Is it as scary as the YouTube videos?

It's higher stakes. While the YouTube series relied on mystery, the movie has a bigger budget to make the 'Entities' and the environment feel much more threatening and claustrophobic.

Do we need to know the lore first?

Not really. The movie is designed to introduce the concept to a mainstream audience, though your kid will probably enjoy pointing out all the Easter eggs from the original creepypasta.

Is there a lot of gore?

No. Following the A24 and Kane Pixels style, the focus is on atmosphere and psychological tension. It stays within the PG-13 boundaries, focusing on 'disturbing' rather than 'bloody.'

Why is my kid obsessed with yellow hallways?

It's a digital-age urban legend. The 'Backrooms' represent a shared internet fear of 'glitching' out of reality into a repetitive, boring, and slightly dangerous alternate dimension. It's basically the modern version of a ghost story.

Backrooms – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Backrooms

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2026

72%

WISE Score

The internet's favorite liminal nightmare hits the big screen, turning a furniture basement into an endless, unsettling yellow hellscape.

Backrooms

movie

R, 2026

72%

WISE Score

The internet's favorite liminal nightmare hits the big screen, turning a furniture basement into an endless, unsettling yellow hellscape.

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Screenwise Verdict

A24 is essentially turning a YouTube sensation into a high-art panic attack. If your kid has been obsessed with the Backrooms lore on YouTube or the various clones on Roblox, they’re going to be first in line for this.

It’s a vibe-heavy experience that trades slashers for surrealism. It isn't 'fun' in the traditional sense, but it's a fascinating example of how internet culture is now driving the biggest rooms in Hollywood. It’s safe-ish for horror-loving teens, provided they can handle the heavy psychological weight of never seeing the sun again.

Age Fit

Best for teens (13+) who grew up with the YouTube lore. It’s a thinking-person’s horror movie—less about the 'kill count' and more about the 'shivers down your spine' vibe.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

It's a psychological horror film built on isolation and dread. While it's not 'toxic,' it isn't exactly modeling kindness or cooperation—it's modeling survival in a surrealist nightmare.

Imaginative

The concept of liminal spaces—familiar places that feel 'off'—is peak creative internet lore. It turns architectural boredom into a high-concept sci-fi playground.

Safe

Expect intense psychological distress, unsettling 'uncanny valley' entities, and a heavy atmosphere of hopelessness. It's generally low on gore but high on nightmare fuel.

Enriching

It pushes the boundaries of how internet-native storytelling (creepypasta) translates to cinema. It’s a great entry point for discussing architectural psychology and how vibes can create fear without blood.

Parent Info

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Why It Might Be Great

Kane Parsons (the original 17-year-old creator) is directing, ensuring the film keeps the authentic, grainy VHS vibe that made the YouTube series a hit.
It masters liminal space horror, proving you don't need chainsaws or jump scares when you have infinite fluorescent lights and damp carpet.
The A24 pedigree means this isn't a cheap cash-in; it’s a stylized, high-concept thriller that takes its lore seriously.
It’s a fascinating look at non-Euclidean geometry and surrealist environments that will spark a lot of 'how did they film that?' questions.

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What to Watch For

The sound design is intentionally grating—constant buzzing lights and low-frequency hums designed to induce anxiety.
The 'Entities' are rare but deeply unsettling; they move in jerky, unnatural ways that can be much scarier for kids than a standard movie monster.
There is a pervasive sense of existential dread and isolation. If your kid is sensitive to themes of being lost or abandoned, this will hit hard.

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think empty places like malls or schools at night feel so creepy even when we know they're safe?"
"If you were stuck in a place where the rules of physics didn't apply, what would be your strategy for finding an exit?"
"How does the movie create fear without using a lot of blood or traditional monsters?"
"Do you think the 'Backrooms' are a real place in another dimension, or just a glitch in our own world's logic?"

Deep Dive

From Creepypasta to Cinema

The Backrooms movie represents a massive shift in how stories get told. What started as a single photo on 4chan and a terrifyingly good YouTube series by a teenager has been polished into a full-scale A24 production. This isn't your standard Blumhouse jump-scare fest. It’s slower, weirder, and much more interested in the 'uncanny' than the 'scary.'

The Liminal Hook

If your kid is into this, they likely aren't looking for a slasher. They're looking for that specific feeling of liminality—the transition between two places. The movie leans into this, using the setting of a furniture showroom basement to trigger that universal feeling of 'I shouldn't be here.' It’s conceptually rich, making it a great pick for kids who like to analyze the why behind their media.

Is it too intense?

While the PG-13 rating keeps the gore at bay, the psychological tension is relentless. There is no 'safe' home base in this movie. For a kid who struggles with anxiety or a fear of being lost, the Backrooms might be a bit much. But for the kid who loves Stranger Things or Severance, this is the logical next step in their genre evolution.

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