BUMPS IN THE NIGHT // A FILM REVIEW OF "THE POWER"
In London 1974, so the title card tells us, “Trade unions and the government are at war. The economy is in crisis. Blackouts have been ordered to conserve power, plunging the nation into darkness every night.” THE POWER, a new Shudder exclusive, takes that time period and sets up a spooky story set in a very dark at night hospital. Already the setting is horrifying. Who would want to even try walking down hospital hallways in the dark, especially in the 1970's? Val (Rose Williams) is our window in. She's a brand new training nurse, timid and shy, and put on the "dark shift" on her first day, which is covering the wards that plunge into the dark at night. Not only is it scary to walk down these dark halls for the terror of what may be lurking within them, Val is also triggered by her past childhood trauma. So the idea of working these halls is twice as terrifying for her.
Val immediately gets off to a rocky start with her supervising nurse Matron (Diveen Henry) by asking too many questions (or any questions at all) to a friendly doctor, Dr. Franklyn (Charlie Carrick). Matron states that a Nurse shouldn't ever speak to a Doctor, noting that they are "above them." Val doesn't mean to disobey, but she does and is immediately on her new supervisor's bad side and gets her put on the night duty. What Val finds in those dark corners are not only her own fears but other nurses who won't listen to reason, because there are strange things happening in the dark. A child in one of the wards named Saba (Shakira Rahman) also seems to know that strange things are happening. But when the scares come, they only seem to surround the brand new nurse that no one believes and a young child. Can Val and Saba get others to see what they are seeing before it's too late?
Writer/Director Corinna Faith has streamed together a lot of things here. The set-up is terrifying and the cinematography by Laura Bellingham anchors the unease wonderfully. Val's past trauma is also a major plot point here and it's told to strong effect by its lead star Rose Williams. She slips immediately into a classic horror heroine and when the possessions starts, it is truly upsetting. The supporting cast of Emma Rigby, Charlie Carrick, Diveen Henry and Shakira Rahman are all very strong, adding a sense of unease throughout. Though some of the scares may be seen a mile away, THE POWER is still a very strong entry into the haunted house (err... hospital) and possession horror film library, building to a satisfying conclusion that'll no doubt please the horror aficionados out there.
GRADE: B+
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY Corinna Faith STARRING Rose Williams, Emma Rigby, Charlie Carrick, Diveen Henry, Shakira Rahman. NOW AVAILABLE TO STREAM EXCLUSIVELY ON SHUDDER. FOR MORE INFO: THE POWER