I liked this movie… but I wish I liked it more. At the same time, I expect I would like it more on a rewatch since I’m sure there’s bits and bobs they seeded into the movie that I missed. There’s something going on here that I think is quite clever, but also a little obtuse. And possibly neither.

Censor follows a British lady named Enid who works as a film censor, watching all the low budget exploitation/splatter films that flooded the market. She needs to decide (a bit too coldly, a bit too professionally) what needs to be edited, accepted, or outright rejected. One such film causes her to recall a tragic event from her past and she becomes convinced the actress is her long lost sister. But reality starts to fray and we begin to question her sanity… though she may not.

I think the setup of this movie is very solid. It’s as quiet, and staid as Enid herself. Buttoned up and analyzing some very well-produced replicas of the video nasties of the era. The film creates a mood of subtle uncertainty as we begin to question our main character.

Perhaps a little abruptly we stop questioning her though and the movie kind of takes off tangentially to where it was. Probably the film needed a little more build up before things really go south. But I think it still works well enough… and the final act is going to lose some people. And I get that. I came away wishing for more… but also pondering what I saw. Pretty sure there’s greater meaning… but a little murky on what that was.

So I’m kind of mixed here. I think there’s a very good chance this is a genus film. Slight chance that it was just flailing its arms around declaring itself profound. I can see either view but that’s kind of a sign of something interesting. Right?

Score: 81