustrophobic or hate slow burns
Heads up
- Intense claustrophobic situations throughout (frequent)
- Psychological breakdown and mental deterioration (moderate)
- Disorienting visuals and repetitive environments (frequent)
Credits
- Director
- Kane Parsons
- Cast
- Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, Lukita Maxwell, Avan Jogia
Official synopsis
A strange doorway appears in the basement of a furniture showroom.
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with You Were Never Really Here (2017)
Both explore psychological horror through disorienting, reality-bending narrative structures.
Total runtime: 1h 45m + 1h 29m = 3h 14m
