Censor

In the end, Censor leaves us with a haunting and ambiguous conclusion that blurs the line between reality and illusion. Throughout the film, Enid’s obsession with violent films and her work at the censorship board gradually erodes her sanity, especially after a traumatic incident involving a film producer. Her fragile mental state is compounded by her childhood trauma—the mysterious disappearance of her sister, Nina—hidden deep within her subconscious. Enid becomes increasingly delusional, believing that the director Frederick North is responsible for her sister’s abduction and that he has a connection to her missing sibling. This hallucination prompts her to stalk and confront North, leading to a violent breakdown where she kills him. However, it’s revealed that all this was a hallucination; Enid’s perception was distorted, and she was mistaking reality for her delusions.

In the climax, Enid’s mind creates a fantasy where she reunites her sister and her parents, but the final scenes are intentionally ambiguous. The actress Alice Lee, who played her sister, is not actually related to her—they are only figures in Enid’s mind. The closing shot shows Enid shouting for help in a glitchy, surreal sequence, blurring the boundary between her mental state and what might be real. The film ends on this note of uncertainty, emphasizing that Enid’s psyche has been deeply fractured by her exposure to violent images, her trauma, and her grief. Censor ultimately explores how censorship, trauma, and mental illness intertwine, leaving viewers pondering whether Enid’s reality is truly shattered or if she has found some form of release or escape within her warped mind.

Last Updated: June 25, 2025 at 08:58