By Anthony Caruso
Presence is a wonderfully haunting, deeply emotional film that defies its marketing as a horror movie. Instead, it unfolds as a slow-burn psychological thriller—a poignant ghost story about grief, longing, and the struggles of a fractured family. It may not deliver traditional scares, but it offers something more profound: a raw, beautifully sad meditation on human connection and loss.
Despite being marketed as a horror film, Presence leans more heavily into psychological and emotional territory. There are no jump scares or overtly frightening moments, but that’s by design. The film instead presents what feels like a more grounded and realistic interpretation of a haunting. If ghosts exist—and count me as someone who believes they do—this depiction rings true. The supernatural elements are subtle, almost understated, but they’re powerful in their quiet inevitability, weaving seamlessly into the family’s story of heartbreak and longing.
One of the film’s standout choices is telling the story from the titular Presence's point of view. While last year’s In a Violent Nature employed a similar technique, Presence makes it its own by keeping the ghost closely tethered to the human characters. This approach provides a rich, emotional narrative with tangible connections to our protagonists. By staying intimately connected to the family, the film creates a dynamic and engaging story filled with dialogue, character development, and raw emotional moments that keep the audience invested.
The cast delivers phenomenal performances across the board, bringing nuance and depth to a family that is struggling to stay together. Each character feels authentic, flawed, and deeply human, making it impossible not to empathize with their pain and longing. The screenplay is equally impressive, weaving a story that is both engaging and heartbreaking. It’s a beautifully sad portrayal of a family growing apart, unable to express their love for one another, and it resonates on a deeply emotional level.
Visually, Presence is a triumph. The cinematography is stunning, with every frame feeling deliberate and cinematic. The film’s use of light and shadow enhances its eerie, melancholic atmosphere without resorting to the usual horror tropes. The score, too, is worth mentioning—a hauntingly beautiful accompaniment that underscores the film’s themes of grief and acceptance.
At a crisp runtime, Presence never overstays its welcome. Its pacing is deliberate, but the slow build feels entirely justified, giving the characters and story the time they need to unfold naturally. The result is a film that, while undeniably heavy in subject matter, remains highly watchable and impactful.
While Presence may not be the horror film some audiences were expecting, it succeeds brilliantly on its own terms. It’s an intelligent, emotionally resonant film that offers a fresh take on ghost stories—one that’s more about the living than the dead. I highly recommend for those who enjoy thoughtful, emotionally driven cinema. It's a fantastic film that proves you don’t need jump scares or gore to make a ghost story memorable.