A promo photo of Backrooms Photo: Courtesy of Douban

When 28-year-old horror fan Tang Ye walked into a theater in Beijing to watch Backrooms, he did not expect much.

After several disappointing experiences with recent imported horror films this year, including Return to Silent Hill, Tang had lowered his expectations. 

Yet, after seeing promotional posts for Backrooms, he decided to give it a try.

To his surprise, the film kept him hooked from beginning to end. "The story moved at a brisk pace, with little unnecessary buildup, and maintained a constant sense of tension," he told the Global Times. 

Unlike many traditional Hollywood blockbusters that rely on established franchises, Backrooms emerged from an unexpected source: internet culture.

According to audience demographics provided by Chinese ticketing platform Maoyan to the Global Times, more than 68 percent of users who expressed interest in seeing the film were under 34. 

The high rating of this film prompts broader questions: What made it resonate with young audiences, and what lessons could other films draw from its unexpected rise?

One answer lies in its unconventional origin story.

The film was directed by 21-year-old filmmaker Kane Parsons, whose original Backrooms YouTube series inspired the movie. Before becoming a theatrical release, the concept had already built a large online following through internet communities.

Sun Jiashan, a critic with the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles, told the Global Times that Hollywood has long relied on existing IP, a strategy that has produced many franchises over the years. 

In recent years, however, audiences have increasingly shown signs of franchise fatigue, with some highly anticipated sequels failing to meet expectations. 

Backrooms represents a different path. Instead of adapting a traditional entertainment property, it transformed an online phenomenon into a cinematic experience. 

It shows that a film's success depends on the originality of its ideas and the strength of its storytelling.

This may offer a lesson: Successful stories do not have to come from established formulas. Fresh ideas and new creative communities may provide audiences with unexpected experiences.

But Backrooms works not only because of where it came from, but because of what it brings to the audience.

The film follows a struggling architect who accidentally enters an endless maze of yellow rooms. More than a terrifying setting, the labyrinth serves as an open metaphor. 

Different viewers can find different meanings in it, bringing their own experiences and perspectives into the story.

That may be why Backrooms has resonated with younger audiences. Rather than relying solely on monsters or jump scares, it encourages interpretation. Everyone carries different hopes, fears and unanswered questions, and the film leaves room for audiences to connect with it in their own way.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. life@globaltimes.com.cn