Companion might not be what you expect. Many who have seen the trailer have pointed out its aesthetic similarities to classics like Valley of the Dolls, or more recent films like Barbie, but applying a horror twist to it. You could write if off as simply a story about a killer robot girl. Everyone fixated on central character Iris, with bright pink clothing and big hair versus her whole face covered in blood. People see that and think they’ve got the whole movie figured out already, some lambasting the trailer for giving too much away. It’s a pleasant surprise to say that Companion is far more than just its trailer, proving itself to be an exciting, unique and enjoyable horror / thriller that’s both topical and relatively timeless in execution.
Companion is the directorial debut of Drew Hancock, who also wrote the film. It’s produced by Zach Creggar, behind recent horror hit Barbarian, and released January 31st. Creggar was originally supposed to direct the film himself, but recommended that they hire Hancock as director instead. For a debut film, Hancock does a great job. He’s jampacked it with details and little things that make story elements work and feel consistent with the films own internal logic, with every detail set up paying off as the film goes on. There’s a casual element to the science fiction worldbuilding that I found to be ridiculosuly effective, with small things telling you a lot about the films’ world. Flip phones as big as tablets, cars that can automatically drive as well as manually. These details help flesh out the world as well as its characters, and make Companion one of the more stylistically unique science fiction horror films of the last few years.
The story of Companion follows Iris, who accompanies her boyfriend Josh on a trip with his friends to a rural isolated cabin. It’s incredibly familiar territory for horror fans, but the story turns on its head quickly as it is revealed (very early on, I might add!) that Iris is a companion robot. Things fall apart, hijinx ensue, and people die. It goes beyond it’s initial premise quickly, as it knows that following it too strictly would just lead to a boring and predictable film. Instead, the film really digs in and explores the potential realities of this concept, using the details it sets up to deliver some genuinely shocking and unexpected moments. It’s also just fun in general, never taking itself too seriously and having a consistent sense of humour that’s welcome and appreciated for a movie like this. It’s not as laced in irony as you might expect from the trailers, and is entirely okay with just having a good time and letting viewers get lost in its world for a little while. It reminds me of other recent horror films like Bodies Bodies Bodies, where timely social commentary meets with a pervasive sense of silly fun.
The cast of the film is consistently solid, even for more minor supporting characters who have a bit less to do. What We Do In The Shadows star Harvey Guillén is consistently entertaining throughout, and has great chemistry with his on-screen boyfriend Patrick, played by Lukas Gage. The two are one of the most enjoyable parts of the movie, and Gage especially gets to be a total scene stealer as the movie goes on. Rupert Friend is solid if underused as the mysterious Russian Sergey, who is hilarious until he’s not. Some characters are less well-explored, particularly Megan Suri‘s Kat, who always feels somewhat overshadowed by the rest of the cast, particularly when she’s sharing a scene with one of the highlights of the film.
Jack Quaid, best known for his work in The Boys, continues to prove his mettle as a scream king here. He’s absolutely vile and insufferable in all the best ways, but never feels like he’s entirely an exageration. There’s a sad reality to his character, one that you see all the time in daily life and internet spaces, that makes the performance work even at its campiest. He’s great at playing an antagonist, and while this hits a lot of the same notes as his performance in Scream, it feels different tonally. It’s great to see him actually try and do interesting things as a young actor, and not just settle into doing what he got famous for. There are lines in this movie he delivers with such viciousness and pettiness that they will ring around in my head for the next week. He also has strong chemistry, both as lovers and enemies, with the main star of the movie.
Sophie Thatcher’s performance here is a total star-making turn. She’s been delivering consistently good performances for a while now in projects like Yellowjackets and last year’s Heretic, but she gives nothing less than 110% for this movie and it works all the better for it. Horror as a genre tends to be one that produces a lot of great young actors and actresses, and I can see her going to have a wonderful career both in and out of the genre going forward. Iris’ plight would not feel as relatable if not for Thatcher’s charisma and ability to invite empathy, even for those who may not have experience the same feelings her character is experiencing on screen for the first time. She makes her robotic character feel completely alive, and the movie would not work nearly as well without her. The majority of the scenes in the movie revolve around her, yet she never buckles under the pressure, giving an effortlessly good performance that is sure to be one of the best of the year.
The themes of Companion feel incredibly timely, almost more so because of the events of the last month alone. It’s explicitly tackling gender relations in the modern age, and how digital/artificial beings factor into current gender dynamics. Iris is mistreated because she’s artificial, but even more so because she’s a woman, and the film makes that explicitly clear, especially in its’ third act. It’s not entirely subtle, but it doesn’t need to be, and I’m sure some will misinterpret the movie regardless. It’s really about a man’s perceived ownership of a woman, and his desire to completely control her and subsume her identity into his. It’s also about love, and how love can blind us to the biggest flaws and lead us into traumatic experiences. Like mentioned previously, the film is wickedly fun and exciting, so the themes never get in the way of the entertainment aspect of the film, but they are a core part of it regardless. As the layers peel back, and mysteries get answered, you only gain more sympathy for Iris, who is simply trying to do the best she can.
Overall, Companion is a guaranteed fun time at the movies for genre fans, with the type of broad appeal you rarely see in the genre. It’s no wonder that it’s beginning to pick up notice on social media platforms, because it feels like the type of horror film basically anyone can get some enjoyment out of. It’s full of fun, unpredictable twists and turns that’ll keep you engaged throughout and on the edge of your seat. While it might not be the scariest or bloodiest horror movie we will see this year, there’s something to be said about how timely it is, which combined with its broad appeal makes it something that’ll undoubtedly take off and be seen as fondly. With solid writing, a great cast, and terrific lead performances from Jack Quaid and Sophie Thatcher, Companion manages to both be a good time and have something to say.
