First ‘Backrooms’ Reactions Hit Social Media

First reactions to Backrooms suggest Kane Parsons has successfully transformed his viral internet horror phenomenon into an intensely atmospheric feature debut.

Critics repeatedly described the film as a suffocating “liminal nightmare,” with Erik Davis calling it “a wholly unique and original horror film that freaks you out and creeps you out while luring you deeper into its eerie” world, while Courtney Howard praised its “pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat suspense.” Matt Neglia also highlighted Parsons’ confidence behind the camera, writing that the filmmaker brings “a unique voice” to the big screen and delivers “a horror film that demands patience,” signaling that Backrooms may lean more into psychological dread and immersive tension than traditional jump scares.

In Backrooms, Academy Award nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor plays a furniture store owner who discovers a portal to a strange, empty office space hidden in the back of his shop.

Lukita Maxwell and Finn Bennett also star in the A24 horror movie set to open north of $20M.

Enter the liminal space on May 29, 2026.

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