By Maria Bregman, writer and film critic
Steven Soderbergh, the acclaimed director behind Ocean’s Eleven, Traffic, and Contagion, ventures into supernatural horror with his latest cinematic experiment, Presence. This bold and innovative film offers a chilling exploration of family, grief, and otherworldly intrusion, all told uniquely through the eyes of a ghost. Featuring Lucy Liu and Chris Sullivan in key roles, this highly anticipated film not only reinvents the haunted house genre but cements Soderbergh’s reputation as a pioneer of unconventional storytelling.
A Story Rooted in Personal Hauntings
The inception of Presence has an intriguing backstory, one that blends real-life experiences with a director’s boundless imagination. During a period when Soderbergh and his family were away, a friend staying in their California home claimed to encounter a ghost. Skeptical yet intrigued, Soderbergh began to wonder how such a presence might perceive human intrusion into its domain. This seed of curiosity grew into a screenplay co-written with Hollywood veteran David Koepp, whose portfolio includes Jurassic Park and Panic Room. Together, they crafted a narrative that examines life – and death – from the perspective of a restless spirit.
A Fresh Take on a Familiar Premise
At first glance, Presence might seem like a typical haunted house story: a fractured family moves into a new home, only to discover that they are not alone. Yet, the film’s distinguishing feature lies in its perspective. Unlike traditional narratives that focus on the human characters, Presence places viewers in the ghost’s shoes – offering an eerie, intimate connection to the unseen entity. This inversion of the genre’s usual dynamics creates an atmosphere of suspense and empathy, as audiences witness both the ghost’s sorrow and its unsettling interactions with the living.
The family at the heart of the story is portrayed by a stellar ensemble cast. Lucy Liu and Chris Sullivan deliver poignant performances as parents navigating personal and marital struggles, while Callina Liang and Eddie Maday shine as their children, grappling with the eerie events unfolding around them. Yet, the film’s true protagonist remains the unseen spectre, whose presence is felt through the lens of Soderbergh’s masterful cinematography.
The Cinematic Genius of a Ghost’s Perspective
Soderbergh, known for pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling, achieves something extraordinary in Presence. Operating under his pseudonym Peter Andrews, he serves as both director and cinematographer, capturing the film entirely from the ghost’s perspective. Using a lightweight digital camera and a smooth, gliding motion akin to a phantom floating through the house, Soderbergh creates an immersive viewing experience that blurs the lines between observer and participant.
This perspective isn’t just a gimmick – it’s integral to the film’s emotional and narrative impact. By adopting the ghost’s point of view, audiences are forced to confront the tragedy of its existence: a life cut short, a home lost, and an identity erased. At times, the illusion is so seamless that viewers forget they are seeing the world through a ghost’s eyes – until a character’s startled gaze into the camera sends shivers down their spine.
A Symphony of Suspense and Melancholy
What sets Presence apart from standard horror fare is its delicate balance of suspense and melancholy. The film draws inspiration from Hitchcockian suspense and the gothic tradition, blending ghostly motifs with themes of human fragility. The score, featuring haunting piano compositions, underscores the spectral narrative with a sense of longing and despair.
Comparisons to films like Enter the Void by Gaspar Noé or The Others by Alejandro Amenábar are inevitable, yet Presence forges its own identity. Unlike Noé’s psychedelic chaos or Amenábar’s atmospheric mystery, Soderbergh’s approach is intimate and introspective, focusing on the quiet, unnerving reality of a ghost’s existence. This introspection invites viewers to reflect on themes of loss, memory, and the passage of time.
A Study in Technical Brilliance
Filmed over just 11 days, Presence exemplifies Soderbergh’s efficiency and ingenuity as a filmmaker. His choice of a confined setting – a two-storey house – amplifies the film’s claustrophobic tension. Each creaking floorboard and flickering light becomes a character in its own right, contributing to the palpable sense of unease.
Soderbergh’s technical brilliance extends beyond the camera. The editing, sound design, and use of light and shadow work in harmony to create an atmosphere that is both terrifying and deeply emotional. The ghost itself is never shown directly, but its presence is felt in every frame, a testament to the power of suggestion in horror filmmaking.
A Thematic Continuation of Soderbergh’s Legacy
Presence is the second collaboration between Soderbergh and Koepp in a planned trilogy, following the conspiracy thriller Kimi (2022) and preceding the upcoming spy drama Black Bag. While the three films differ in genre, they share a thematic thread: the invasion of personal space. In Kimi, this theme manifests through technological surveillance; in Presence, it’s explored through the metaphysical lens of a haunted house. This thematic continuity adds depth to Soderbergh’s body of work, positioning him as a filmmaker attuned to the anxieties of modern life.
A Haunting Reflection on Human Nature
Beyond its technical achievements and narrative innovation, Presence resonates on a deeply human level. By portraying the ghost as a sympathetic character, the film challenges traditional notions of good and evil in the supernatural genre. It asks profound questions: What does it mean to truly belong? How do we cope with loss? And can the living and the dead ever coexist in harmony?
These questions linger long after the credits roll, leaving audiences with a sense of unease that is both intellectual and visceral. In a world saturated with formulaic horror films, Presence stands out as a thought-provoking exploration of the human condition.
A Landmark Achievement in Modern Horror
As Presence makes its way into cinemas, it’s poised to become one of the standout films of the year. With its groundbreaking perspective, stellar performances, and masterful direction, it offers a fresh take on the haunted house genre that is as innovative as it is emotionally resonant. Steven Soderbergh has once again proven that he is not just a filmmaker but a visionary, capable of turning even the most familiar tropes into something extraordinary.
For audiences seeking a horror film that transcends jump scares and clichés, Presence is an unmissable experience. It’s a ghost story that will haunt your thoughts long after you leave the theatre, a testament to the enduring power of cinema to both terrify and move us.
