Backrooms

Mixed feelings. On the one hand— it’s great to see how a 4chan/Reddit meme and story evolved into a fully-fledged narrative. It’s a strong concept that taps into deep human fears— very much in the best traditions of creepypasta. On the other hand— it’s an incredibly incoherent story that borrows heavily from many already familiar ideas. From a screenwriting and storytelling perspective— it’s a complete failure, because the audience is left hanging without receiving any clear answers. That’s unforgivable for a film; for a YouTube video— it would be perfectly fine. It’s obvious that this movie was heavily influenced by the Cube series, Portal, and several other works built around similar themes of movies/games involving the subconscious and dreams. As a visual spectacle— it was interesting. But not as a story I’d ever want to revisit.