---
title: 'Everything Wrong With The Backrooms In 28 Minutes Or Less'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=LwYZviWY4qM'
video_id: 'LwYZviWY4qM'
date: 2026-07-27
duration_sec: 1659
---

# Everything Wrong With The Backrooms In 28 Minutes Or Less

> Source: [Everything Wrong With The Backrooms In 28 Minutes Or Less](https://youtube.com/watch?v=LwYZviWY4qM)

## Summary

This video is a humorous critique of the film 'The Backrooms', where the narrator (CinemaSins) meticulously points out logical inconsistencies, clichés, and directorial mistakes. The analysis covers plot holes, character decisions, and execution flaws, often comparing the movie unfavorably to other works.

### Key Points

- **Setting Established as 1990** [00:13] — The movie takes place on June 19, 1990, but fails to utilize this specific date meaningfully.
- **Beige Color Palette** [00:41] — The visual design is criticized as boring, consisting of 'off beige with beige highlights'.
- **Vague Threat Dialogue** [01:10] — Characters use non-specific language like 'some amount of afraid for some amount of time about some amount of a thing,' which undermines tension.
- **Historical Pirate Analogy** [02:21] — The film references Barbary corsairs (state-sponsored pirates) as a metaphor, but the critic finds it culturally insensitive and irrelevant.
- **Clark's Occupation Contradiction** [04:07] — Clark is an architect who runs a furniture store, yet the film expects viewers to believe he has no time for architecture despite owning the store.
- **Irrational Return Through Wall** [08:12] — Clark falls through a wall into the backrooms but returns the same way instead of calling authorities, ignoring basic logic.
- **Adaptation Mismatch** [09:19] — The YouTube series had three hours of content, but the movie treats it as a short film, resulting in a disjointed 100-minute feature.
- **Lack of Preparedness** [15:23] — Clark's bag of supplies for exploring the backrooms lacks a flashlight, bat, or any useful gear, despite planning the trip.
- **Final Girl Cliché** [25:02] — Mary falls and injures her ankle while running from the killer, a tired horror trope that undermines the film's originality.
- **MRI Explanation Confusion** [26:10] — The film's explanation for the backrooms involves MRI machines, but redacted documents create more questions than answers.

### Conclusion

The video concludes that the Backrooms movie suffers from logical inconsistencies, clichéd horror tropes, and a weak adaptation from the web series, ultimately failing to deliver a coherent or original film.

## Transcript

series with millions of views into a feature film. Person behind me in the theater saw this graphic and said, "OH LET'S GO." And while I appreciate their and gave me no option but to have them removed from the theater. 14-year-old
very important that we know at least some of this movie takes place in 1990 and on June 19th specifically. I'll let you know precisely how important that is you know precisely how important that is when the movie figures it out.
consisting of off beige with beige highlights, then what's wrong with you? horrible, would you check your corners by physically turning the camera you're wouldn't because you, my actual human friend, are not making a movie. You are
object you can maneuver this easily will suddenly become an immovable force to several man-made reservoirs of water were drained by Gen Z'ers furiously asking their AI of choice, "Hey, what are the square-looking blue thingies in
>> There was this uh I didn't get a good look at it, but there was something >> Great, I'll be sure to be some amount of afraid for some amount of time about afraid for some amount of time about some amount OF A THING.
Hitchcock their ride to a classic cliché. Seeing a ship's steering wheel running over to give it a few spins to see if it actually controls the room opportunity in this genre. I know you're supposed to be scared for your life and
stuff, but make sure you get a really good shot on that backwards banner. No, longer. Closer. Damn it, I said longer and closer, man. has these types of ceiling tiles has at least one that's stained like this. The
only surprise should be that THERE ISN'T MORE. Darn our bad luck coinciding with the movie not wanting to give away its big starts with an action and suspense-filled cold open to brace you
for the all amounts of action and suspense that will fill the next hour. Kids, also depreciating the value of your home with silly nostalgia-lensed >> We all have our loops, behaviors that keep us walking in circles.
