Presence is a 2024 American supernatural horror film about a family’s suburban house which is inhabited by a mysterious paranormal entity.
Directed and edited by Steven Soderbergh (Kimi; Unsane) from a screenplay written by David Koepp (Kimi).
The Extension 765 production stars Lucy Liu, Julia Fox, Chris Sullivan, West Mulholland, Callina Liang and Eddy Maday.
Update [01-24-24]:
Deadline has reported that Presence has been acquired by Neon for distribution, noting: “I haven’t got a deal number to share, but there were about ten bidders so it’s a healthy sum for a thriller that has gotten uniformly strong reviews at the festival.”
Reviews:
“performances prove just as vital as Soderbergh’s personality-imbuing camerawork. Combined with Koepp’s twisty script, Presence pulls you in, terrifies you, then leaves your heart on the floor. This ghost story doesn’t scare in the conventional sense, but it’s an innovative and grim nail-biter with more on its mind than the logline suggests.” ★★★★ Bloody Disgusting
“Steven Soderbergh gives us a ghost story unlike we’ve ever seen before. Presence‘s excellent cast creates a domestic horror story that leaves you on the edge of your seat. Soderbergh and Koepp could’ve dove a bit deeper into their discussion of the afterlife and larger concepts.” 7 out of 10, Collider
“The style is experimental and invigorating. Like Unsane, Presence also employs a unique P.O.V. throughout its entire runtime. The whole thing is shot with some type of optical distortion, possibly the pincushion variety normally attained via a telephoto lens. It’s told from the perspective of a ghost, as if Mr. Soderbergh, known for doing his own cinematography, here actively plays a part.” Critic’s Notebook
“Lacking commercial appeal and a neatly tied resolution, Presence proves that Soderbergh is someone primed to take risks and operate outside of studio constraints. Testing new stylistic waters and a minimalist script from Koepp, the film may bewilder many. But for the director’s fans, it signifies another cinematic success.” Deadline
“This is an enormously satisfying watch for haunted house movie fans, favoring sustained anxiety over big scares and practical effects over digital trickery. The degree to which Soderbergh harnesses the mesmerizing power of visual storytelling cannot be overstated, with the camera often hanging back in Chloe’s bedroom closet, as if watching from a cautious distance, or moving skittishly in and out of rooms and up and down the stairs…” The Hollywood Reporter
“Here, Sullivan and Liang save the film, playing real people surrounded by mean-spirited stand-ins. Perhaps more importantly, for a haunted house movie, Presence just isn’t very scary. Maybe it’s because we’re not waiting to see the ghost — we are the ghost […] But in terms of creating tension, a simple shadow at the end of a long dark hallway is so much more effective.” B- IndieWire
“Depending on one’s feelings toward Soderbergh’s low-key projects, Presence can be viewed as either an enjoyable experiment or another example of his insubstantial minor doodles. Happily, it is largely the former: running 85 minutes, the film proves to be a sleek, efficient exercise, with Soderbergh riffing on the conventions of the haunted-house thriller while applying intelligence and technical mastery.” Screen Daily
““Presence, in its showy angst, winks at topicality, in the same way that it winks at lot of other things (like things that go bump in the night, or the rise of teenage mental illness, or serial killers). But it’s just flirting with all of them. You want the movie to add up to something, but what it adds up to is another half-diverting, half-satisfying Soderbergh bauble, only this time he’s the ghost in the machine.” Variety
” …one does wonder what audiences will make of it once it’s inevitably marketed as schlock […] But it’s also not afraid to embrace horror elements, and David Koepp’s script at times seems built around audience expectations and experiences […] It’s an art film that also works as a spellbinding horror film, and it might be the best thing Soderbergh has done in ages.” Vulture
Trailer:
Currently unavailable.
Notes:
Presence was not announced publicly until December 2023 when it was revealed to be part of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
Technical specs:
1 hour 25 minutes
