Who Is the Ghost in Steven Soderbergh’s Haunting Horror Story?

Presence is a uniquely told family drama all set from the perspective of a supernatural entity. The latest feature film by director Steven Soderbergh uses this unorthodox storytelling method to drip-feed information to the audience, with the shot never going beyond the boundaries of what the presence can see and hear. Through this, the movie is voyeuristic and ominous, constantly encouraging you to try and untangle the truth. There is not only the mystery of who or what the presence might be, but also the uncertainty surrounding the recent deaths of girls in the local area. Although Presence foreshadows everything it reveals, because of the camera positioning, it is not obvious where the movie is headed. So, why has this supernatural presence chosen this particular house and this particular family?

What Is ‘Presence’ About?

Presence has a relatively small cast due to its restricted setting, and we only see those who enter the house. So, after a handful of scenes that show the estate agent and a few tradespeople, the only interactions are between the central family. Their mum, Rebecca (Lucy Liu), makes all the decisions within the house, and her husband, Chris (Chris Sullivan), is a refreshingly supportive and empathetic dad. Their two kids are well fleshed out, Tyler (Eddy Maday), is a high-achiever and the epitome of mother’s pride. However, it is their daughter, Chloe (Callina Liang), who leads the story, as the presence seems to spend most of the time in her room. Chloe has recently lost her friend Nadiya, who just stopped breathing in the night, and Chloe believes that the presence could be her recently deceased friend.

The only other regular visitor to the house is Ryan (West Mulholland), initially a friend of Tyler’s; he develops an intimate relationship with Chloe. Their relationship quickly becomes uncomfortable as Ryan attempts to drug Chloe, only for the entity to knock the drink on the floor. It becomes clear that the presence in the house is fiercely protective of Chloe’s safety.

How Does ‘Presence’ End?

After her parents go on a business trip, Chloe invites Ryan to stay over, but she explains that Tyler will be at home as well. Ryan arrives and, after chatting to Tyler, goes to mix them both a vodka and orange juice, lacing Tyler’s glass with a sleeping drug. After Tyler is unconscious, he makes another drink, this time for Chloe, tipping a powder into her glass. When he enters Chloe’s room, she opens up about how she is uncomfortable about the physical aspect of their relationship and the pair agree to just talk.

However, the drink starts to take effect and within seconds Chloe is barely conscious on the bed. Tyler pulls a roll of cellophane out of his pocket and proceeds to cover Chloe’s mouth with a sheet of it for short intervals of time. He reveals to Chloe that the cellophane is so thin that it can slow someone’s breathing to a halt, identifying himself as Nadiya’s killer and showing he is planning to do the same to Chloe. Abruptly, the presence races downstairs and wakes Tyler up, giving him enough time to rush upstairs, grab Ryan, and throw them both out of the window. With Chloe still passed out, the presence looks out of the window at the pair’s lifeless bodies, not yet revealing its true form.

Who is the Entity in ‘Presence’?

Callina Liang looking scared while other people stand in the doorway in Presence — Image via Neon

The movie cuts to the family moving out of the home following Tyler’s death, with all of them struggling to come to terms with the truth. However, it is Rebecca who is taking the news the hardest. Throughout the movie, she is the strongest non-believer and comes across as unshakable. However, as she heads into the old living room, she places her hand on the mirror and finally sees the presence take physical form, revealing it was Tyler all along.

Presence foreshadows this reveal when a medium visits the house and reveals to the family that time works in a different way in the spiritual world. She explains that the past and future can be happening simultaneously – offering the first indication that the presence is someone who was still alive at that moment. However, the entity’s actions also link to Tyler, the supernatural occurrences don’t just happen when Ryan is taking advantage of Chloe, but also when Chloe and Tyler are fighting. It shows the deeply personal stake the presence has in the family and explains why it watches even the most mundane conversations within the house. Presence offers emotional nuance and empathy to the supernatural entities that are often just inexplicable causes of fear within the horror genre.

Presence is in theaters on January 24.

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