Horror Movie Review: Presence

Let me start this review off by saying, yes, Presence is a horror movie. Its story is tragic, and tragedy can be a horrifying thing to experience. It can be horrifying for the person going through it, and those watching from afar (me in a theater seat). This genre is not built upon scares and gore alone but rather upon death and the idea of it. All horror ties back to death in one way or another, and Presence focuses heavily on it.

As a director Steven Soderbergh has little history in the horror genre but has worked on some tense, human centric films including Contagion and Side Effects. Writer David Koepp has a long resume with films like Panic Room and War of the Worlds. The two came together and made what I feel is already a top five horror film for 2025. The story revolves around a family moving into a new home, unaware the house is occupied by a spirit. As they comb through the halls and rooms inside, we gain a sense of the family dynamic, and it's not great. Rebecca and Chris' daughter, Chloe, is struggling with the recent death of her best friend due to overdose. Rebecca has an unhealthy fondness towards her son, Tyler, and dismisses her daughter's feelings at every chance. And Chris is just stuck in the middle trying to mend the bonds between. To make matters worse, the parents are involved in undisclosed legal trouble.

Probably an important point to mention is the film being framed from the ghost's point of view. I found this a delightful new take on the subgenre, and did not grow weary of it. The entirety of the film we follow the family members through several long take sequences. We may start a scene in the kitchen, follow someone upstairs, and end the scene in a bedroom closet. Each long take cuts to black for a few seconds before entering the next scene giving a sense of recounted memories of one's life. These choices make us a feel like an observer, a fly on the wall watching the family come apart scene by scene. It's an unforgettable experience and very moving.

While all of this is great, the key component driving the film is thoughts of ending it. Life, that is. Chloe is already in a depressed state when we meet her, and her brother's new friend, Ryan, only makes things worse. Ryan often frequents the house after school when the parents are away and spends time with Chloe in her room. Openly talking about ending things, he contemplates with her on how it must feel. It's all very sensitive stuff and we can discern Chloe's growing discomfort in these conversations.

At this point in the film, we realize the presence we're living vicariously through is trying to help. After Ryan spikes a drink and sets it on the nightstand for Chloe, we see the table begin to shake until the glass falls off, spilling the dangerous contents onto the floor. Ryan proves persistent though, and later on spikes a drink for both Chloe and her brother. Tyler passes out first and Chloe soon after. In a twisted obsession, Ryan raves as he covers Chloe's face with saran wrap, effectively cutting off oxygen. We see the presence force Tyler back to consciousness just in time to save his sister's life. Tackling Ryan out the bedroom window, both fall to their death.

The final scene that arrives next is what really sent this home for me. We see the family moving out of the house following the incident. A distraught Rebecca looks into the mirror above the fireplace mantle and sees Tyler's face looking back at her, confirming Tyler was the presence all along. He was stuck in a loop of sorts, replaying the events that occurred leading up to his death. It's a very chilling plot twist and one I think is effective, though M. Night Shyamalan technically did it already in The Sixth Sense.

Many have noted slow pacing and a premise that loses its pull too quickly. Others were dissatisfied with some of the character motives and decisions, such as the parents leaving the children home alone for the weekend. What I experienced, however, was a beautifully told story from the eyes of the ghost. The conflict was engrossing, and the character decisions were heart wrenching. Consider this... Tyler spends the entire film hating his sister but gives up his life for her in the end. It's a gut punch but endearing as hell. The music score by composer Zack Ryan is melodic and adds to the film's emotional journey in such a big way. As I mentioned earlier, this is a sure fire top five for 2025. What'd you think of Presence?

4/5