AtanariaSteven Soderbergh’s Presence takes a familiar supernatural premise and flips it on its head, offering a ghost story told entirely from the perspective of the spirit. It’s a fascinating concept that breathes new life into the haunted house genre, and while the film doesn’t quite reach the heights of the best horror offerings of 2024, it’s an intriguing, fleeting experience that lingers—if only for a little while.
A Ghost’s-Eye View of a Family in Crisis
The film begins with the titular Presence—an unseen spirit drifting through an empty house. We don’t know who they are, what they want, or even if they’re benevolent or malevolent. When a troubled family moves in, the ghost silently observes their struggles. Chloe (Callina Liang), grieving the loss of a close friend, finds herself isolated in her own home. Her mother, Rebecca (Lucy Liu), is emotionally distant and favors her older son, Tyler (Eddy Maday), despite his questionable behavior. Meanwhile, Chris (Chris Sullivan), the father, is trying to hold everything together while contemplating divorce.
The Presence watches over them, particularly Chloe, and occasionally intervenes—but only in small, ambiguous ways. Is the ghost trying to help, or does it have its own motivations? This mystery keeps the audience engaged, with the film’s first-person perspective pulling us into the haunting in an eerily intimate way.
A Story More About the Living Than the Dead
While Presence is undoubtedly a ghost story, it plays more like a family drama with supernatural elements. We spend more time with the dysfunctional dynamics of the household than with traditional horror scares. This grounded approach makes the characters feel real, with standout performances—especially from Chris Sullivan, whose portrayal of a well-meaning but frustrated father adds emotional weight.
