The atmosphere is thick with Presence, which whips its dark tale into a fury which cannot be contained, finally lashing out at the audience with sudden and unexpected violence. And it is all thanks to the darkness that climbs aboard a billionaire’s yacht and sets sail with its unexpecting guests.
Directed by Christian Schultz from a screenplay co-written with Peter Ambrosio, Presence is not your typical haunt. It builds its psychological shockers thanks to a series of dark sequences all based around an amulet Jennifer was given and currently wears. Something about the charm is off and it just might bring down all the happiness she is suddenly thrust into. Yet, there seems to be something more at work here . . .
. . . which makes this thriller very mysterious indeed. It is there, in the unwinding of this dark spool, where the truth lies. You just have to pay attention to the details surrounding Jennifer’s story.
Jennifer (The Kominsky Method's Jenna Lyng Adams) is not well. Suffering from a mental breakdown, she is plagued with anxiety, she sees visions of things better left unseen. Her world is in complete disarray since leaving New York and, to top off her spiraling sense of self, her business partner, Sam (Alexandria DeBerry) has been silent about their joint venture, which has so much of her future riding on its success. It’s as if she’s being shut out of her own life.
And the first 15 minutes of this movie are depressingly dark. Something is indeed stalking her, but Sam finally comes through and, within the hour of her phone call, Jennifer is boarding a private plane and walking down the dock to a billionaire’s private yacht because of the good news concerning their partnership.
Unfortunately, none of that stops the violent visions from spreading through her consciousness like a cancer. Is her unchecked anxiety attempting to self-sabotage her once again... or has a sinister presence latched onto her? Full of dark shadows and mysterious figures, Presence feels like it is heading in one direction and then, thanks to a twist you might suspect, it heads full throttle in another direction, casting doubts on what we are witnessing
Co-starring Dave Davis (The Vigil), this complex thriller will leave you on the edge of your seat thanks to its many twists and turns. XYZ Films will release Presence on North American VOD on November 17th, following a thrilling festival run that included Popcorn Frights and Panic Fest.
MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime: 82 mins
Director: Christian Schultz; Thomas Johnston
Writer: Peter Ambrosio; Christian Schultz
Cast: Jenna Lyng Adams; Donny Broussard; Dave Davis
Genre: Horror
Tagline: A Christian Schultz Film.
Memorable Movie Quote:
Theatrical Distributor: XYZ Films
Official Site:
Release Date: November 17, 2022
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: After leaving New York after a mental breakdown, Jennifer (The Kominsky Method's Jenna Lyng Adams) is contacted by her best friend about good news concerning their joint business venture. Within the hour, Jennifer is boarding a private plane and walking down the dock to a billionaire’s private yacht.All seems well, except that Jennifer is plagued by violent, unsettling visions. Is her unchecked anxiety attempting to self-sabotage her once again... or has a sinister presence latched onto her?
