A surreal journey through the labyrinths of mind and self in Backrooms

📽 Have you ever imagined confronting yourself and your thoughts in entirely different dimensions? How do you escape from yourself when your past choices and accumulated regrets turn into a physical place you can actually walk through? This philosophical question serves as the launching pad for Backrooms — the feature film debut of 20-year-old American YouTuber-turned-filmmaker Kane Parsons, produced in partnership with independent studio A24.

The plot: Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is a former architect whose life has spiraled into a series of failures following a painful divorce, a battle with alcoholism, and the collapse of his career. He seeks professional help from Marie (Norwegian actress Renate Reinsve), a specialized psychiatrist. At the same time, Clark accidentally discovers a mysterious portal in the basement of a furniture showroom he owns, leading to an endless labyrinth of identical corridors and rooms. Driven by curiosity, Clark ventures in and gets trapped inside this world. As Marie tries to track him down and rescue him, she uncovers a shocking secret that changes everything.

Parsons uses this film to expand the universe he created in his hit YouTube series, masterfully utilizing the concept of liminal spaces — those settings that feel simultaneously familiar and alien, triggering a disorienting mix of comfort, nostalgia, and unreality. The film adds a deeply unsettling layer to this concept, leaving audiences to wonder where the confrontation truly begins and ends, or if a real exit even exists.

What we liked: The film successfully translates an internet-born phenomenon into a fully realized cinematic experience without losing its original eerie charm. The narrative does not rely on cheap jump scares or forced horror tropes. Instead, it builds psychological dread rooted in profound isolation, disorientation, and a total loss of control within a seemingly infinite space — a world crafted brilliantly by the director and brought to life by the cast.

The free-flowing camerawork also plays a vital role in building tension, making viewers feel trapped right alongside the characters in those exhausting corridors rather than just being passive observers. The film maintains a brisk pace that never gives the audience a chance to lose interest. Ejiofor delivers an exceptional performance, capturing his character’s complex psychological state with grounded restraint. Meanwhile, Parsons’ debut proves he is one of the most prominent rising voices in contemporary psychological horror and sci-fi, showcasing a confident, ambitious visual vision.

The verdict: This film doesn’t offer easy answers or a conventional, neatly wrapped plot. Instead, it delivers an immersive emotional experience grounded in confusion, anxiety, and open-ended questions. It succeeds in creating one of the most fascinating horror worlds in recent years, announcing the arrival of a talented young director who managed the leap from YouTube videos to the big screen without losing his unique signature style.

WHERE TO WATCH- Screening at VOX Cinemas City Center Almaza and Mall of Egypt, Cima Arkan, Point 90 Cinemas, and Zawya Cinema. (Watch the trailer, runtime 2:17)