Critics take note of Backrooms’ ambition and craftsmanship
The world premiere of A24’s Backrooms at Santa Monica’s historic Aero Theatre on May 7, 2026, marked a landmark moment for horror cinema. Co-presented by Beyond Fest and the American Cinematheque, the sold-out event drew an eclectic crowd of devoted creepypasta fans, internet-lore enthusiasts, and Hollywood insiders, all eager to witness 20-year-old filmmaker Kane Parsons bring his viral analog-horror phenomenon to the big screen. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation, mirroring the film’s slow-building sense of dread.
From its opening moments, Backrooms captivated the audience by plunging viewers into a nostalgic yet deeply unsettling nightmare. The first act, shot entirely in a grainy VHS found-footage style, felt like a rewarding nod to longtime followers of Parsons’ YouTube series while immediately establishing the film’s suffocating tone.
A24’s commitment to the project was evident in its ambitious production design. More than 30,000 square feet of practical sets were constructed to recreate the endless labyrinth of the Backrooms, and the result was striking. The sprawling maze of sickly yellow office spaces felt unnervingly tangible—oppressive, disorienting, and capable of inducing genuine panic.
Much of the praise at the premiere centered on the film’s technical craftsmanship. Critics highlighted the sparse set decoration and the persistent, buzzing soundscape, both of which amplified the sense of unease. Paired with a nerve-rattling score, these elements transformed the seemingly empty corridors into something sinister and alive.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening was the film’s emotional and thematic depth. Rather than relying solely on monster-chase thrills, the story uses the endless, mundane limbo of the Backrooms as a psychological metaphor for a fractured mind. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve deliver raw, compelling performances that anchor the film’s heavier themes, grounding a reality where trauma and terror become increasingly indistinguishable.
While the response was overwhelmingly positive, some viewers noted that a mid-film time jump felt abrupt. A handful of critics also felt the final act lost some momentum by attempting to explain too much of the mythology surrounding the fictional Async corporation. For them, the ending played more like the setup for a larger franchise than the conclusion of a self-contained story.
One of the evening’s highlights was the lively post-screening Q&A moderated by film journalist Jen Yamato. Parsons was joined by cast members Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Lukita Maxwell, and Finn Bennett for a discussion that offered insight into the making of the film.
Reflecting on his unlikely journey, Parsons spoke about turning down the traditional college path after A24 approached him to adapt the property when he was only 17. He described the experience of working alongside horror filmmakers James Wan and Osgood Perkins, whose mentorship helped him shape an expansive internet mythos into a feature-length screenplay.
The cast spoke enthusiastically about collaborating with the young director. Reinsve revealed that Parsons celebrated his 20th birthday during production and praised his remarkable confidence and clarity of vision, noting that he always seemed to know exactly what he wanted from every scene.
The panel also explored the film’s use of symbolic imagery woven throughout the sets. One example discussed was a background television playing The NeverEnding Story, a subtle visual motif reflecting the cyclical nature of the characters’ psychological entrapment.
The Backrooms premiere demonstrated the remarkable potential of internet-born horror to evolve into ambitious, artistically driven cinema. By combining the ingenuity of online horror culture with large-scale practical filmmaking, Parsons delivered a striking debut and established himself as one of the genre’s most promising new voices.
