Censor
MAGNOLIAFor as long as art has existed, varying groups have fought for the censorship of these things, often speaking to the power they can have on people. With the advent of film and later home video, these groups would grow louder, often with help from the media, to argue the need for censorship, especially when it came to violent content. All of this creates the backdrop for Prano Bailey-Bond’s debut film, Censor.
Set in 80s Britain during Thatcher's rule and the rise of home video, the film follows Enid (Niamh Algar), a film censor who takes her job of protecting the public from eye gougings, dismemberments, and other forms of graphic violence very seriously. She takes her work so seriously in part because of her inability to remember details of the disappearance of her sister, who is declared dead after years of missing. Following an incident with a film Enid passed, she is tasked with watching a film that reminds her of the exact details of her sisters' disappearance. This leads Enid to begin searching for clues of the film and how they may connect with her sister.
The film wastes no time setting up the world of the film by having the opening credits play as a montage of the ultra-violent films of the era and the media hysteria surrounding the films and their availability on the then-new VHS format. Though it is often teased at the influence of media hysteria and politics in Enid’s work, neither are ever explored outside of a couple of scenes and bits of dialogue. These themes offer some of the films most interesting parts, but the story never commits to them. Instead, the story often tries to rely on ambiguity to keep the viewer invested. The ambiguity works in some instances, such as the build-up to the third act, but often works against the film as it never delves into Enid’s trauma or how the violent films she watches may affect it, another interesting plot thread barely touched upon.
What the film lacks in narrative teeth, it often tries to make up for with a reliance on atmosphere. Shot on 35mm and utilizing other effects to create a VHS image quality in instances, the film visually pays homage to the era, with the blandness of Enid’s reality (muted colours abound in these scenes) being contrasted with neon-lit scenes as she delves further into her mystery. The atmosphere is usually assisted by a changing aspect ratio to show the old school format, though it becomes tiresome by the time the third act comes along.
One of the films saving graces is the lead performance of Niamh Algar. Her performance as Enid is often one note in the first act as it is shown how committed she is to watching and making decisions on violent films but is mostly closed off to most around her. The films supporting characters fall into the one-note category as well, as all are given little dimension beyond being used as exposition dumps. However, as the film progresses, Enid is shown to be gradually unravelling; Algar takes command, as the character breaks from the closed-off character we meet in the beginning to someone else entirely. Algar’s strengths are best on display in the films batshit third act.
Censor is a promising debut for its co-writer/director Prano Bailey-Bond. While the film lacks horror and narrative weight in favour of ambiguity, it makes up for it with a strong sense of atmosphere and a committed performance from Niamh Algar.
