Steven Soderbergh’s (Kimi, Ocean’s Eleven) new film Presence, shot from the point of view of a ghost, inspires a new kind of suspense-thriller. Those familiar with Soderbergh’s modern auteur style won’t feel as if the cinematographic effects are gimmicky, but regular moviegoers may feel cheated out of a fine horror film experience. Starring Lucy Liu, Julia Fox, Chris Sullivan, Callina Liang, and Eddy Maday, Presence is not what you expect it to be.
A normal upper-middle-class family moves into a vintage home haunted by you, the presence, or so it seems. Rebecca (Liu) takes on a subtle Lori Loughlin-esque role, as it’s implied their move is to further her son’s sports ventures and get into a credible school. There’s a clear rift in her relationship with her daughter, Chloe (Liang), who is recovering from grief over her best friend’s death. The family of four is tempestuous and spiteful; if “we” are the ghost, we’re clearly annoyed.
Julia Fox slays her three-minute cameo—it’s almost a crime to use her for only the beginning of the film. Meanwhile, Soderbergh has skillfully integrated the premise of the ghost and the watchful eye of the camera. Floating around the house and subtly interfering in family life (more specifically Chloe’s), it’s implied that there’s more to the ghost POV than audiences may expect—that there’s a familial purpose to the haunting. Soderbergh’s hands-on involvement in the editing and camerawork is commendable for a filmmaker of his caliber. However, the story itself lacks a compelling narrative, presenting instead an amalgamation of underdeveloped characters and surface-level ideas that aren’t particularly effective. The father, Chris (Sullivan), unabashedly defends his daughter over his son, Tyler (Maday), while Rebecca does the opposite. The presence also takes a disliking to Tyler when he brings home a schoolmate who inevitably begins a romantic relationship with Chloe.
The presence attains an emotional connection with Chloe because of her trauma; “a door opens,” and she’s able to sense the ghost when it’s nearby. If anything, the film answers the questions: What if ghosts weren’t scary at all and just wanted to help us? How do ghosts exist beyond the obvious religious explanations? Although the direction the film takes is thoroughly unbelievable and predictably written from a male perspective, better characterization could have yielded a truly tender ghost film with the touch of creepiness it needs.
This isn’t entirely the fault of the writer or director. While the posters and marketing suggest Presence would be a terrifying experience, it’s anything but that. The emotional family drama at the center of Presence is more morose than scary, which will likely turn away many viewers once they discover what they’re in for. Still, it’s a new kind of ghost story worth checking out once in theaters or VR.
3/5 Stars