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COMPANION'S AI Horror/Rom Com Misses the Mark


A man and woman stand facing each other in a lush outdoor setting. She wears a light headband. The mood is serene and contemplative.
(L-R) Jack Quaid as Josh and Sophie Thatcher as Iris in New Line Cinema's COMPANION | Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

By Shannon McGrew


There’s nothing quite like the first time you meet “the one.” That spark, that rush of wanting to spend every waking minute with them. In Drew Hancock’s COMPANION, this timeless feeling takes a modern twist, exploring the delicate bloom of young love in the digital age between humans and AI. However, all is not what it seems, as a weekend trip with friends leaves a trail of devastating consequences with a high body count.


In COMPANION, we’re introduced to Iris and Josh, a young couple in love, heading to a lakeside estate for a weekend getaway with friends. Iris is nervous about meeting everyone, but Josh reassures her there’s nothing to worry about - he’ll keep her safe. It’s easy to believe him and the idyllic setup feels almost too perfect for anything to go wrong.


After an evening of drinking, Josh encourages Iris to head down to the lake to take in the view while he nurses a hangover. It’s here that things take a turn. She’s approached by Sergey, the estate owner, whose suggestive comments hint at a darker reason for her presence there. Since women can never have nice things, an incident occurs that ends in bloodshed. 


What follows is a story told through the eyes of Iris, an AI human who doesn’t realize what she is until it’s too late. Sophia Thatcher shines as Iris, bringing a softness and naivety that makes her easy to champion for. Iris is first introduced to us as a woman who is head over heels for Josh and willing to do whatever it takes to make her boyfriend happy, even if it’s at her own expense. As she has in many other roles, Sophia deftly transforms her character, taking Iris from shy and timid to a determined survivor. 


Playing Josh is Jack Quaid, the go-to “Good Guy Gone Bad,” as seen in shows like Amazon Prime's "The Boys" and movies like 2022’s Scream. Quaid delivers his usual dose of charm, but the role risks feeling repetitive. How many times will we see him go from Nice Guy to F**k Boy before someone gives him a character with real depth to sink his teeth into? 


A woman and a man sit across from each other in a modern living room with a fireplace. Neutral tones and soft lighting create a calm mood. She is unfortunately tied to a chair and bloody.
(L-R) Sophie Thatcher as Iris and Jack Quaid as Josh in New Line Cinema's COMPANION | Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The remaining ensemble includes Harvey Guillén (Eli), Lukas Gage (Patrick), Megan Suri (Kat), and Rupert Friend (Sergey). Hancock does a solid job of fleshing out these characters, giving us a clear sense of who they are and their motivations. While Sophia and Jack deliver strong performances, it’s Lukas Gage and Harvey Guillén who truly steal the show. WIthout delving further into spoilers - as the trailer already gave away too much - the relationship between Patrick and Eli provides the emotional core of the film. Their bond is the heartbeat that carries us through, even as things take a hard left turn for Patrick. 


Where COMPANION stumbles is in its writing. While many films have explored the implications and ethics of AI, this one sticks to predictable tropes of what owning an artificial human might entail. Then there is the narrative from Josh’s side about how “nice guys” (read: incels) never win even though they offer so much. The justification for the film’s twists and turns, especially in relation to Josh, feels flimsy. To make matters worse, the story undermines itself by announcing its conclusion at the start of the film. Not only does the opening sequence spoil the ending, but the overabundance of obvious “wink-wink” Easter eggs robs viewers of the chance to piece things together organically. 


What truly feels off about COMPANION is its third act, where the violence against Iris escalates to a disturbing degree. Hancock seems intent on justifying this brutality as being in line who the perpetrator is, but it’s far from convincing. The film’s light and playful tone quickly gives way to grim, unsettling violence, particularly towards Iris. It’s a stark reminder that whether you’re human or artificial, women will always be subjected to physical/sexual violence at the hands of men. 


Overall, COMPANION stumbles in its third act, devolving into a jumbled mess that makes the film feel much longer than its relatively short runtime. With AI as a consistently hot topic - whether explored in acclaimed films like Ex Machina or more playful entries like M3GAN - the genre isn’t going anywhere. But what message does COMPANION ultimately want to leave with its audience? That artificial humans are doomed to be treated as poorly (or worse) than humans? The ethical dilemma of creating and owning artificial humans? Or the hubris of playing God? Unfortunately, whatever the intent, there are far better films that tackle these themes without resorting to gratuitous violence against women to make their point. 


COMPANION arrives in theaters January 31.














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