alive and well for over a decade somehow were technically pirates in the Ottoman Empire, they didn't look like discount Captain Hook. Mostly referred to as Barbary corsairs, these pirates were
actually state-sponsored raiders. And so, Clark's store is a dick for being furniture store naming and probably a little racist. Showing us a stack of character's backstory a job well done. >> I hurt people. I don't want to. It's
>> The psychology that has kept CinemaSins alive and well for damn it, why am I >> Maybe I deserve to be alone. >> Do you think anyone deserves to be Therapy? Or just the internet? >> And when we've experienced hurt again
>> Knowing that the people asked for Internet Legends the Movie and serving instead. Also, it's pretty obvious that Mary is talking about her both of them are technically in a therapy session right now. Meaning the
therapist or an unwilling bystander and should be compensated for either. path? >> The battle cry of the new wave of establishment somehow makes it into the movie made by the Hollywood
>> And how do you feel? >> Well, I was fallen on hard times because of something other than alcohol abuse. I had it all, man, but then I lost everything playing bogs. Just
>> Okay, I came straight home after work. >> Be honest with me, please. I can smell >> Well, that's cheating because he just told you, the therapist, that he was knowledge as his wife to accuse him of drinking. No one likes a meta-gaming
>> I am a architect. >> Thinking that putting a profane adverb cooler. >> I'm just STUCK SELLING FURNITURE BECAUSE SOMEONE WON'T GET OFF THEIR FAT ass and help me.
facilitate your dreams, but choosing to own and manage a furniture store is sure you have zero time to architect things. Does this city not have fast >> Talkington. >> Me? Here. Now.
helpful. >> YOU'LL FIND BEDROOMS, LIVING ROOMS, DINETTES, DENS, AND BATHROOMS a plenty. >> We will spend more time in this place bathroom set shall be seen. >> What's that, Polly? You're worried about
>> The scene asks many questions. Questions like, are we all just pirates lost at exaggerated fronts to hide our true selves from our colleagues and friends? so long to get to the horror part?
>> HERE, AT CAPTAIN CARLO >> NO WAY. >> Turn the camera on. >> Clark not realizing that this one video than an entire month of furniture sales. >> Cat, you can open the store now.
disbelief I'm feeling at Clark either not knowing they were already open or that he didn't have the foreknowledge to not shoot an ad so close to when they apple on this stack of papers so there would be no question that Clark is a
>> Why isn't Is it going that way? >> Better question, what is it even >> We'll never even find out what's so special about this switch or why it something to do with powering the backrooms, but I think it's more about
just being a weird little thing to ponder. Also, I'm sure this information but that fear is only effective if I have Scooby-Doo's clue on how those switchboards? I have no idea. All I know is that they're switches I refuse to
touch even though I am a grown-ass man with a mortgage. They are wire-wrapped witchcraft and wizardry of the highest order that I think allow my TV and things to work. And no, I have not a fathom how my TV works with its
ability to fear this thing is already maxed out by my sheer ignorance of its it best in his most relatable of lines. >> It seems to run on some form of circuit? >> My ignorance on the matter is on record,
back of this breaker is wired completely differently to a regular breaker? How It's kind of like it was like a mechanic kicking electric car and saying it's Also, what's the point of flicking the switch back and forth when neither of
notice the obvious flickering lights they're supposed to be looking for. our radar shield on. >> The movie Clark is watching is Santa unable to fully articulate how much self-restraint it took to not hijack
this entire video and backrooms it into a sins video about that movie instead. store after being kicked out of his house, but did he have to sleep upstairs clearly not a good look. So, why not sleep somewhere in the entire downstairs
front? Flickering lights to indicate some kind of paranormal shenanigans everything I thought I knew about movies upside down. >> Your consciousness is a room full of memories that is constantly evolving.
