Review: Presence – Steven Soderbergh’s Latest Movie Takes A Novel Approach To A Haunted House Thriller

The Presence Gets Dark // Credit: Jon Rushton Film Publicity & Consultancy

As winter rages on, we’re going to look at Steven Soderbergh’s new haunting thriller Presence. Will it leave viewers with chills or be washed from memory forever as the winter thaws?

Synopsis

When a family moves into a new house after a tragedy impacts the daughter, they must each wrestle with their own personal emotional challenges. All while dealing with the creeping feeling that another presence is hovering over the home.

What Did I Like?

Anyone discussing this film’s positives will invariably focus on two things, firstly the camerawork. The flowing, long takes used to deliver the film’s story are astounding. The smooth movement between rooms, often phasing in and out of different characters’ conversations, natural placement and motions and the perfect timing of each camera manoeuvre make the camerawork both a technical marvel and an effective way of characterising the presence observing the story. This film will undoubtedly be used in media courses for years to come. It’s an amazingly efficient example of how to involve audiences in a film’s world, story and atmosphere using the camera.

The second aspect many will focus on is the central cast’s performances. Callina Liang deserves the biggest share of the praise. Her performance as Chloe is fantastic. She mixes wonderfully played teenage vulnerability with a good amount of humour, strength and warmth. But all the other performers also do great work here. Chris Sullivan is quietly brilliant as Chris, the dad who does his best to help his kids. Even if he feels emotionally raw about his marriage. Lucy Liu’s Rebekah is brash but always realistic and sympathetic. Plus Eddy Maday’s Tyler and West Mulholland’s Ryan capture the vile sexist nature of many teenage boys disturbingly well. All of these performers individually and collectively make the drama fiercely engaging.

Beyond these points, it must also be noted that the effects are, mostly, very well done (artificial camera shakes aside). With the presence’s ghostly powers being pulled off without any behind-the-scenes seams being visible. The production design is beautiful. The direction of the action, as is expected from Steven Soderbergh, is so perfect it’s pretty much invisible and its discussion of issues relating to sexist force and violence hanging over the family is pointed and very relevant.

What Did I Not Like?

Undoubtedly the weakest element of this film is the writing. The story is fine and the characterisation of the main players is incredible but pivotal plot moments such as the use of a psychic and the final act feel either forced or like they aren’t given enough build-up, which makes the ultimate resolution not hit as hard as it could have. On top of this some of the dialogue, despite the cast’s best efforts, feels very much like it comes from the mind of a screenwriter rather than the characters speaking.

Also aside from the moments of the camera drifting around the house on its own the use of music feels rather forced and distracting. It’s as if it is trying to artificially heighten emotions that are already being achieved. Honestly, the filmmakers should have had more confidence in the characters and the direction’s ability to carry the story. 

Finally, the editing choice to end most scenes with a black screen feels like it always grinds the film to a halt. Something else should have been done to help give the impression of a change in time.

Conclusion

Presence is an admirable technical experiment with a memorably played set of characters and a well-realised small-scale world with a big message. It’s just a shame the plot and some poor sound and editing choices mean the film never quite matches the smoothness of the titular presence.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars (3.5 / 5)

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Posted by Josh Greally

Writer and filmmaker. I have a masters in directing film and television and have written film reviews for several smaller sites in the past. Films are my life, but I also enjoy writing, reading, listening to music and debating.