The Gen Z Horror Renaissance: Alienation, Identity and the Shadow of Neoliberalism in Obsession and Backrooms

Priyanshu Dey

The horror genre was always an expression of the anxieties felt by society. The monsters of the twentieth century were expressions of societal anxiety related to war, nuclear accidents, sickness and change. It appears that the resurgence of the horror movies at present is a reaction to societal anxiety of another kind altogether. Rather than expressing anxiety related to creatures from outer space, contemporary horror movies express anxiety related to loneliness, identity crisis, involvement in unstable relationships and the uncanniness of everyday reality. Both ‘Obsession’ and ‘Backrooms’ do not have any political connotations, yet they are products of culture created through the reality of their makers who grew up in the neoliberal era. 

One thing both these films share is a focus on alienation. ‘Backrooms’ capitalizes horror from perpetual liminal spaces - hallways, empty rooms, bureaucratic spaces that feel uncannily familiar. Horror comes from a space void of life and ultimately being unable to escape from it. There is no monster. You’re simply lost in a place with no reason to be there, no community to support you and no way home. This imagery hits close to home for the youth growing up today. We live in a world now dominated by temporary work contracts, Airbnb, Zoom calls and failing institutions. Those infinite hallways and empty rooms of the Backrooms can act as a metaphor for youth trying to find their way around inherently endless systems.

Likewise, Obsession makes isolation at the heart of its plot. The obsession that the male protagonist has to be intimate with others is indicative of a social dilemma instead of just a mental one. Young people in this generation grow up in a world where relationships have become dependent on technology, such as online dating sites and social networking platforms. While these technologies make people feel being closer to each other, they only end up creating new fear, uncertainty and isolation. Hence, what becomes horrifying in ‘Obsession’ is the fact that meaningful interactions have become lost to humanity. This theme is also relevant to numerous progressive debates regarding identity and mental well-being. The contemporary movements, linked to activism, tend to focus on problems such as isolation, emotions, toxic relationships and the pressure that marginalized groups face. While both movies do not explicitly promote this approach, the worlds depicted in ‘Obsession’ and ‘Backrooms’ are those where characters fail to form their identities and build relationships. This horror is not connected to supernatural evil, but rather represents the fear of losing connection with oneself and society.

Another important thing to mention about such films is that how the creators make ordinary places terrifying. A traditional horror film relies on either a spooky setting or monsters or something supernatural. Conversely, Gen Z horror films manage to make a regular setting so terrifying that you are bound to feel helpless even in a place you may wander regularly. Thus, office corridors, unnamed buildings, suburban areas and the Internet become dangerous. It seems that this generation fears its reality more than any supernatural element. Instead of being scared of an attack by an entity, people have become afraid of the 'void' in a modern society.

The prevalence of such motifs among today’s youth indicates that the contemporary horror genre reflects a collective trauma experienced by this generation. Generation Z has grown up in times of economic hardship, political turmoil, housing crisis, climate change and technological evolution. Movements have always been provoked by such adverse conditions. While horror movies these days do not necessarily send any political message, they keep addressing the very same fears as those promoted by social activists. The connection here is thus indirect yet crucial.

Perhaps, Gen Z does not fear monsters, but social life itself. Indeed, the danger is not that which lies in the shadows. Rather, the true horror is the potential for wandering without direction in a world that they are forced to call home.