>> I can see why people are so confused by this movie. This audiotape out spelling exactly what the backrooms is is extremely unclear. >> Because the window isn't locked. The latch was never broken. Are you ready to
>> Making therapy seem as easy as walking through a door or a window, which is size of the window and which floor it's on. Those appear to be deviled eggs, and many left in the bowl. Who's not eating deviled eggs? that's who. This
importance can only be emphasized by its inclusion in this movie at this precise reasons. Clark's competition is a cowboy, which is ridiculous because pirates and cowboys don't even exist in the same shared universe. I mean,
nothing about pirate ships historically performing terribly in the plains of the head, and that would be just as satisfying as whatever some creature in by magically appearing on his television accomplishes. This area looks so unlike
if I walked into Carl's store and went down here, I'd assume I'd crossed over through the wall like it wasn't there, which is weird. So, I'm glad right back through. I am not glad that Clark returns through the wall instead
of calling the police, a scientist, and or an exorcist. Exploring sudden but your path back to the solid wall you just fell through. Also, this movie will have a lot of wandering through beige corridors, a lot. A lot a lot, in fact.
And that's the point. And while being the point, it doesn't give me much to feeding you plot details from Santa Claus Conquers the Martians until kids of Mars are educated by having lessons downloaded straight into their
brain. Generations of this has led to a general decay of Martian culture. One of societal decline is because kids are missing out on the ineffable quality of to fix this is to kidnap King Santa Claus and two random kids. Oh, wait,
something's happening. People who come to a complete stop this far away from the backrooms is a dream-like space populated by Clark's memories or it was furnished by a man whose memories were more interesting than a stop sign
Saying hello instead of running the away from what at this distance looks like a creature from a disappointing Conjuring spin-off coming in 2027, Hall Shadow Person. This cardboard cutout looks to be the same one that appears in
the YouTube series. I am as confident about why it is here as I am about why the YouTube series, it's pretty great. The problem is this movie took that 3 hours of content and treated it like a short film to adapt into 100-minute
a seven-season X-Files style show. Sure, the finale would be confusing and disappointing, but at least I wouldn't be dissecting corridor crawler Clark the explained in the YouTube series, you because the books don't matter.
Imagine walking through a space that was 90% empty and missing or not caring wall. Well, you don't have to imagine because Clark is here doing the Lord's our entertainment. More async foreshadowing that won't make any
sense once it's even explained. And explained might be a very generous word. This is very strange. I mean, it looks like Clark just found a duffel bag of floppy disks and a name badge stashed in a small tunnel and then decided to
unknown. I mean, there's no way that's actually happening because that's insane. No human is crawling through that tunnel. They're just not. I mean, this must be a metaphor for childbirth. Anyone there?
around with jump scares as usual. Not taking the time to mark where There's an entire pile of office furniture Clark could have dragged over idiot, but since we're not A Wretch Like Me is also in this movie, at least Clark
the worst person in the world. Is Clark being able to bring that chair back Einsteinian law about creating more matter in the universe than already and it knows more about quantum physics than I do, so I'm not in a place to
argue. Also, Clark not seeing this as a bunch of free inventory he could use to least, he could market this place to the entire world as a solution to everyone's like that. Putting the camera in the bushes so I feel like a dirty sneaking
famous Duplass brother. >> Famous Duplass brother. early. >> Another character announcing they're At this point, it's just as relevant as entering a room and declaring your eye
>> Therapy math. Also, expecting non-Californians to know what the >> I found something in the store. >> What the does she care one way or friends, but he is paying her to tell her about the extra-dimensional pocket
space in his furniture store like it's going to be a therapeutic breakthrough. a place. >> This lead-bearing starting the through a literal wall. >> And on the other side of the wall, the
store just keeps going. Like a like a like a copy of itself. Sure, the walls and carpet kind of look the same, but otherwise it is nothing >> I figure they're using mirrors or something to hide the entrance. I don't
mirrors? This isn't Penn & Teller fools, Clark. You were right up mirrors any more than it is magnets. Wait, it actually is magnets? >> At first, it just looks like a like an office building. Like a like a huge
>> This movie calling itself Office Space and just completely ignoring the existence of the actual Office Space movie would have been the most baller >> But then you you keep going and and and then you realize that none of it makes
>> So, he's seen this movie, too. >> Imagine describing a dog to someone >> That depends. Are you the one describing the dog? Because they might end up with on how you've described the backrooms. >> You know, for a shrink, you got a
>> On the contrary, I don't think I have seen Mary Blink. I think she might have furniture store owner, Clark has a terrible understanding of what a good >> What you're saying might sound fantastical.
