‘Backrooms’ Brings Jump Scares That Feel Real and a Horror Experience That Pulls You In

Horror movies often try to scare viewers. Backrooms does something a little different. It does not just try to scare you from a distance, it tries to make you feel like you are inside the fear itself.

After watching the advance screening at SM Megamall, one thing stood out clearly: this film knows exactly when to hit you with a jump scare, and more importantly, it makes those moments feel earned rather than forced.

Based on the viral internet creepypasta, Backrooms brings to life the unsettling idea of accidentally slipping into an endless maze of empty, liminal spaces. But what makes the film effective is not just the concept, it is how it executes the experience of being trapped.

From the start, the movie builds tension slowly, almost patiently. It lets silence sit too long. It lets empty rooms feel too wide. It lets footsteps echo just a little more than what is comfortable. And just when the viewer starts adjusting to that rhythm, it breaks it.

 

That is where the jump scares land.

They are not overused, and they are not random. Instead, they come at moments where the audience has already started lowering their guard. That timing makes them feel sharper and more impactful. There were moments where the entire theater reacted at the same time—not because the film shouted at the audience, but because it quietly built up pressure until it snapped.

What is impressive is how the film manages to let viewers experience what the characters are going through. The sense of disorientation is not just shown—it is felt. The camera work, sound design, and pacing work together to create a feeling of being lost inside something that does not make sense.

You are not just watching someone walk through endless hallways. You start to feel like you are walking with them.

 

Another strong point is how the movie balances its scares without relying too much on heavy visual effects or excessive prosthetics. Instead of overloading the screen with digital monsters or constant CGI chaos, Backrooms leans into suggestion. It uses shadows, movement in the distance, and sudden changes in sound to trigger fear.

This choice actually makes the horror more believable. When something finally appears—or even when something almost appears—it hits harder because the film has already trained the viewer to fear what they cannot fully see.

There is also a grounded, almost physical quality to the film’s environment. The set design feels tangible, as if those walls and hallways could actually exist somewhere forgotten. This adds to the immersion. It does not feel like a digital creation. It feels like a place you could accidentally end up in.

And that is where the film succeeds most.

It makes the audience share the same discomfort as the characters: confusion, anticipation, and that constant feeling that something might be just around the corner.

The experience is stressful in a controlled way. It keeps the audience alert, almost like they are waiting for something they cannot fully prepare for. And yet, even in those tense moments, there is a strange curiosity that keeps you watching.

What makes Backrooms stand out in modern horror is its restraint. It does not try to overwhelm the viewer. It does not rely on nonstop chaos. Instead, it builds a rhythm of silence, tension, and sudden impact that feels more personal than theatrical.

 

It is not just a movie you watch.

It is a movie you react to.

Backrooms premieres on June 3. If you are expecting a typical horror film, this might not be it. But if you want something that makes you feel the tension, the silence, and the sudden fear of the unknown, then this film delivers exactly that.

Just be ready—because the scares do not come often, but when they do, they feel uncomfortably close.