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Based on Soderbergh’s personal experiences, ‘Presence’ promises a unique and immersive ghost story that explores the intricacies of the human psyche.
Ghost stories have always intrigued humanity. Whether it is an urban legend such as La Llorona that terrifies children across all throughout the entire Mexican country or the deified spirits that were the Cihuateteo in Aztec Mythology. Every culture in human history had its belief in some sort of afterlife, and therefore, its belief in those who were not able to go to the afterlife being stuck in our realm to the end of times.
From the famed ‘Ghostbusters’ franchise to the classic horror film ‘The Shining’. The ghost genre has seen many interpretations and evolutions across the years. Yet, as the genre rose in popularity, the plots and storylines began to feel somewhat repetitive and “cliché”, with a slight few sliding away from the established norm.
Starring Lucy Liu as Rebekah Payne, Chris Sullivan as Rebekah’s husband Chris Payne, Callina Liang as the couple’s youngest daughter Chloe Payne, and Eddy Maday as the family’s eldest Tyler Payne. With ‘Presence’, director Steven Soderbergh and writer David Koepp attempt a deeper exploration of the paranormal aspects of our lives.
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The Voice Behind The Wall
Ever since its conception back in the 1764 Horace Walpole‘s novel, ‘The Castle of Otranto’, the Horror Genre was meticulously designed to elicit fear and intrigue into the human neurological system. While trends tend to emerge such as Slashers and Found Footage, the genre allows itself to a great array of creative experimentation.
Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Presence’ perfectly stands in the dividing line between the storied tradition of the macabre and such experimentation. It grabs the widely popular Ghost/Paranormal Horror and Psychological Horror genres, seamlessly blending them to explore the most human themes of grief and morality, profoundly scratching the Ethical Boundaries of the human experience. This allows Soderbergh and Koepp to show audiences something new while still keeping us in the realm of familiarity.
Whereas most other ghost stories focus on the pure scares and hauntings, ‘Presence’ manages to make it focused on humanity. As it dives into the psychological aspects of loss and sorrow, showcasing how everyone has a different way to grieve, it connects it to a paranormal experience in a way that is reminiscent of how many mythologies perceived beyond-the-grave beings and their connection to our realm.
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An Unexpected Sight
From the low effortless plot and lack of successful suspense seen in 2008’s ‘The Haunting of Molly Hartley’ to the traumatizingly hunting of 1998’s ‘Ring’, the Ghost Horror genre has seen its ups and downs throughout film history. Despite many considering the Horror Genre to be the easiest to make when it comes to budgeting, the genre has found a reputation for itself to be the toughest genre to execute properly and effectively.
‘Presence’ stands out from other Ghost Films just by implementing the simple yet unique twist into its execution that is shooting the film through the eyes of the ghost itself. While this gives itself for some moments where sequences feel prematurely cut, once the story gets running, it ultimately works perfectly with the storytelling aspects of the film. By making the “Third-Person View” literal, the film is able to give the audience a somewhat “guardian angel” type of responsibility feel, while keeping them in an audiencetic position.
This single best decision, that without which the film would fall into the cliche but with it creates a coat of uniqueness. Not only creates an incredible amount of immersion, making the audience be an actual character in the film’s story, but it also lets each scene feel intimate and intriguing. Activating that human instinct of action, knowing we cannot do anything to control what is being projected on the screen, placing another meaning to the “psychological horror” genre.
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Unseeable Views
Steven Soderbergh’s films have gained a reputation across the years for their gorgeous and intricate cinematography and filmmaking. And ‘Presence’ isn’t even close to the exception whatsoever, using its unique perspective to highlight things that otherwise would pass as mere insignificancies.
Each shot, from beginning to end, is absolutely gorgeous. Not only does it captivate with its visual flair, but it also mirrors the disorienting nature of the protagonist’s experience, blurring the lines between time and perception. Despite the fact that of it feeling hastily edited at the beginning, with quite a few time jumps in between scenes to get the premise story running, this same thing adds a layer of logic and realism considering how time perception is to someone who hasn’t seen a breath for an undetermined amount of time, contributing to the intended immersion.
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The sound design feels intricate and personal. Meticulously designed to fit with the premise and its unique perspective, increasing the story while giving every action and decision a purpose. Every creak, breath, and shift in the environment deepens the sense of isolation, sharpening the emotional stakes, and the camera moves around smoothly and really increases the strong ethereal vibe in every second. This, alongside the performance from the cast, adds a gorgeous yet eerie thrill to the whole experience, with suspense filling almost every scene and still managing to make it not feel overwhelming.
Steven Soderbergh and David Koepp’s ‘Presence’ is not just a mere ghostly paranormal horror film; it is a profound exploration of how humanity experiences tragedy and erosion. By giving us a leading role, ‘Presence’ plays with more internal fields of horror instead of relying on jumpscares without any real payoff or unexplained children’s laughing, creating a fearfulness that lasts way past the screen turning off. This approach cultivates a lingering sense of fear that endures well beyond the film’s conclusion. ‘Presence’ transcends the typical boundaries of the horror genre, leaving behind a haunting resonance, a chilling atmosphere that continues to haunt your thoughts. Riveting in its innovation, inviting in its subtlety. One that ensures that even non-horror enthusiasts can enjoy this unique experience at its fullest.
By Mario Martinez Ignacio
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Mario Martinez Ignacio is a writer from Mexico City. As a child, he spent most of his free time deep-diving into online wikis, which sparked a passion for lore and worldbuilding. Driven by his love for writing, Mario obtained a BFA in Dramatic Writing at the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2024. With the objective of inspiring others, he fuses writing and education to create narratives that entertain while igniting curiosity and fostering new perspectives, one word at a time.
Mario Martinez Ignacio is a writer from Mexico City. As a child, he spent most of his free time deep-diving into online wikis, which sparked a passion for lore and worldbuilding. Driven by his love for writing, Mario obtained a BFA in Dramatic Writing at the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2024. With the objective of inspiring others, he fuses writing and education to create narratives that entertain while igniting curiosity and fostering new perspectives, one word at a time.
