Courtesy of Neon

There are countless supernatural horror films to choose from across a variety of streaming platforms at any given moment. Some really nail the conceit, while others leave much to be desired. For every such film that stands out from the pack, there are several others that closely adhere to a familiar template and fail to leave their mark.

That’s probably why when Steven Soderbergh set out to make a haunted house film, he opted for a decidedly different approach. Instead of telling the story from the perspective of the family occupying the haunted house, the celebrated director frames the narrative through the, er, eyes of the entity haunting the house.

The film is appropriately titled Presence. Written by David Koepp, the proceedings follow a family of four who take up residence in a suburban dwelling only to discover that a supernatural entity is tied to the property. The film is largely focused on trauma and its impact on the human psyche. Soderbergh revealed to the Los Angeles Times that he was inspired to make the picture based on his own experience living with a supernatural entity that he named Mimi.

Dread Central staff writer Chad Collins critiqued the picture out of Sundance in 2024 and awarded it 4/5 stars. The headline for his complimentary coverage keeps it simple. He labels the picture: “A Technically Stunning Haunted House.” In the body of his review, Chad takes care to praise director Soderbergh’s technical prowess and the impressive showings from each core cast member. His summation reads: “Steven Soderbergh’s latest is a remarkable technical achievement that flips the haunted house subgenre on its head.”

The film resonated with the majority of critics who took it in. However, some theatergoers found the picture’s pacing to be sluggish, and others came away unimpressed by the narrative twist. If you’re curious to see which side of the fence you land on, we’ve got good news. Presence is now available to stream on Hulu. If you’re in the mood for a haunted house chiller that takes an outside-the-box approach to the genre, you might just find what you’re looking for in Presence. 

If you opt to check out Presence, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Drop down to the comments section below to let us know if the picture’s artistic take on the haunted house sub-genre worked for you or if you were left wanting. There are absolutely no wrong answers.

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