by Samuel Nichols, Contributing Writer
To quote the poet Jermaine Cole, “Steven Soderbergh “is down for whatever.” Seriously, the man will make any kind of movie and will go in any direction. Action, horror, comedy, heists. He refuses to stay in a lane. So it’s not a shock that he’s made something as unique as Presence, his new horror movie that follows the perspective of a presence haunting a home. But when you can do all of that do, can you take something like this as far as it needs to go?
Now, to be clear I certainly think this movie is scary. While I have seen more than enough horror movies to know when jump scare is coming, I can still appreciate proper execution. Presence has that. There is good setup and even better atmosphere. Following around the family who has just moved into this haunted home, you feel how unnerving this all is. “Why do I have a creeping feeling whenever I’m alone? What’s that sense I have that something is leering at me?” Presence has this in spades. Soderbergh deserves praise for that.
But the premise had potential for more than the standard horror it excels at. When your movie’s POV is a disembodied spirit that stalks the halls of this house, you are not limited by the laws of physics. You can go anywhere in this house, move through barriers, and get as close as you want to the family. So why does the movie insist on peeking at the occupants from a distance or floating in doorways? Move around! Jump through the floors! Slip through doors or under cracks! Break the mold. Do something new because you can. When you back yourself into a corner for no reason, it’s disappointing.
But why are even here with this spirit? Why is it stalking the house? Well, turns out it had something to do with Chloe (Callina Liang), the shy daughter of the film’s nuclear family. From the jump, it’s obvious our spirit protagonist has an interest in her. It’s not a hater of the other family members. but our ghost is drawn to her. And as the plot goes on, it becomes clear there’s some existing connection between them.
I won’t go any further explaining that connection, as it gets into spoiler territory. The whole family gets involved: the son, Tyler (Eddy Maday), both of the parents, Chris (Chris Sullivan) and Rebekah (Lucy Liu). There is a lot unsaid between them, particularly the parents, and I appreciate the realism of how awkward living with teenagers is. There are lots of quiet moments and gruff conversation when the family is all together. Hurtful words just add to the tension, and the family members each play their roles terrifically.
With the ghost around and with us trying to decipher why, I appreciate the journey we go on. There is something the ghost must do, and finding it out kept me interested. Having unfinished business made it easy for us to root for the spirit. It is worth the watch to find out what’s going on.
Rating: Liked It
Presence is currently playing in theaters
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