After a while monsters tend to get boring, namely vampires and zombies, but the haunted house movie, more often than not, manages to hit close to home (no pun intended). It’s a genre that operates subconsciously, questioning our understanding of what may or may not lie beyond death. Steven Soderbergh offers more questions than answers with his latest feature Presence – Now playing in theatres.
It’s a simple premise, a new family, a new home, and something else.
Presence is shot entirely from the first-person perspective, from the point of view of the titular entity who spends its time watching the new residents indiscriminately at first, but then particular attention is paid to daughter, Chloe, who senses she’s sometimes not alone. While a tad gimmicky this unique story-telling strategy offers more than a cheap thrill. The simple act of constant observation makes for an intimate, and often unnerving experience, gradually allowing the personality of the unseen spectre to take shape. The entity’s intentions are cleverly kept in a state of ambiguity, right until the end.
Adding to the tension is the family, who are best described as fractured. Chloe shares a volatile relationship with her brother, Tyler, while the marriage between her parents, Chris and Rebecca, appears noticeably strained. Chris has lost his share of authority to his assertive wife, who shamelessly prefers one child over the other. This layer of sadness and grief differs from the usual trope of an otherwise happy family being driven to hysteria by whatever haunts them.
Written by prolific screenwriter David Koepp, I found myself comparing Presence to one of his earlier films and one of my favourite supernatural titles, Stir of Echoes. While there is some connective tissue with the protagonist’s sensitivity to the unseen and themes of trauma; on an audible level, Presence is extremely quiet, even generally speaking. I’m reluctant to call it a horror movie, but it’s an effective piece that balances perfectly on the edge of tradition and the unique.
PRESENCE is now showing in cinemas across Australia in all states through Rialto Distribution – Head to the Moster Fest website where you can find your nearest screening location.
PRESENCE
(2024, director: Steven Soderbergh)
★★★★
production stills provided by rialto distribution
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