Countless theories, numerous questions, five interpretations.

Similarly to the maze within The Shining (1980), Room 237 entraps the audience into thinking about the motives behind Kubrick’s stylistic choices and whether features within The Shining had a deeper significance.

32 years on from the subject matter, it is an experimental documentary that aims to untangle Stanley Kubrick’s masterful motion picture; directed by Rodney Ascher, the speculation within the film is certainly subjective, but nevertheless assists by presenting the audience with a greater appreciation of Kubrick’s masterpiece and how nothing within the film was pointless.

From claiming that The Shining was an attempt to reveal that Kubrick had an input into the conspiracy that the Apollo moon landing footage was fake to professing that the maze within the film was inspired by the Greek myth of the Minotaur, Room 237 entwines comparable theories conjured up by five scholars.

Despite the intriguing theories, it is impressionistic as anyone could simply read extensively into any film and believe what they want. A documentary which made me sigh with annoyance at some of the claims, like the subject matter, this film will give you the choice to make up your own mind about whether Kubrick purposely placed something within his 1980’s hit or it was simply a coincidence.