Companion Mini Review
- Matt Hill
- Feb 8, 2025
- 2 min read
Runtime: 1h 37m Genre: Sci-Fi/Thriller Release Date: 31st January 2025
PLOT: Iris (Sophie Thatcher) and her boyfriend Josh (Jack Quaid) get more than they bargained for after an isolated holiday trip with his friends quickly descends into something more sinister.
Thoughts
The rise of Artificial Intelligence has long been a staple in cinema, whether that be the annihilation of humankind via Terminators or AI partners like Joi in Blade Runner 2049.
Sticking close to the latter, Drew Hancock's latest feature, Companion, shows a potential next step with purchasable AI Companions. An AI robot that can fulfil the mental and physical needs of a human, with adjustable personality and intelligence through a single swipe of a phone.
Set in an isolated home, as many thrillers tend to be, soon everything goes wrong, and chaos descends on the group. It doesn't unfold in the way you might expect, catching you off guard and then keeping at a fast pace, never giving you much of a chance to catch your breath.
It's a neat premise, and the isolated plot opens the door for the narrative to take some unexpected turns that give this technological thriller more intrigue than the typical isolated cabin. Director Drew Hancock has a great grasp of the world and characters he's juggling and leans into the more humorous side of that premise, resulting in a dark comedy thriller that's a magnetic watch.
In a Nutshell
Companion is a very entertaining movie. It gets a lot right, from its well-paced story and intriguing plot to a strong cast and laugh-out-loud moments. But thanks to a well-crafted dark comedy tone, it's elevated from a good watch to a great one.
3.5/5
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