A fun and fierce take on female vengeance with a twist of sci-fi and comedy, “Companion” is the new “Gone Girl.” Sophie Thatcher takes viewers on a thrilling journey in this satisfyingly gory film that brings our deepest fears of AI to life.
Directed and written by Drew Hancock, “Companion” follows Iris, played by Sophie Thatcher, and her devotedly obsessive love for her boyfriend, Josh, played by Jack Quaid. The R-rated movie opens with a dreamy meet-cute moment in a grocery store, where Iris is reminiscing on the start of her relationship.
From the very beginning, the audience is made aware that this is anything but a love story as Iris reveals two truths in her opening monologue: the day she met Josh was the moment her life truly began — and so was the day she killed him.
The story then shifts to the present, where Josh is alive, and the two lovebirds are going on a retreat with Josh’s friend group to a secluded lake house. Kat (Megan Suri) is in a relationship with Sergey (Rupert Friend), the wealthy Russian homeowner, and Eli (Harvey Guillén) has brought his boyfriend, Patrick (Lukas Gage) for the trip.
These three couples are in for anything but a relaxing getaway, as chaos erupts when the truth behind sweet Iris’s quirky awkwardness is revealed that she’s not human, and everyone but her knows it. I won’t spoil much more, but it’s safe to say horror fans won’t be disappointed by the kill count.
The movie is set in an almost too realistic world, where future technology has truly become our means of escape and dating apps just don’t cut it anymore. The real horror isn’t from the playful gory scenes, but rather a look into the very possible future of AI becoming much too intelligent.
The story offers a refreshing take on female vengeance, a trope we’ve all seen in some of pop culture’s most iconic horror films, like “Pearl” or “Carrie.” “Companion” brings something new to the table, delivering subtle shock value with its exciting plot twists rather than just teasing the audience with a predictable ending.
When it’s revealed that Iris is a robot, all of her strange quirks come into focus. Thatcher’s strong performance makes the audience question why she feels so oddly different, while her iconic 60s-inspired costumes also set her apart from the rest.
Despite being a subservient robot, Iris remains a character that viewers will love to root for, thanks to her genuine affection for the pitiful Josh and her programmed emotional intelligence. Her realization that Josh is far from the perfect man makes her cringeworthy devotion to him in the beginning all the more satisfying.
Thatcher is no short of brilliant, which isn’t surprising after her performance in the show “Yellowjackets,” and I hope to see her starring in more lead film roles. With her horror discography racking up, she may just be our new killer queen … sorry Mia Goth we still love you.
Josh’s character is the epitome of an insecure loser, which makes it so fun to hate him. He is funny and somewhat charming at first, but as the movie progresses his misogynistic dumb actions get the best of him, and it’s amusing to watch him drown in his own mess.
I’d love to see Jack Quaid in more films where he doesn’t get killed by iconic women — shoutout to his role as Marvel in “The Hunger Games.” But seriously, he played a really enjoyable villain, with Josh being an insufferable master manipulator.
The perfect amount of humor is sprinkled throughout this movie from the character Sergey’s subtle obsession with Stalin to the irony of Josh’s inevitable death. The refreshing comedic elements in the dialogue added to the film’s thriller pace and was a pleasant surprise that I didn’t expect from the trailer.
One of the film’s best strengths in my personal opinion was the soundtrack. From Labi Siffre’s “Gimme Some More,” to Book of Love’s “Boy,” the soundtrack added a nice aesthetic touch to the already visually pleasing cinematography.
It may seem unfortunate that this movie did not have a successful marketing promo, but I have to admit, I am glad it didn’t. I feel like it would have taken away from its secret charm.
“Companion” offers a spirited take on unhealthy relationships, toxic masculinity, gender norms and AI concerns all blended together with gory horror to entertain, which it succeeds in. This is definitely a new cult classic that I plan to rewatch for future Galentine’s Day celebrations.
