'Backrooms' has been on everyone's lips since its release. Partly because it's helmed by 20 year old Kane Parsons, the youngest director ever to take on a project of this scale, but also because of the enduring legacy of the Backrooms phenomenon and its unlikely journey from internet folklore to the big screen.

Full disclosure, I wasn't familiar with the online discourse or mythology that grew out of the infamous image, nor had I seen any of the YouTube shorts that expanded its universe. Still, the trailer was enough to pique my interest.

Coming away from it, I'm conflicted. There are elements here that are genuinely superb: the lead performances are strong, it's beautifully shot, the sound design is outstanding, and at times it's deeply unnerving. Yet it's also something of a slog. There were stretches where my attention drifted and, frankly, I found myself bored.

The film has little interest in providing answers, which will undoubtedly appeal to some viewers, but it ultimately frustrated me. It's at its strongest when it fully embraces the endless, disorienting nightmare of the Backrooms themselves. By contrast, its attempts to unravel the protagonists' personal stories feel underdeveloped and lacking in emotional weight.

'Backrooms' is unsettling and atmospheric, but it demands patience from its audience. Whether that investment pays off will largely depend on how much you're willing to embrace the mystery.

Full thoughts in this review.