‘Do Not Enter’ (2026)

Centred on the ‘creepers,’ ‘Do Not Enter’ follows a group of urban explorers who post their exploits on the web. Not generating enough traction online, the foursome, Diane (Adeline Rudolph), Vernon (Shane Paul McGhie), Rick (Jake Manley) and Cora (Francesca Reale), decide to infiltrate a long-abandoned luxury hotel by the beach – The Paragon. Having recently parted ways with another group member, JD (Kai Caster), the team are joined by Balenger (Laurence O'Fuarain), someone who claims to be an investigative journalist curious about the hotel’s history.

With the perfect setting of an abandoned hotel, ‘Do Not Enter’ sets out on a high note. For anyone who has ever seen urban explorer videos, particularly those set at nighttime, will likely anticipate effective scares. Due in large part to how well decrepit and abandoned sites lend themselves to eerie atmosphere, it doesn’t take much to set viewers on edge.

‘Do Not Enter’ somehow fumbles its premise. With the group allegedly there to capture their exploits, the live streaming and continuous filming seems to be abandoned very early on. With the group also deciding to part ways and each go off on their own, the story fizzles out as the individuals scatter and there is a whole lot of nothing happening for the better part of the film.

Introducing a little tension, JD crops up to surprise the creepers. Having been adopted into the ‘scavenger’ group – a more violent and reward-driven team – JD, Tod (Nicholas Hamilton) and Mack (Brennan Keel Cook) take the creepers hostage, effectively forcing them to guide the scavengers to a fabled treasure trove of cash somewhere within the hotel.

A further twist reveals there is someone, or something, lurking within the hotel. With Diane having been abducted and trapped inside a room in the hotel, and the rest of the group looking for her, a tall pale creature hunts the individuals down. Initially exciting, a turn on the night-vision goggles delivers a thrilling if not predictable jolt when the creature comes looking for blood, but the more of him we see, the less impact he has.

Ultimately uncovering that the creature is a product of the hotel owner’s ventures into dark magic, it is revealed that he had completed a ritual to give himself super strength and potentially make himself immortal through demonic powers. With Diane apparently trapped for the monster to make her his bride, the film really swerves off the road and produces an astonishingly confounding narrative.

Almost feeling like an insult to how well developed the story is in David Morrell’s 2005 novel ‘Creepers,’ the adaptation veers too far from its source. With a muddled tone and little to no tension, ‘Do Not Enter’ does a disservice to its source material, changing too much, failing to deliver anything beyond one-dimensional characters and disappointing with bland action and no thrills.

With awkward pacing, stilted dialogue and little to hang on to in terms of characters, one may be tempted to root for the gangly monster lurking in the shadows to come and pick at the group until there’s nothing left. The film chooses to spare the core four, and ends on a suggestion that they’re off to their next adventure, - which will hopefully not be made into a follow-up feature.

Score: 0/4