Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Backrooms is that its director, Kane Parsons, was born in 2005. By my calculations, during the production of this blockbuster hit, he must've been... merely 20 years old. That is an anomaly indeed - and a good one. The fact that his horror/sci-fi/speculative movie has become a world wide phenomenon is even a greater story.
The film's protagonist, Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a man working at a vast furniture store, discovers a secret basement at his workplace. The titular space is odd, ambiguous, and at times, terrifying. Clark eventually brings others into this secret labyrinth, and things quickly go from bad to worse. By the time his shrink, Dr. Mary Kline (Renate Reinsve) finds herself lost in the otherworldly maze, the audience (at least yours truly), expected some answers to the enveloping mystery.
Unfortunately, we get little of anything sensical. The movie, ultimately, is a mixed blessing. Containing an exciting, gripping first act, it slowly crumbles into incoherence in its final stages. When Dr. Kline is eventually met by Phil (Mark Duplass), a scientist wise to the backrooms' nature, their conversation is staler than a week old bagel. What is this mysterious place? Why does it exist? And what is its purpose? Phil says a few things, none of which registered as anything rational with me.
Backrooms is a great idea whose genius is merely half-assed. If only the last twenty minutes were worthy of its first forty five, we could've really had something here. Perhaps the planned sequel will answers some long sought after questions. Forgive me if I don't hold my breath.
☆☆
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