Critics Have Seen Presence, And They’re Here For Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Chillingly Effective’ Supernatural Thriller

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Renowned director Steven Soderbergh, known for movies like Erin Brockovich, Traffic, and Sex, Lies, and Videotape, is not shy about experimenting with new ideas. His latest project, the 2025 horror movie Presence, showcases his distinctive vision. The film stars Lucy Liu, Julia Fox, and Chris Sullivan and will be released in theaters on January 24, a year after generating buzz from its premiere at Sundance and other film festivals. Critics are now weighing in on Soderbergh’s supernatural thriller, Presence.

From the viewpoint of the entity dwelling in the Payne family’s home, the movie Presence is reportedly so overpowering that some viewers left during its film festival debut, and even the actors themselves were said to be unsettled by it. TopMob’s Corey Chichizola was fortunate enough to watch the film, and he expresses that Presence offers a unique perspective in POV horror that he didn’t realize he craved. He pens:

The conclusion of Presence is profoundly touching. The narrative is skillfully constructed, enabling both the viewers and the movie’s characters to genuinely appreciate its climactic scenes. Furthermore, it demonstrated that first-person perspective horror and documentary-style footage can still leave a powerful impression.

As a cinephile, I’d rephrase it like this: In my view, Lindsey Bahr from AP awarded the movie 3 out of 4 stars, praising Steven Soderbergh for his masterful role as both director and cinematographer. He crafted an eerie, impactful story that left me stunned – a tale so chilling it’s almost supernatural!

This experience is gradual yet unexpected, often catching you off guard once you’ve witnessed its conclusion. To be honest, I didn’t foresee any of it and couldn’t have guessed the powerful emotional impact it would ultimately have. It’s an intriguing exploration that surpasses the somewhat conventional expectations, a feat that Soderbergh consistently accomplishes exceptionally well.

According to Jesse Hassenger from AV Club, the film resembles the “Paranormal Activity” series but offers a unique twist. He asserts that this fresh take on found-footage horror is definitely worth the cost of the movie ticket.

The movie is a reverse of the Paranormal Activity series, where instead of a stationary camera capturing strange movements, we have a moving, ghostly camera that guides the action. Similar to the Paranormal films, there’s an element of surveillance as the camera moves undetected, listening in on conversations and observing hidden actions among characters. It has an omniscient yet deeply personal perspective. The filmmaker, Soderbergh, who prefers editing over long takes, must maintain his point-of-view trickery by staging most scenes as single, uninterrupted shots. Time progresses in the cuts, not within a scene.

According to Richard Roeper from the Chicago Sun-Times, the movie “Presence” earns 3 out of 4 stars. He argues that the story was so captivating it could have stood on its own without the supernatural element. Instead, the family’s turmoil serves as the drama, and surprisingly, also as the horror source. Roeper further states:

In the film “Presence”, there are a handful of chilling surprises, one of which is particularly spine-tingling towards the end. However, as we delve deeper into the character of the ghost – which might sound peculiar, but it does feel like we get to know this entity – our emotions shift from fear to empathy for this tormented soul.

Much like the Beast in “Beauty and the Beast” or the Phantom in “The Phantom of the Opera”, this ghost appears as a tragic anti-hero, confined within a house that serves as an in-between realm, observing a contemporary American family. This family, blessed with life’s gifts, is on the verge of collapse. The true terror of “Presence” lies not in its jump scares, but in the heartbreaking sight of a family that should be thriving, yet disintegrating before our eyes.

Despite numerous critics finding appeal in Steven Soderbergh’s perspective, Mike Manalo from Nerds of Color argues that the recurring theme of a troubled family undermines Soderbergh’s efforts to breathe new life into the trope of a deceased protagonist. Manalo acknowledges the film’s diverse cast and finds it commendable, but admits that it remains a worthwhile watch. In his review, Manalo awards Presence an ‘A’ for its representation, but gives it a ‘C+’ for entertainment value, stating:

“The movie excels in representation, but falters when it comes to overall enjoyment.

The movie, titled “Presence,” offers an engaging 90-minute family drama, focusing on a diverse Asian American family and filmed in the first-person perspective. While the acting from the cast of color is commendable, especially Sullivan’s performance, the storyline feels overly familiar with predictable twists and a central idea that has been explored numerous times before, even though the filming technique is innovative. It may not be at the top of my must-watch list for this year, but I’m glad it was made to contribute to representation in cinema.

Critics have a variety of intriguing opinions regarding the forthcoming haunted house film, but overall they seem to concur that Steven Soderbergh’s perspective is worth exploring. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has been certified as fresh with an 88% rating on the Tomatometer, so if you’re curious about this movie and what caused a stir among festival-goers, Presence will be in theaters starting Friday, January 24.

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2025-01-24 07:07