Creepy British horror has scares, gory violence, sex abuse.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Power is a chilling British horror movie that features bloody and gory violence, jump scares, and themes around child sexual abuse. Set in a hospital during the power outages in the U.K. during the 1970s, much of the movie is shot in near darkness, which adds to the eery atmosphere. Characters become possessed and are dragged across rooms. They are also thrown through glass windows resulting in cuts all over their body. While possessed, young nurse Val (Rose Williams) stabs herself in the thigh with a pair of scissors, causing much blood. She also discovers a word cut into her stomach. One of Val's fellow nurses is grabbed from behind by the eyes and is later shown to be blind. In a brief sequence, shown multiple times, a figure is shown to be on fire. Their charred hand is later seen. Other characters are also seen dead, although their actual deaths occur off-screen. Ghostly figures appear suddenly providing plenty of sudden scares. There are a number of references to child sexual abuse and as the story develops, this abuse becomes more integral to the plot. Those who suffer the abuse are not believed or forced to lie, while the abuse itself is covered up by those in authority. Occasional language but nothing stronger than "s--t," although there are some instances of sexist behavior. While the majority of the characters are shown to be corrupt, abusive, and evil, Val shines as she shows courage in helping others as well as herself.
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
Plenty of jump scares, gory incidents, violence, and deaths. Ghostly figures appear in mirrors and reflections. A number of references to child sexual abuse. Character has their skirt lifted by both another character and an unseen force. Character is possessed on a number of occasions -- they are thrown and dragged across the room, with bruising seen on their neck. In one scene, they levitate off the floor and in another they begin coughing up a black substance. Their body also contorts into unnatural positions. A repeated flash sequence shows petrol being poured and then someone screaming while on fire. A charred human hand and a burnt toy dog are seen. Character is grabbed by the eyes from behind and is later revealed to have lost their site. Someone found dead at the bottom of the stairs -- unclear whether they were pushed or fell. A pair of scissors is thrust into a character's own leg. They later discover a word has been carved into their stomach. Character is thrown through a glass window resulting in cuts to their body. They then stab a syringe into someone's face. Someone falls from a drainpipe while climbing from a building -- shown injured crawling along the floor. Reference to a rape and murder. In a dream sequence, someone starts to strangle a young child. Character takes someone down to a basement with the intention of sexually abusing them. They order them to take off their robe. When they refuse they punch them in the stomach and later start to strangle them.
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Two characters flirt with each other with one kissing the other on the cheek. They are then lifted up onto a table and made to dance, causing upset. A character has topless posters pinned on their office wall. They also have a collection of Polaroid photos of all the nurses that work at the hospital, which have been positioned in a "league table" based on attractiveness. They refer to one character as being a "seven" if they smiled more. Reference to doctors and nurses fancying each other. Character seen in just a nightdress. Brief mention of the contraceptive pill and those that take it being considered "easy."
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Language includes "s--t," "shite," "bloody hell," "piss," "lazy sod," and "shut up." "Jesus" and "God" are used as exclamations. Character referred to as being "soiled goods."
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Characters smoke on occasion. Two separate close-up shots show a cigarette being lit and another being extinguished in an ashtray. Character consumes a number of prescription pills in what appears to be an attempt to take their own life. Sedatives are injected into people against their will.
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Courage to do the right thing and speak the truth. Compassion and empathy are rare but shown by some, which helps empower those in vulnerable positions. Standing up to abusers and making your voice heard. Authority figures wilfully ignore, or help cover up, heinous crimes and put pressure on people to make false testimonies. Bullying and lies are spread about innocent parties. Some sexist behavior.
Positive Role Models
some
Val is a dedicated and compassionate nurse who wants to help her patients. She appears vulnerable with a troubled past. But she finds courage and a determination to protect some and reveal the evil truth about others. However, she is possessed on a number of occasions causing her to be violent both to others and herself. Few other characters show any positive traits, particularly those in positions of authority, who abuse not only their power but also those that they're supposed to look after. Val's fellow nurses either perpetuate lies about her, or begin to fear and shun her. Reference to kids without any family growing up in care homes. Good diversity amongst both the main and supporting cast.
Set in 1973, during the U.K. blackouts, The Power finds Val (Rose Williams) starting her first night shift as a nurse in a London hospital. With the electricity switched off, due to a dispute between the government and striking miners, and the hospital plunged into near darkness, Val's nerves are already on edge. When a ghostly presence makes itself known, Val is forced to face up to her past.
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say :Not yet rated
Kids say:Not yet rated
By setting this British horror movie in a decaying hospital in the midst of the power outages during the 1970s, Corinna Faith's film gets off to a strong and chilling start. From its opening shot -- complete with sinister score -- The Power pulls you into its grasp, and doesn't let go. In what must have been a demanding physical role, the central performance from Williams as Val is strong enough to carry the narrative on her hard done by shoulders. Yet it's the movie's atmosphere -- with its creaky doors to its never-ending corridors to the fact that it's shot in near darkness -- which is the real star.
Faith, who both wrote and directed, also deserves credit for managing to weave in elements of child trauma and sexual abuse in such a way that it helps explain the story rather than for any shock value. It's sensitively handled, and the message that survivors of sexual abuse should -- and must -- be heard is, quite literally, screamed at the audience. Some of the performances from the supporting cast are a tad wooden, which creates an amateurish feel. But this is a horror movie that beneath the jump scares and gory violence has plenty to say.
Did you find the movie scary? If so, in what way? What's the appeal of scary movies?
What role did sexual abuse play in the movie? What message do you think the filmmaker is trying to tell us?
How does Val demonstrate courage, compassion, and empathy? Why are these such important character strengths to have? Can you give any examples of when you've shown these traits in real life?
Did you know anything about the power outages in the U.K. during the 1970s? How did it add to the creepiness of the film? Can you think of any other horror movies where real-life events have been incorporated into the story?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Danny Brogan
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based on child development research. How do we rate?
