Horror movie enthusiasts frequently voice concerns about the lack of respect afforded to films in their genre, a situation reminiscent of Rodney Dangerfield's famous joke about getting no respect. Sadly, these complaints are often justified, as many horror films rely on tired formulas and predictable plots, often feeling tedious and excessively graphic. The rise of more sophisticated horror movies has helped somewhat, bringing maturity and credibility to the form that had previously been missing. However, if these films truly want to earn the admiration of their fans, they need to improve in execution; yet, the effort required to achieve this frequently falls short, as demonstrated by this latest project from acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh. To be frank, this attempt at a more refined take on a classic haunted house narrative doesn't quite deliver what it promises. A family of four relocates to their new suburban home and soon experiences unsettling events, most of which affect Chloe (Callina Liang), a teenager struggling with the recent loss of her best friend under mysterious circumstances. She isn’t alone in her difficulties – her parents, Rebekah (Lucy Liu) and Chris (Chris Sullivan), are experiencing marital problems, while her older brother, Tyler (Eddy Maday), is dealing with behavioral issues. The nature of what's happening to everyone remains unclear, but that's precisely where the main problem lies with this largely unfocused and dull film, which fails to live up to its horror label. Initially, a significant portion feels slow and uninteresting, taking an excessive amount of time to gain momentum (nearly half the movie’s length). The dialogue is also weak and often obscure, failing to engage viewers or advance the story effectively. Perhaps most importantly, the film neglects what horror movies are meant to do – provide audiences with genuine scares. There's very little that can be considered frightening; it’s more suspenseful, though even that quality is significantly diminished. When the central explanation arrives, it feels less like a terrifying revelation and more like an unbelievable and questionable choice—inappropriate for and out of sync with what makes a good haunted house story. The final product is a considerable disappointment, leaving audiences to question its purpose. While the film does feature some interesting camera work, it ultimately doesn’t illuminate the narrative in any significant way, particularly when attempting to portray the mysterious force behind the supernatural occurrences and its connection to the characters or the story's underlying meaning. I confess to being puzzled by the filmmaker’s involvement, as this project's quality is a stark contrast to most of his previous work. Even more so, “Presence” doesn’t do much to improve the reputation of a genre striving for greater recognition. I’ve seen scarier and more engaging television commercials than this weak offering, and it hasn't altered my overall view of horror films.

Source on TMDB