could just be an undiscovered basement that looks like a poorly designed the fantastical at all. >> Coming here without proof in the first place, buddy, you found the upside down
cool and just expected her to say, >> What the of phoning them? It's the '90s, back when phoning people was literally the
>> Research. >> This works. >> No, that's what it is, not what it's for. We're going to tie ourselves up.
actually is, instead of this creepy Now, apologies if these couple of but so is Clark. >> I did tell you research. These are understand. >> Clark is being deliberately vague, and
humanity are still going along with it, ignoring all the hallmarks of this being a cold case true crime podcast that will cash in on 20 years from now. >> I get going through a wall like that would be trippy, but I don't understand
seeing what's on the other side. It's mostly an empty room with some piled up >> You got to come see this. >> Better come take a look at this cliche. never quite freaked out enough to make sure she can get back through the solid
wall that just ignores physics. >> Is it part of your store? them yet. >> Thinking those vague terms give one some kind of temporary ownership and or reason to essentially trespass.
>> Calm down now, Clark. I don't know if I can take much more excitement than a >> I've been here every night since I found the place and I still barely scratched >> It's been at least a few days since Clark discovered the back rooms. So, has
time? It appears that Cat is the only one that even works there other than Clark. Did she just happen to be off the last few days? How would Cat at least >> But it's like it was made by a bunch of construction workers on acid.
never interacted with someone high on acid. >> He's the one with the camera. >> Well, it's not like it's attached. defend why characters make dumb decisions in horror movie sense.
>> Based on the knot that's securing him and the bare-ass hands doing the holding, not dropping you is not something they have within their power. >> What do you mean, Clark? >> Proof that stupid questions do indeed
exist. Clark's foolproof bag of supplies that he meticulously catered for this research trip apparently didn't include a flashlight, baseball bat, or anything >> What the >> I know Bobby is high, but this is the
earlier in the movie when he was filming the commercial. Feel like discovering journey through an extra dimension warrants more than a mildly befuddling >> And the Oscar for cinematography and stunt work goes to this camera. We'd
this scene where they masterfully managed to tumble down a steep incline, position to capture the last few seconds of high Bobby's body being slurped into help Bobby, but >> running toward the giant trail of blood
seems like a bad idea in my amateur opinion. Why is pirate Clark, who I assume this is, doing all this camera-shy murdering from the vents when end of the movie? Clark's commitment to
his position, I'd ditch that thing and maybe grab the tape, but I'm not lugging bloody entrails of my employee's boyfriend gobble through a vent just so This sudden Christmas tree officially makes this as much of a Christmas movie
as Die Hard, Star Trek Generations, and Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. Holy bathroom scene from Saw, which won't come out for another 14 years, which comprehensible twist in the Saw franchise.
>> Mary, what were you thinking? >> Mary had an agoraphobic mother who would never let her outside, and this scene of Mary wanting to open the window about opening the door and going through windows and Look, I see all the
puzzle. No one in the history of humanity has moved this slowly to answer a phone. Without fail, we all fall into one of phone and therefore do not need to move. Two, you scramble like a hunted gazelle
on cocaine trying to remember where your phone is and what one even looks like. landline that never moved. >> I open the window. I won't be coming help and a final goodbye message. Fortunately, Mary, the therapist, will
be compelled to go to the police with this information and definitely will not with all the urgency of a napping toddler. No one will be seated as we watch Mark Duplass prepare and deliver popcorn to his family. This framed
article is about A Sync Research winning a grant to continue experimenting on MRI you pause the movie and even if you do, astronomical odds of Phil catching this commercial featuring the random person
he saw wandering around the backrooms and just happens to be a local business >> The fact that the store has been abandoned for any amount of time with an unlocked front door and nobody stole this sweet ass pirate stand. Earlier,
backrooms and that it was absolutely pretty useless. This entire square is just the downstairs area of the store, an open space past all the stacked up furniture in the first room of the
is just his attempt to draw a POV of what the corridor looks like and a to top right corner. I think we found out why Clark failed at being an out why Clark failed at being an architect.
