*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*
“Make yourself at home…”
Presence released in theaters on January 24th 2025. The psychological supernatural horror film stars Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan, Callina Liang, and Eddy Maday. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty-five minutes.
A family moves into a suburban home, but they soon begin to suspect that they are not alone there.
Here is the trailer:
Presence creates a different kind of haunted house movie, presenting everything from the spirit’s point of view, which has its moments. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…
The Pros:
Unique gimmick.
I actually really loved the concept behind this. It was very cool seeing everything from the spirit’s perspective and I love it when films try something different. This film definitely went for it with its smaller budget, which I appreciated.
Great to see Lucy Liu in this!
I’m a huge fan of hers and she’s the main reason why I went to see this in theaters. I thought she acted circles around everyone else and had one moment in particular that really struck a chord with me. It was chilling and it stirred a lot of emotions within me.
Callina Liang did a solid job as well in this. I’d like to see her in more horror films because I thought she really shined.
A final act that leaves you thinking.
This movie is definitely a slow burn so be prepared for that. I didn’t really know where it was going, but I have to say that I was very impressed with the ending. It was shocking, emotional, and so well done. I’ve been thinking about it ever since I left the theater. It really redeemed this film for me and made me change my initial thoughts on it.
The Cons:
Trippy camera effects that weren’t for me…
I get what they were trying to do with them, but after a while I got really dizzy. The gimmick was overdone and it took away from the plot at times. It was super distracting.
Even though this movie is on the shorter side, the majority of it drags. It’s a slow burn, but it moves excruciatingly slow at times so be warned about that.
Not scary at all…
Look, when I see a trailer that says this will be “one of the scariest films you’ll see this year,” I have high expectations. This film was not scary at all. In fact, the scares were laughable and ridiculous.
I think the issue here is that this film really wasn’t a horror film. It had elements of it, but the emotional components and family drama were the focus and I’m fine with that, but I’m not sure why it’s being advertised as a super scary ghost story because it’s not that.
So am I in or out?
I’m in about 75 percent…
Presence has a disturbing final act worth sticking around for with a solid twist I’m still thinking about.
This was a unique film, but there are a lot of slower moments to sit through so be prepared for that.
I think people will either love or hate this film. I have to admit that I was leaning toward hating it, but the ending changed my mind, making my overall watch worthwhile.
I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Presence in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!
Best,
Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl
THIS COMPETITION IS KILLER…
When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.
Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…
Scream Hunt is available here!
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