It’s been a while since I went to see “Presence,” but to my surprise the movie has stuck with me. It’s not particularly scary—at least, not in the traditional sense. I’d certainly deem it more ‘thriller’ rather than horror. And I can fully appreciate how some might have found it a little dull or even a chore to sit through—there’s quite minimal action and, in the grand scheme of things, not a lot really happens. However, despite all of this, I’d go so far as to say it was one of the more tense, suspenseful and captivating films I’ve seen this year that offers something new, and fresh, to the ‘haunted house’ genre.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by David Koepp, the film stars Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan, Callina Liang, and Eddy Maday as a family of four moving into a new suburban house. However, what they don’t know is that the house is already inhabited. Filmed entirely by Soderbergh using a handheld camera, the film is shot from the perspective of an unknown ‘presence’ as it watches their every move, intruding on their private conversations, their vulnerable moments and in turn, showing us the cracks within the family dynamic. Coping with the recent bereavement of a close friend, it fixates its attention primarily on the family’s youngest, Chloe (Callina Liang), lurking in her wardrobe and at times, seeming overly protective of her.
What is the ‘Presence?’
It’s not clear in any way what, or who, this presence is, and for the first half of the movie we tend to just be waiting around and watching. But this, in my opinion, is where the real beauty and genius lies. The camera, or ‘presence’, flits about in an almost frenzied manner, and there is no real concept of time throughout. In fact, the only indication of time passing are repeated ‘blackouts,’ where the camera suddenly stops rolling and the screen goes black, only to pick up again in an entirely new scene. It’s unsettling and at times, quite jarring, but helps to further enhance the ever growing feeling of uncertainty and confusion that gradually builds throughout.
Whilst some might consider this seeming lack of direction dull, watching this ‘presence’ watching this family—who have no idea of its existence, whilst we have no idea of what its intentions are—was for me, utterly captivating. And what further struck me after watching, is that this is one of the first ‘haunted house’ films that used very little action or drama to do its storytelling. Plates don’t fly across the kitchen, bed sheets aren’t ripped off sleeping family members in the middle of the night, and there’s certainly no sudden levitation. Bar one moment of apparent anger where the house shakes and though an earthquake had occurred, and another where a cup is knocked off a side table, the family are—initially, at least—mostly unaware that this presence is even with them.
More Thriller than Horror
And when the family do clock on to its existence, through the astute sensitivity of Chloe, and invite a clairvoyant—or someone to that effect—to their house, she confirms that the presence itself doesn’t really know why it’s there, or its purpose, which only adds to the intrigue. But surely, in my opinion, this is a far more accurate representation of how a haunting might take place, at least from the perspective of the ‘presence’ itself. They can’t all be raging poltergeists, vengeful demons—what if some have just returned to a place or a family in a state of limbo, not quite sure why they’re there, but just waiting, biding their time until the penny drops and they can finally see to whatever unfinished business they have (anyone else hearing “Unchained Melody” from “Ghost” right now?’)
I appreciated the subtlety of this film, the close study of the various intricacies and family dynamics, and in many ways, it reminded me of a play staged in a series of acts. And whilst I won’t spoil the ending, which certainly could have done with perhaps another draft, I felt it certainly tied it all together with a few twists and turns.
So, if you’re looking for something a bit different—perhaps more of a drama/thriller than a horror—I’d definitely give “Presence” a watch. It kept me on the edge of my seat throughout and gave a new take on the typical haunting horror film that stuck with me, and certainly left plenty of room for discussion.