buzzing around our head. I think we've also experienced how that little can seemingly disappear and reappear as if by irritating fly magic. Never once have I assumed that they disappeared into an invisible wall and taken that as
gospel. Also, what's the point? She's got a creepy message, a map, and would not have balked at the idea of her at least prodding it and accidentally carrying the burden of Mary finding the backrooms and it's a burden its
irritatingly buzzy wings does not need to bear before I kill it with my shoe. horror movie that is this fly's version of the backrooms. Mary is going to feel really silly when Event Horizon comes out 7 years from now and she's screaming
putting his arm into the black hole instead of a boot or shoe, not realizing that she did the very same dumb here. It is crazy that Mary, Bobby, and through the magic wall. It's like they just discovered platform 9 and 3/4 and
and forth might be boring for us because we've seen Clark do it, but Mary shouldn't give a single liminal sh- about our boredom. Oh, spooky. The space is now completely devoid of furniture and entertainment. So, some Martian
Mars might teach the Martian kids how to have fun again. But, the problem is he people dress up as Santa at Christmas. Anyway, he kidnaps a Santa of some second screening it for most of it. And then brings him to Mars to build a
celebrate Christmas and learn how to be kids again. Of course, there's another Martian who does not approve of this plan. So, he tries to kidnap lets us see if Mary came to a complete pots at the pot sign. This film is so
suing for copyright infringement. Based on my research, this mural most likely pirate Clark. Other things on here could imply that Clark has seen A Sink in the Clark to stop whatever influence they were having in the backrooms. The mural
pirate is probably how Clark feels where his pirate self has empowered liberated him from his old life. Got it? Good. Can you explain it to me? Also, not closing painting your dark and confusing mural. This doodle of hazmat suits reminds me
that an Among Us backrooms crossover was a marketing masterstroke that never bleed blood means and if this movie has anything to do with it, ignorant is how thing by being just barely visible in creeping creep shade.
>> Recognizing your therapy patient by a glancing look at their sleeve. Maybe that would mean something if we had any idea how much time has passed don't. So, why the does it matter when you've just walked through a
>> It's only me. >> Giving Mary all the reasons she needs to GTFO ASAP. Also, Mary doesn't hear this and GTFO ASAP. Meanwhile, on there's different versions of Mary's childhood to, I guess, illustrate how the upside
version of our reality. Something Clark explaining, too. Honestly, this movie spells its intentions out so explicitly single-handedly bankrupt the ever-exhausting this movie explained
shot that's keeping me up at night is that the archway isn't exactly in the corner. Good to see that Clark's big plan to draw Mary here was just so he house. That's the symbolic centrifuge the backrooms doesn't tell you about. I
you 100% bought it as something this lot being said here about the stereotypical gender roles of society patriarchy sat at the table while the woman is relegated to standing in the
just to exist in his world. It's subtle commentary that masterfully avoids the usual HORROR TROPES OF "AH, ME, she just moved." no. they could hurt me. >> And now I just put them in chokeholds
around the dinner table. Progress. >> And now, as an adult, I'm still stuck >> that Clark is making more progress in this forced therapy session in the therapists, therapy, and my patience. >> Who are these people?
>> Tilly Norwood's parents, duh. Also, you'd be forgiven for thinking this scene has pivoted into a commentary on the AI slop that image generators throw at you with multiple eyes, 17 fingers, or unrequested tails, but since the
think it's trying to say that we are the ones truly responsible for said slop. Either that or the movie just swung for uncanny valley creepy and thought >> And here he's remembered, just slightly wrong.
