With Valentine’s Day approaching, “Companion” brings a love story so deep, someone might just die for it– literally. Wrapped in soft pastels and romantic branding, the film teases a dreamy romance for the love season, but behind its aesthetic lies something sinister – a slasher-thriller where love, manipulation and artificial intelligence (AI) mix in the bloodiest way possible.
Our “love” story follows a couple on a weekend getaway to the woods, but when a brutal death and the complications of a companion robot are revealed, things quickly spiral into betrayal and violence.
Sophie Thatcher (who you might remember from our recent review on “Heretic”) again proves she can balance sweetness with something unsettling beneath the surface. As Iris (perhaps a palindrome for our “Siri?”), a sentient robot, she captures the perfect mix of programmed devotion and quiet menace, her pain seeping through every tearful glance and mouth twitch as the truth unravels.
Meanwhile, her other half, Jack Quaid leans into his signature “nice guy who’s actually the worst” persona as Josh, making him the perfect foil for the film’s sharp feminist undertones. Their tense dynamic, alongside a strong supporting cast delivering natural banter and chemistry, keeps the film engaging even as it descends to chaos.
For me, Francine, I was completely drawn into the 1960s housewife aesthetic: the soft pinks, baby blues and delicate femininity of Iris’s design – all a striking contrast to the film’s brutal slasher elements. Watching Iris running through the woods in her blood-soaked, hyper-feminine outfit was the perfect visual metaphor for the film’s theme of sweetness turned survivor.
Feminist themes run strong here, making “Companion” feel like a better-executed cousin to “Don’t Worry Darling.” However, this film isn’t just a cautionary tale about AI – it’s about the people who create and exploit it.
Even deeper, this couple mirrors the dynamics of a toxic relationship, one that many viewers may find eerily familiar. Josh embodies the manipulative, self-serving man who covers his toxicity in entitlement and false good intentions, while Iris’ development mirrors that of a woman reclaiming her autonomy.
Hayley here – in full agreement, this film took what’s expected within the AI horror genre and turned it upside down. This film strayed from the usual formula and instead portrayed the robot as the victim. It was interesting to see the role reversal of the robot Iris taking on bigger moral dilemmas and becoming conflicted with her emotions and memories growing past Josh’s human level of compassion. This served to be rather unsettling after the film, as the audience was left to contemplate why the writers may be trying to make the robots seem lovable in the real-world age of AI.
The film’s runtime was a nice change of pace from what we saw a lot of in 2024. Running an hour and thirty-seven minutes this film does a wonderful job of telling a complete circular story. Including great acting, a gentle and undistracting use of CGI and a healthy amount of plot twists that kept the story moving without derailing.
The movie leaves one with a lot to contemplate around the idea of complex connection, identity, truth and love. We urge those headed to the theater to keep their eyes peeled to who’s undoubtedly always telling the truth. An emotional roller coaster warning of how detached humans are becoming to genuine connection through gruesome slasher comedy wrapped in a baby pink 60’s themed bow – this is not the love story you’d expect this February, but definitely a worthy Galentine’s watch for anyone ignoring all those red flags. We give our first film of the year 4 out of 5 stars.
