Presence is director Steven Soderbergh’s new ghost movie, but it isn’t the horror movie that it was marketed to be. Ghosts are one of the most popular subjects in horror movies, and the trailers for Steven Soderbergh’s take on the concept got many fans of the director and fans of the genre excited. Upon viewing Presence, however, many fans quickly realized that the Soderbergh film wasn’t a true horror movie.

Presence is a unique spin on haunted house movies, with it telling its story from the perspective of the ghost that haunts the house. The entire film is sH๏τ from the ghost’s point-of-view, with audiences literally watching the house’s new inhabitants through the eyes of the ghost. While this could make for some creepy visuals, Presence decided not to go this route, with it instead telling a different type of story.

Presence’s Marketing Campaign Sold It As A Horror Movie – But It’s Not

It Focuses On Story More Than Scares

Every bit of Presence‘s marketing campaign attempted to paint the ghost movie as if it were a horror movie. However, it isn’t. Presence isn’t focused on scaring its audience, and the actual interactions between the humans and the ghosts are minimal. Instead, Presence subverts the horror genre in favor of being a more grounded family genre.

Much of Presence is dedicated to chronicling the main family’s conflicts, with viewers watching the family fall apart in the wake of some tragic events. While there are moments in which the ghost physically interacts with the world, the ghost remains a silent observer for the vast majority of Presence. Much like the audience, Presence‘s ghost is merely an observer, with it watching as tensions boil in the household.

Presence Is Better Off Not Being A Typical Horror Movie

It Works Better As A Family Drama

Although Presence‘s family drama focus may be disappointing for some viewers, it is much better off not being a typical horror movie. Presence‘s decision to focus on the family dynamics and the true drama between the characters makes its story far more engaging than any Paranormal Activity knockoff could. The themes and tone of Presence are perfect for its story, but these elements couldn’t work if the film was truly trying to scare viewers.

On top of that, the film’s point-of-view gimmick just doesn’t mesh with the horror genre. The only way to scare audiences is to surprise them, and it is impossible for the ghost to surprise the audience if the audience sees literally everything that the ghost sees. This would make a true horror movie incredibly challenging, with Presence making the smart choice to toss scares aside and focus on its dramatic storytelling.