This Haunting Film Is Now Available to Stream and Here's What We Thought About It

Presence was released in theaters earlier this year and there really wasn't much talk about it. The film told from the perspective of a ghost was written and directed by Steven Soderbergh (Ocean's Eleven, Unsane). Everything about the concept of this film should've worked, yet it doesn't quite deliver the horror we were expecting. 

Simplistic in storytelling and visuals, the film is set within a charming, suburban home. A new family has just moved in and we get to know the family members through the POV of a floating spirit within its walls. There's clearly something off with this family as this unknown spirit hovers over shoulders (or in closets) and darts from room to room. But what Soderbergh misses is the creep factor. So when Chloe (Callina Liang), our main source of interaction with the ghost, realizes her school books have been moved or the shelf in her closet falls, it all just comes off as cheesy, and not quite so scary. 

What we didn't get from the trailers is that there is more to this story than meets the eye- in more ways than one. From overhearing phone conversations and seeing how this family interacts with one another, there is definitely some family drama behind these closed doors. And ultimately, that is what this film ends up feeling like- just one big family drama with a dash of thriller elements threaded into the plot. Rebecca (Lucy Lui), the mom/wife dotes on her son, Tyler (Eddy Mayday), and barely connects with her daughter, Chloe. She's also harboring a secret that could affect her career- something introduced but never really followed up on. And we have Chris (Chris Sullivan) who is a pushover dad and husband, but clearly wants out of the marriage. And our unknown spirit who just bobs and weaves throughout these family dynamics, giving us a bird's eye view (or fish eye I should say because of the overuse of the fisheye lens throughout the film) into the traumatic layers that plague this family. 

Without heading into spoiler territory, there is one aspect of the film that saves it from being a complete waste of time. You will know it when it happens. The film explores some interesting concepts regarding life after death and for that, it's worth experiencing at least once.

Presence is now available to rent on Amazon Prime.