Presence serves up a slow-burning tale of ghosts, suicide and family dynamics all from a spirit’s perspective. I’ve wanted to watch Presence for a while. I finally had the opportunity with the region A release. Some may find the camera work jarring! It’s shot in POV, as if someone or something is lurking in the background and watching the Payne family’s every move in their new home. I found this method of filming and storytelling very compelling. This unique filming technique provided a different spin and kept me interested and invested. Whilst it’s not found footage but POV, it’s still reasonable to reference that sub-genre, as the camerawork feels raw and personal. If Presence had been filmed conventionally, it wouldn’t have been as impactful, rendering the movie another cliche ghost story.
Every fan of a captivating story likes a good twist and an intriguing or shocking revelation. Presence delivers a weird and revealing ending. Which makes all events and occurrences throughout the film make sense. It’s a kind of predictable ending yet perfectly suited to the narrative. It’s played out interestingly enough but if you connect the narrative dots whilst watching. Then you will see it coming.
The end scene is quite chilling, an uncomfortable sequence involving cling film. The family are the main focus and this one doesn’t rely on cheap predictable jump scares. Although the lack of paranormal occurrences did leave me wondering, am I watching a movie about ghosts or a fly on the wall documentary about a random family. To sum it up it’s all about piecing things together and letting the movie’s climax unfold.
If you can’t tolerate slow burns then this won’t be for you. If you like something a little different in tone and look that unravels piece by piece then try it.
Movie Score: 3.5/5