Presence Review

So, you've stumbled upon the 'Presence' movie, perhaps after seeing its poster or just curious about another horror flick. Let me tell you, this isn't your typical horror experience, and my 2/10 rating reflects a journey that was, frankly, quite unexpected. When I saw the title, 'Presence,' I immediately thought of a chilling ghost story, something atmospheric and genuinely frightening. The movie poster likely hinted at supernatural dread, right? But the actual viewing of 'Presence' turned out to be a perplexing blend of mild suspense, unexpected humor, and some truly disturbing human drama that overshadowed any ghostly scares. I appreciated the way it was shot – there's a certain visual style to it that keeps you engaged, even when the plot itself feels a bit... slow. What really threw me off was how often I found myself chuckling during what was supposed to be a horror film. For instance, the scene where the ghost seemed to 'organize Chloe's room' felt less eerie and more like a bizarre sitcom moment. And then there was the ghost acting like a 'peeping tom' watching Chloe and Ryan – it was genuinely funny, but definitely not the kind of fright I was bracing for! It made me wonder if the film was intentionally leaning into dark comedy territory, or if it just missed the mark on its horror elements so spectacularly that it became comedic. Beyond the unintentional laughs, there were moments that were genuinely unsettling, but not always in the supernatural sense. The actions involving Ryan drugging Tyler and later Ryan drugging Chloe were far more disturbing than any ghostly 'screen rumble' or spectral appearance. These human-driven acts of malice felt out of place with the overall tone and left a more lasting, uncomfortable impression than the spectral elements. The unexpected moment when 'Tyler tackled Ryan through a window' was certainly a jolt, but again, more action-thriller than pure horror. The film's climax, with 'Rebecca sees Tyler in the mirror and starts crying,' felt like a poignant, if somewhat abrupt, end to a chaotic narrative. Ultimately, for a movie marketed as horror, 'Presence' didn't deliver the scares. It leaned heavily into character drama and some very odd narrative choices that kept me from fully immersing myself in any sense of dread. If you're looking for a conventional horror movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat with frights, this might not be it. However, if you're curious about a film that defies genre expectations, for better or worse, and offers some truly peculiar narrative turns, then maybe 'Presence' could be a conversation starter. Just don't go in expecting a terrifying 2/10 experience!