Censor

Play trailer

1:38

Censor

2021

1h 24m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

168 Reviews

56%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Film censor Enid takes pride in her meticulous work, guarding unsuspecting audiences from the deleterious effects of watching the gore-filled decapitations and eye gougings she pores over. Her sense of duty to protect is amplified by guilt over her inability to recall details of the long-ago disappearance of her sister, recently declared dead in absentia. When Enid is assigned to review a disturbing film from the archive that echoes her hazy childhood memories, she begins to unravel how this eerie work might be tied to her past.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Occasionally uneven but bold and viscerally effective, Censor marks a bloody good step forward for British horror.

Read Critics Reviews

Ela Bittencourt

Sight & Sound

May 13, 2026

Bond presciently taps into the fact that violence has been such a deeply entrenched threat in women’s worlds that it permeates and inflects all human interactions. Trauma isn’t just an individual event, it’s a psychosomatic experience on a social scale.

Go to Full Review

Charlotte O'Sullivan

London Evening Standard

Aug 22, 2021

4/5

Indie movies like this one aren't out to make a killing, but consider me slain.

Go to Full Review

Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

Aug 22, 2021

5/5

This thrilling, dizzying debut from Welsh writer-director Prano Bailey-Bond is a nostalgic treat for anyone old enough to remember the infamous "video nasties" scare of the early 80s.

Go to Full Review

Michael Cook

Geek Vibes Nation

Jul 17, 2025

4/5

Director Prano Bailey-Bond imbues the film with the kind of tension that creeps up on you until it becomes overwhelming.

Go to Full Review

Geoffrey Macnab

iNews.co.uk

Jan 16, 2025

4/5

Director Prano Bailey-Bond combines satire, horror and social commentary in her ingenious and revelatory film.

Go to Full Review

Marya E. Gates

Cool People Have Feelings, Too. (Substack)

Oct 11, 2024

Filled with as much humor as it does gore, Bailey-Bond’s film reminded me a lot of Cindy Sherman’s Office Killer, though its denouement is much, much bloodier.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Shaun

Jun 13, 2021

Old movie- Poor plot development. Waste of time to watch

See more

Steven G

@RT86919966 Aug 15, 2026

As a psychological thriller enthusiast It was one of the worst if not the worst psychological thrillers I have ever watched, left me confused and annoyed. Waste of time DO NOT WATCH

See more

Atrum I

@RT73019957 May 10, 2026

I personally loved it. It reminded me of Stopmotion in some ways and older youtube analog horror videos. Definitely slower and more psychological, so if that's not your thing you might not enjoy it. It posed an interesting insight into who and what Censors are, something I haven't really seen or heard of discussed much before.

See more

Gabriel T

@GabrielFagundes Feb 8, 2026

It's definitely a slow burn, but a really good one. The ending is so incredibly cathartic. It was a great tragedy, I wasn't expecting the movie to go into this direction. It deserves more recognition

See more

Jennifer T

@jentr Jan 9, 2026

Slow & uninteresting

See more

Claudio C

@Claudio666 Jan 5, 2026

A Tale of Insanity (12,177 – 04 Jan 2026) In the 80’s, Enid Baines is a tough censor in UK, and the colleagues call her "Little Miss Perfect". Enid has a childhood trauma since her sister Nina disappeared in the forest when they were young. When Enid releases the movie "Deranged" without cutting a violent scene, there is a murder of a family, and the killer says that was influenced by the film. Enid is affected by the event and soon she sees a movie very similar to the conditions when Nina vanished. She believes her sister is alive and abducted by the producer and the director of the film, and the actress Alice Lee would be Nina. She crosses the line between reality and fiction on a tragic trip. "Censor" (2021) is a tale of insanity by Prano Bailey-Bond. The plot is original, with great performance of Niamh Algar. Her obsession to find Nina triggers insanity when she sees a pirate movie. The ambiguous and surreal conclusion is excellent. My vote is seven. Title (Brazil): "Censor"

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Prano Bailey-Bond

Director

Niamh Algar

Enid Baines

Michael Smiley

Doug Smart

Nicholas Burns

Sanderson

Vincent Franklin

Fraser

Sophia La Porta

Alice Lee

Threshold

85%

29%

Threshold

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Threshold

Elevator Game

42%

24%

Elevator Game

Watchlist

The Call

46%

64%

The Call

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Call

Spoonful of Sugar

50%

52%

Spoonful of Sugar

Watchlist

Blood Conscious

80%

17%

Blood Conscious

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

10 Genre Films at Sundance 2021 That Could Become Breakout Hits

Censor: Trailer 1

1:38

Now Playing

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Film censor Enid takes pride in her meticulous work, guarding unsuspecting audiences from the deleterious effects of watching the gore-filled decapitations and eye gougings she pores over. Her sense of duty to protect is amplified by guilt over her inability to recall details of the long-ago disappearance of her sister, recently declared dead in absentia. When Enid is assigned to review a disturbing film from the archive that echoes her hazy childhood memories, she begins to unravel how this eerie work might be tied to her past.

Director: Prano Bailey-Bond
Producer: Helen Sara Jones
Screenwriter: Prano Bailey-Bond, Anthony Fletcher
Distributor: Magnet Releasing
Production Co: Timpson Films, Ffilm Cymru Wales , Film 4, BFI Film Fund, Rook Films, Silver Salt Films
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 11, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 18, 2021
Box Office (Gross USA): $88.0K
Runtime: 1h 24m

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings