Presence - A Movie Review

Do you feel like something’s watching you?

Presence is a 2024 thriller. A family moves into a new house in the suburbs. Each member feels like they’re being watched. This presence grows stronger and stronger, and mysterious things happen.

All you need to say is ‘ghost movie’ and you've got me hooked. Ghost stories are exciting thrillers. Presence takes place entirely from the perspective of a spiritual entity. It’s a unique story, but its downfall is the acting and overall direction.

The family is portrayed by Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan, Callina Liang, and Eddy Maday. They did a great job, but in almost every scene of the film, it feels like they’re reading from a script. Their dialogue and conversations are unrealistic. The film is more suited for dramatic presentation than for fully immersing oneself in the script.

They all act like they’re being filmed, instead of ignoring the cameras and embodying their characters. The most annoying moment was when Tyler (Maday) was boasting about his sex life to his parents, while adding as many profane words as he wanted. The dialogue and characters could have been written better.

Presence is directed by Steven Sodenbergh, who was also the cinematographer. The film’s style is the signature trademark. You feel like you’re following somebody. In three weeks, it was filmed entirely in the first-person perspective, with the camera angles acting as the ghost’s eyes. It rarely ever cuts away, only dissolving into the next scene.

He shot the film on a Sony A7. The camera is always slowly lingering throughout each scene, imitating the ghostly presence. Sodenbergh had to teach himself how to use the camera for the specific shots he wanted to do. There’s a lot of distance and space in shots.

Turns out, the film was a challenge, but it was amazing how the movie turned out. The camera felt human. Ironically, I felt like I knew the ghost more than the characters.

This story is based on a real-life experience in Sodenbergh’s own home, which has a dark past. Sodenberg and his wife, Jules Asner, felt like somebody was watching them when they moved in. He said their house sitter saw ‘somebody’ during a stay one night. Sodenbergh wanted to write a story about the ghost and why it remained in the house.

Adding to the haunting atmosphere is the music composed by Zach Ryan. Music always adds a different perspective to stories. At times, the eerie sound gave me goosebumps, and it also elevates the emotional resonance.

The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. While it had a good reception, some audiences walked out because they couldn’t handle the intensity of the story in the late hours. Presence is an emotional story and has thematic themes. The concept may seem simple, but it incorporates a great deal of emotional depth in its layers.

What if a deceased relative was watching you? It sounds scary, but at the same time, somebody is watching over you. I have a couple of instances where I felt like my late aunt was present.

Be warned that it contains sexual abuse that may trigger viewers. Ryan (West Mulholland) is a psycho in what he attempts to do with one of the characters. The climax made me uncomfortable.

This is a film that we don’t see enough of. Presence is a striking and elegant ghost film with inventive direction. The trailer makes the film scarier when it’s actually a drama about a family trying to reconnect. The final scene gave me goosebumps. Be cautious of its themes and enjoy the film.