A very real haunting preys on an all too relatable family in a film that strays far from your typical ghost story.
Lucy Liu has changed genres to star as the family matriarch in the psychological horror Presence.
Written by David Koepp (Indiana Jones, Spider-Man) and directed by psychological specialist Steven Andrew Soderbergh (Traffic and Contagion), the film tells the story of a fragmented family being introduced to another force altogether after moving into a new home.
The four-member family moves into an unimposing suburban New England house which they soon discover is cohabitated by an entity that comes to be referred to as the ‘presence’.
The film is shot entirely from the perspective of this entity, taking the unique approach of using a handheld camera.
We follow the family throughout the house and quickly uncover their hidden conflicts: Tyler (Eddy Maday), a prodigal son with a dark side, can do no wrong in the eyes of family matriarch Rebecca (Lucy Liu).
Communication between the parents is wrought by an unspoken disagreement about their daughter Chloe (Callina Liang), who has been recently bereaved by the loss of two friends, with the father Chris (Chris Sullivan) much more concerned with the wellbeing of Chloe and struggling emotionally with the toxic dynamics within their home.
Chloe is the first to sense that there is something in her room, and soon after things move, lights flicker, and before long all of the family are aware that that something is amiss.
The audience watches through the eyes of the ghost as other forces prove to be much more sinister than the ones which are unseen. The crumbling family unit is given more screen time and plot focus than in traditional psychological horror films.
The camera work adds to the uneasy feeling of the film – making the audience feel like an intruder in the home. The ghost never leaves the house and the entire film is shot within the same confines, without leaving the viewer bored.
With a tight run time of 90 minutes the film manages to instill fear with less scares, and more tension – along with minimal special effects – masterfully.
It is not an easy feat to make a ghost haunting a semi-believable experience – so for even those holding a serious doubt of things deemed paranormal, Presence will leave you wondering what’s watching you from your closet.
Presence is in cinemas now.
Join the discussion