Presence
review by Bobby Blakey
Director Steven Soderbergh has churned out some truly great films across genres including Traffic, Erin Brokovich, the Ocean’s trilogy, Haywire, Magic Mike and so many more. His latest film Presence teams him up with Carlito’s Way, Jurassic Park and Spider-Man writer David Koepp and stars Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan, Callina Liang, Eddy Maday, West Mulholland, and Julia Fox. Could this be another classic to his filmography or will it be a presence not worth sensing?
Presence follows the Payne family, longing for a fresh start, jumps at the chance to purchase a 100-year-old suburban dwelling to recover from a traumatic experience. But houses, just like people, can get ill. As subtle disturbances gradually expose their sinister supernatural malady, the unseen intruder floats effortlessly through corridors and rooms to watch the tenants' every move. After all, the quiet entity was here first; good luck forcing it out. With their security and sanity hanging in the balance, what will it take for the Paynes to rid the house of the Presence?
I knew nothing about this film going in on purpose. I hadn’t seen the trailer, so I decided to go blind with no synopsis or anything and I am glad I did. It takes an interesting and unique approach to the storytelling whereas you are in fact seeing through the eyes of the entity throughout the film. This is a slow-paced story journey as we witness the going life of the family and their varying issues and adapting to this new house. As the entity starts to reveal itself it grows emotionally connected to what is going on, but you are left to wonder why.
It isn’t scary in any way and instead more engaging, but in a way that might
lose some in its art and creative decision to tell the tale this way. It’s not really until the final act when it all comes together that everything makes sense. There are some elements that were frustrating me to no end in the way people were behaving, but when all is revealed makes total sense. It is the kind of film that some might initially find boring, but stick with it and let it reveal itself to you.
There are some seemingly unimportant lines that are there to bring it all together and make you understand what truly happens once you figure it all out in the final scene of the film. Until then you are on a journey that while familiar is still unique and one, I was pleasantly surprised by.
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The less you know about this film going in the better, just dive in and experience it for what it is and decide for yourself with Presence available now on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD.