An online flirtation turned murderous catfish; this is the concept that sets the stage for the new twisted horror flick, Do Not Reply. Chelsea (Amanda Arcuri), a precocious high school introvert, attempts to break out of the drudgery of her ordinary life by striking up conversations in the digital realm. As she starts receiving texts from a mysterious online admirer, Brad (Jackson Rathbone), things quickly take a serious turn; resulting in her abduction on Halloween night, and subsequent placement in Brad’s life-size barbie dream house prison along with a slew of other female victims. 

While Do Not Reply harbors a strong concept; grounded in the culturally universal fear of not knowing exactly who you’re meeting up with on the other end of the phone, the film does not especially dazzle as a feature-length story. The new slasher title often feels as if it is stretching out the run-time of tech-centric psycho killings from what should have been formatted for a twenty-minute short. Brad’s VR killer helmet is an unusual and creative use of wardrobe, but quickly loses its charm; lacking in any sinister facial features that audiences crave from their horror icons. Chelsea does some convincing Ariana Grande drag, as soon as the bleach in her hair has dried. This might not be an acknowledged creative note from the filmmakers, but the funny coincidence will ultimately distract from the character’s emotional arc in multiple places.

The chief sin of Do Not Reply remains choosing to handle a film primarily focusing on topics of sexual and mental abuse against women, with two men helming; immediately striking a wrong chord with the viewer. This is most present during the handful of sexual assault encounters in the film, which stick out as checkmarks in the type of story being told, rather than an opportunity for cinematic discussion on real-life horrors.

If you are interested in giving this flick a chance, I would recommend that you do not reply, maybe even turn off your phone… it’ll probably ghost you in the morning anyway.