Presence
Updated: 23 hours ago
Steven Soderbergh's haunted house spin brings an original perspective

Steven Soderbergh hasn’t been able to stay away from filmmaking, despite multiple “retirements” from the industry. Since returning with his heist film Logan Lucky (2017), the prolific American director has shown no signs of slowing down. In the years since, he has helmed eight films and two full seasons of television. Now, 2025 begins with another burst of creativity, as he releases two new films in the span of just two months. The first of these is the haunted house thriller Presence (2025).
Presence follows a family that moves into a suburban home, only to discover they are not alone. The family consists of workaholic mother Rebekah (Lucy Liu), sensitive father Chris (Chris Sullivan), athletic son Tyler (Eddy Maday), and trauma-stricken daughter Chloe (Callina Liang). The supernatural entity in the house seems particularly drawn to Chloe, who is the first to notice strange occurrences.
Despite being marketed as a horror film, Presence is more of a family drama. Written by veteran screenwriter David Koepp, the film serves as a fascinating deconstruction of a family struggling— or rather, failing— to process trauma. However, its true selling point is its unique visual perspective: the entire film is shot from the point of view of the “ghost,” offering a fresh twist on The Others (2001). This voyeuristic approach gives the film an unsettling fly-on-the-wall quality, allowing viewers to intrude on intimate family moments. In doing so, Presence invites audiences to reflect on the inherent perversity of finding entertainment in characters’ pain and terror during their most vulnerable moments.
Under his frequent pseudonym Peter Andrews, Soderbergh crafts a visually striking film that reaffirms his status as a generational talent. His cinematography not only immerses viewers in the house’s layout but also uses long takes to build an unrelenting crescendo of dread—one uninterrupted by the relief of a cut. The camera work subtly imbues the “ghost” with a personality of its own, leaving scattered clues for eagle-eyed viewers to decipher.
Because the film is entirely framed from a POV perspective, there are no traditional close-ups— a challenge for actors unaccustomed to stage-like performance. Yet the cast delivers exceptional work, with Sullivan and Liang standing out in particular. Sullivan, channeling shades of his This Is Us (2016–2022) character, brings warmth and a well-intentioned yet struggling fatherly presence. Liang, meanwhile, shoulders much of the film’s emotional weight, as the camera lingers on her for nearly half the runtime. Presence is not dialogue-heavy; instead, it leans into quiet observation, capturing the mundane rhythms of daily life. This makes the actors' performances even more impressive, as they must subtly convey underlying tension within the family dynamic through body language and expressions alone.
However, Presence is not without its experimental risks. The long-take structure, while immersive, makes each cut noticeable, occasionally disrupting the film’s flow. The abrupt transitions between sequences create a staccato rhythm that momentarily breaks the audience’s immersion.
The finale delivers a satisfying twist—one that compels a second viewing to catch the subtle clues embedded throughout. While the supernatural element serves as an intriguing framing device, it’s clear that Koepp and Soderbergh are more invested in the family’s emotional journey. Their arcs are meticulously set up and developed, yet by the time the credits roll, there’s a lingering feeling that something is left unresolved. However, this sense of dissatisfaction feels intentional, reinforcing the film’s underlying themes.
Ultimately, Presence is an original, well-written, and skillfully directed haunted house film—less focused on traditional scares and more intent on evoking a deep sense of dread. The clever cinematography, tight pacing, and strong performances smooth over its more experimental risks, making Soderbergh’s latest creation an easy recommendation.
7.7/10
Comments