>> Slightly? Imagine getting every strand of beard hair right and then thinking, of this. >> No, I'm pretty sure it's a general Hollywood. >> In some ways, they're an improvement on
>> Giving AI the wrong ideas. >> For starters, they can't feel anything. Clark learned the truth of that statement, and that might have actually why it's not a scene in this movie. >> They simply exist, like furniture.
is his realization that this would make a better commercial for his store than >> You can eat them. >> Scene does not contain a single plate of creepy pasta. Also, I want to know how Clark found this out. They certainly
I'd love to know how he went from a metaphysical exploration of misremembered humanity to I wonder what backrooms human taste like. >> Oh, now you're freaked out. Removing stuffing from a
monstrosity of a human was, sure, distasteful, but now she's super guy is. Believe it or not, it is not this easy to scalp a person and then transfer that hair to another person and have it look this seamless, I assume and
for certain. >> I was checking inventory, then I stopped off for a few beers. Define a few. >> The movie thinks we want to hear this movie is wrong. >> I'm not your wife.
Clark get into the role-playing game to help with the stairs. So, once again, maybe Mary is just trying to do her job. Maybe that's the secret of the >> BLAME YOUR BRAIN. YOU ARE YOUR BRAIN, YOU
backroom since. >> How do I stop doing that? Honestly, I've >> This is not what you want to hear from your therapist, of course, but I feel like she does have an idea how to help. She basically diagnosed him as a pretty
this relationship is probably beyond salvaging, maybe leave him with some pointers, especially with the whole being held at knife point thing.
characters in the backrooms is an exaggerated caricature of Clark based on his retail pirate alter ego created by whatever creates in the backrooms. on, but I like this demon better when it was a nondescript blender animation.
Clark has managed to keep control of giant pirate Clark somehow, but now he's because he had had therapy breakthrough with his kidnapped therapist. Why? Precisely. This chandelier room is giving far too much Sideshow Bob runs
into a row of rakes. Even this new generation of filmmaker couldn't avoid a final girl analog falls down and injures an ankle while running away from the killer cliche. The idea that it took this long for
door might be the most unbelievable part of the movie about MRI machines creating infinite storage units. Not taking a second to pull this bookcase over the hole and stack some furniture on top of it. We saw how long it took long limb
yourself some time, Mary. I can't believe Mary stole my foolproof escape plan for being hunted by a giant pirate thing. Just slowly and hesitantly back away in a clumsy fashion until he's right on top of you. Felt so original.
thought of doing this to him? Mary bumps into the caveman standy and that are set up in this room and loaded with gas. Why? Precisely. Beating pirate Clark off with the concrete cutout of her child handprint clearly symbolizing
her own literal and figurative backrooms. Wait, did we just remake Labyrinth? MRI imagery. MRI imagery. MRI imagery. Electromagnet assignment. They [laughter] redacted everything except the peg leg?
realize that there's no reason for them to leave any amount of him unredacted redacting. >> I should say we used to make MRI >> Then why bring up the MRI machines? Also, come on, Bill. How hard
nothing more than a low proximity magnetic distortion system to open turn a profit? Sure, it'll all slot into place for where that is. >> Bill looks to the window as if asking for permission, permission that he can't
there is someone on the other side of the glass. >> But I don't understand it. I don't I I I can't even describe it. >> Oh, so he's watched this movie, too. This final trip through Mary's backrooms
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. While Santa is making toys for the Martians, there's some kind of military coup that tries to sabotage the toy-making arrested, and the Martian who kidnapped Santa becomes Mars Santa for the rest of
and continue spreading capitalism to the rest of the galaxy. Now, your homework is to take that half-assed description and see if you can recreate this me to sin it and let's create a CinemaSins backrooms where I'm being
girlfriend who may or may not be trying to act out giving me a lap dance.
electromagnetism. Surely you've heard of it.