Take 76: Backrooms:Everything Must Go Edition with Bonus Footage

A24’s Backrooms is a Sci-Fi horror film, apparently based on the director Kane Parson’s web series. Clark (Chiewetel Ejiofor) is struggling furniture store owner with some severe baggage, discovers “a wall” that is actually a portal that leads to a maze of yellow-wallpapered rooms beneath is store. The rooms mirror our dimensions but are just off enough to vary degrees to let you know that things are not quite right. Clark begins exploring this space and eventually enlists his employees to venture there with him when they all end up disappearing. This leads his therapist to the store who hopes to uncover their whereabouts and headlong into exactly what the backrooms actually are.

This movie was attempt to rectify the Kelsey Grammar-induced ick I got from what would have been this week’s move, the Cinemark Secret Movie series movie, Young Washington. This however, was strike two. I really wish I could have just gone to see Supergirl again, because this was NOT a good movie week for me. I did NOT enjoy this movie, not even a little bit. However, judging from what I have seen online, I am in the minority.

First off, I may or may not have fallen asleep a couple of times early on. This probably explains at least SOME of my confusion, but I suspect part of is it’s just rather cerebral. I don’t mind having to think a lot but I was already sleepy so this was an additional hurtle.

This is a smaller film with a smaller cast. There are really only four characters for the most part, until the very end where a few minor characters show up. In addition to Eijofor, the other main character is Mary, played by Renate Reinsve. I will say both she and Eijofor ARE really good. Though we don’t get much of them, Finn Bennett as Bobby and Lukita Maxwell as Kat fill a much needed role and add a component that is pretty important to the overall plot.

I said that I did not enjoy the film but that’s not to say it was bad. I felt that I needed to at least watch some explanation videos since I was not going to be able to give a completely accurate take given I did miss a few things. Gotta say, having seen those, it DOES make me appreciate what they are going for a lot more. The symbolism and intelligence of it shows. I just wasn’t there at the time of the my viewing. Had I been more aware/awake, I probably would have liked it more. I’d be willing to revisit at some point and give it a fair shot.

If this one seems particularly low on content, it’s intentional. I am really trying to avoid spoilers. But I will say, it’s bleak and I am not the biggest fan of bleak. Taking all this into consideration, I am going to rate this higher than I initially anticipated. I’d go go as far as giving it a 7.0 with the chance of increasing or decreasing my rating afterwards.

So, should the Backrooms go back to the drawing board? You tell me in the comments. And until next time…