Companion

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Back in the day, January was infamously known as the graveyard for films that studios weren’t confident about or were outright duds. Lately, however, January isn’t merely a hub for Hollywood’s stinkers but a breeding ground for high-concept movies that studios are unsure of what to do with. Occasionally, these films exceed expectations and become blockbusters. Case in point, M3GAN (2023), released on the first Friday of January and, despite its $12 million budget, raked in over $180 million and secured a sequel for summer next year. It’s hopeful that Drew Hancock’s Companion, with its intriguing premise, might follow suit. However, the film unfortunately slips into familiar patterns all too often.

In many aspects, the trailer for the film “Companion” seemingly reveals the entire plot. Given that the first act’s major reveal essentially forms the core of the movie, it can be challenging not to disclose it in promotional materials. However, “A Sex Bot goes on a rampage” is quite an attention-grabbing summary, albeit oversimplified. While there are elements worth appreciating in the rest of the film and Hancock does delve into the theme, the movie tends to follow a straightforward approach with few surprises elsewhere.

In this rendition, the movie features Sophie Thatcher who delivered an outstanding performance in ‘Heretic’ last year, portraying Iris, a loving and attentive girlfriend to the charming Josh (Jack Quaid). Iris feels apprehensive and self-conscious about spending a weekend at a secluded cabin, which is more like a mansion, with Josh’s friends. Among them are Patrick and Eli, a devoted couple played by Lukas Gage and Harvey Guillen, along with the free-spirited Kat (Megan Suri) and her presumed boyfriend, Sergey (Rupert Friend), who owns the house. Iris is particularly anxious about Kat taking a liking to her, as Kat holds significant importance in Josh’s life.

A chain of events unfolds, leading Iris to perform a shocking act of violence (as hinted in the trailer). At this point, Josh discloses that Iris is not human but a highly sophisticated cybernetic artificial companion. As she struggles to flee from humans who are determined to deactivate her now that they know she’s controlled by the man in her life or the app on his phone.

The main theme of the film “Companion” is undeniably clear, touching upon themes like female empowerment, the misogyny prevalent in “nice guys,” and overall personal growth. To its advantage, it’s a dark comedy, and the comedic elements generally work well. An amusing instance occurs when Iris discovers Josh’s phone settings, revealing that she is ranked at 40 on his intelligence scale from 0-100, to which she responds with a wry “wooooooooow Josh.” I share the movie’s message, but find it unusually straightforward in its delivery. We root for Iris and dislike Josh without much room for ambiguity.

In my view, what sets the “Companion” apart from “M3GAN” is its unapologetic nature. It’s incredibly violent and laden with profanity, embodying an R-rating in a way that fits a dark comedy/horror narrative. However, when it comes to the horror/thriller elements of the film, they stick closely to expectations. The comic parts, on the other hand, are the ones that introduce twists and turns.

To sum it up, I found the movie quite entertaining. It has an impressive cast, with Thatcher being particularly captivating on screen, and Quaid fitting perfectly in his role. The ads promote it as a product of the same producer as the film “Barbarian,” due to Zach Cregger, the writer-director of “Barbarian,” being one of its producers. This is a smart marketing move, but let me clarify that “Companion” is not as terrifying or culturally relevant as “Barbarian.” If you go in with the right expectations, you’ll have a great time watching it.

Companion hits theaters January 31.

Companion ⭐ (3 of 5)

Kyle Anderson serves as the Senior Editor at TopMob, where he also hosts a weekly exploration into pop culture titled “Laser Focus” podcast. His critiques on films and television shows are available here for your reading pleasure. To keep up with his latest work, follow him on Letterboxd.

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2025-01-22 20:02