BACKROOMS

The most impressive part of this production is the set; there have been endless accounts online amid the growing anticipation of the film's release, of its construction in Vancouver, Canada, where, within the 2,800 square metres (30,000 square feet) of winding corridors, cast and crew were getting lost. The fact that this is based on 21-year-old director Kane Parsons' found-footage web series created in Blender and Adobe After Effects that emerged from an anonymous 4chan post dating back as early as 2011, which evolved into its own world that spanned more than 1.5 billion square miles (600,000 square miles), mean two things - this story has a huge amount of internet lore behind it, meaning it also has a built-in audience, not just from Parson's work. Distributor A24 has placed incredible faith in his creativity to ensure this oddity succeeds; he's their youngest feature director to date, and a first-time feature director at that. The gamble pays off. The creativity on display is so singular and dread-laden that 'Backrooms' delivers something the horror genre rarely manages: the genuinely unfamiliar.

The found-footage element still plays a large part in the film, with the characters carrying around 1990s VHS-style cameras, the lo-fi quality and distortion only adding to the creepiness of the backrooms. When we experience this space beyond the found footage, it's captured in an incredibly surreal manner. As we venture through the washed-out yellow wallpaper-adorned rooms, the contrast between intense fluorescent tube lighting and dimly-lit corners cut at obscure angles heightens the unease. Much of the time, cinematographer Jeremy Cox ('Keeper', 'Longlegs') opts for a wide-angle lens on a Steadicam, which creates distortion in the image as the camera moves around, and objects out of their usual proportions, and giving the feeling of being immersed in a video game.

It's all an excellent way of building a world as convincing as our own, yet, as you look closer, absolutely not at all. It means that a film that is largely about a very small group of people wandering aimlessly around similar-looking spaces isn't ever boring or repetitive; in fact, every camera move brings dread about what might be hiding around a corner, through a doorway, or down a tunnel.

The other wonderful part about the film is that it doesn't just place people into this world without first developing a solid script around them, thanks to writer Will Soodik (TV's 'Westworld' and 'Ash vs Evil Dead'). While moving at an incredible pace, we learn so much about who Clark and Mary are, and that not only determines the kind of responses they have within the backrooms, but also causes us concern for their safety - as well as heightening the anticipation throughout the entire story. While Clark is our primary character throughout the film's initial stages, he ultimately shares protagonist duties with Mary, making for some exceptionally strong storytelling.

The film also greatly benefits from having two extraordinary actors in these roles. Chiwetel Ejiofor isn't afraid to lean into a character who's flawed and broken, but somehow still comes across as someone in a horror film that we can shadow. It's wonderful to see Renate Reinsve in a highly-anticipated U.S. release, because the charisma, warmth and depth she brings to her roles are untouched, and more audiences need to be aware of her superb abilities. There's also an unexpected appearance from Mark Duplass, which brings home this excellent production.

The less you know about 'Backrooms' going into it, the better time you're more likely to have. The insight it offers into the human mind has created something wonderful and twisted, set to leave you on edge from its opening moments. It's been a long while since we've been offered a horror this good, and it's all thanks to Kane Parsons, a director in his early 20s whose expansive online world is now getting a shot on the big screen.