Companion is directed by Drew Hancock, and the cast includes Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guillén and Rupert Friend.
My Thoughts On Companion
Companion opens as your standard horror thriller - an isolated lakehouse, a young couple heading out to the middle of nowhere, and all the trappings of a slasher waiting to happen.
But don't be fooled by the surface, as this film quickly derails any expectations and takes us on a wildly unexpected ride that’s as unnerving as it is darkly entertaining.
*Spoilers Ahead*
At the center of it all is Iris, portrayed by Sophie Thatcher, who nails the role with a mix of vulnerability and unrelenting determination. In Companion, she plays Iris, a character whose quiet demeanor conceals a twisted truth.
Her boyfriend, Josh (Jack Quaid), is the quintessential bad boy in a romcom turned nightmare. Quaid, shifts gears into a manipulative, calculating sociopath, dripping with charm but with a dark undercurrent that makes you want to see him get his comeuppance.
The story unfolds with the arrival of Josh and Iris at a luxurious, remote cabin to meet his rich, eccentric friends. There's Kat (Megan Suri), the icy, passive-aggressive queen of the social scene, who serves as the film’s ultimate provocateur. Eli (Harvey Guillén) and his boyfriend Patrick (Lukas Gage) add a refreshing contrast.
Guillén brings a grounded sincerity to his character, while Gage’s performance as Patrick, a man with a hidden agenda, is simultaneously magnetic and unsettling. But the real wildcard is Sergey (Rupert Friend), whose tech-bro, manipulative energy is enough to make you want to scrub your skin raw just from his presence.
The film takes a brutal turn when Sergey makes a move on Iris, and she retaliates by killing him. What follows is not just the expected slasher chaos you might be expecting, but a shocking revelation. Iris isn’t human. She’s a robot. More specifically, she’s a companion bot, programmed to meet Josh's every need, even if it means murdering someone on command.
This twist, though predictable from the get-go (if you’ve seen the poster/trailer), doesn’t detract from the impact. The real thrill lies in what happens next, and once Iris realizes her true nature, she decides she’s had enough of being someone’s subjugated plaything. The stakes shift dramatically, and what was once a survival horror becomes a techno-thriller, with Iris outsmarting her human tormentors in exhilarating ways.
Thatcher's performance is the beating heart of this film. She brings brilliant depth to Iris that makes her transition from victim to empowered force incredibly satisfying. It’s a slow burn that explodes into a final act of cathartic vengeance. Her portrayal of a woman (or, rather, a robot) who evolves from programmed passivity to autonomous rebellion is a tour de force that deserves serious recognition.
Quaid, meanwhile, takes what could have been a one-note villain role and crafts an absolutely despicable character in Josh. His portrayal of a man who gaslights and manipulates Iris for his own gain is compelling and, at times, downright terrifying, and you’ll find yourself simultaneously repelled and mesmerized by his portrayal of toxic masculinity at its finest.
Where Companion really shines though is in its exploration of control, power, and the blurred lines between love and obsession. It’s a sharp commentary on the ways we objectify others, and the horrific consequences when those others, be they human or not, fight back.
The film never loses its edge, maintaining a brisk pace, a biting sense of humor, and an ever-present undercurrent of menace. Think Ready or Not meets Ex Machina, with a few more blood-soaked moments and a biting critique of wealth and privilege.
But let’s take a moment to address the issue of trailers and marketing. It’s becoming increasingly rare to go into a movie without knowing every plot twist beforehand, and the studios seem intent on spoiling key details in order to get more butts in seats. But, in the case of Companion, even if you knew Iris was a robot from the start (as most of us did), the film still delivers plenty of surprises and depth that make it still worth watching.
Companion is a thought-provoking, bloody-good time. It’s a smart, slick blend of horror comedy, thriller, and sci-fi that pushes genre boundaries, while also tackling issues of autonomy, control, and revenge.
The final product is as unsettling as it is empowering, a gruesome revenge story where the victim becomes the ultimate avenger. If you enjoy stories of the oppressed turning the tables on their oppressors, Companion offers a cathartic, high-stakes ride that you won’t soon forget.
If you’ve ever looked at a toxic partner and thought, "I should've downloaded someone better," this film will feel like pure, robotic justice.