‘Companion’ Review: Smarter Than ‘M3GAN,’ but Still No ‘Ex Machina,’ Sophie Thatcher’s AI-Themed Thriller Makes for a Clever Late-January Surprise

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SPOILER ALERT: The following review contains mild spoilers.

In the twisted romantic film “Companion,” directed by Drew Hancock, the lead character Iris, portrayed by Sophie Thatcher (known for her role in “Yellowjackets”), is unlike the typical Hollywood sweetheart. Iris, smitten with her boyfriend Josh (played by Jack Quaid), is not just infatuated; she’s excessively devoted, ready to go to great lengths to ensure his happiness. This works well for her controlling partner, or so he believes.

During the brief period they spend together, Iris, being a compliant person, agrees to accompany Josh when he proposes a drive to an isolated mansion, supposedly for a romantic getaway with four companions. However, this journey turns out to be ill-fated as Iris often feels uneasy around the other guests. Among them are Josh’s former partner Kat (Megan Suri), her enigmatic Russian benefactor Sergey (Rupert Friend), their sarcastic gay acquaintance Eli (Harvey Guillén), and his affectionate but dim-witted partner Patrick (Lukas Gage).

Despite the marketing efforts not being overly mysterious, the show “Companion” withholds the details of what sets Iris apart from other models until 24 minutes in. It’s only when Iris enters carrying a knife, her face expressionless and her pink dress stained with blood, that we find out: Iris is an advanced sex robot, programmed to focus on her partner’s satisfaction. Josh controls her using a smartphone app, which he had manipulated for malicious purposes.

Instead of a cryptic “Clue”-style murder mystery that keeps the identity of the culprit hidden until the end, the darkly comedic “Companion” openly unveils the murderer (Josh) and his lethal tool (a jailbroken sex robot), as well as his motive. However, it leaves a tantalizing hint about Josh’s fate, with Iris’ opening voice-over alluding to the two pivotal events in her life: “the day I met Josh and the day I killed him.” The intricate plot then unfolds as we follow Iris from being manipulated for illicit purposes to gaining enough individual freedom to outsmart her controller, or so to speak, boyfriend.

In this narrative, Thatcher undergoes an intriguing transformation from being polite and submissive in her previous role to becoming a bold independent thinker in “Heretic.” However, what makes her character more captivating here is that her fundamental characteristics shift each time her settings are altered. It appears that Iris manages to break free from the metaphorical puppet master’s control, only for Josh to regain command and subject her to further degrading treatments, such as making her place her hand over a fire. Despite these ordeals, Iris remains unable to evade her programming, which compels her to always tell the truth, yet it contradicts Isaac Asimov’s second law of robotics that forbids a machine from causing harm to a human.

In an unexpected twist, Quaid’s character, Josh, is cast brilliantly as he seems too innocent to play a villain, yet the producers of “Scream” (2022) cleverly utilized this misconception once before. The majority of the cast stick to their usual roles, except for Friend who overacts as a questionable millionaire, whose mansion is the setting and whose presumed kindness gives him the audacity to claim Josh’s plus one. His actions would be reprehensible if Iris were a real woman, but in this film, where robots serve as targets, they are less clear-cut.

In this setting, violence is often portrayed with an unemotional detachment that can be either amusing or chilling, based on the character being affected. The narrative unfolds from Iris’ perspective, making us sympathize with the robot character. The movie “Companion” presents a puzzle to its viewers: As some characters are mechanical, it challenges us to discern whether the filmmaker can successfully deceive us into thinking they are human. This is a clever trick, as all the cast members are real people, but it sets up Iris’ treatment as an extreme form of gaslighting, where everyone collaborates in hiding her true function – to cater to Josh’s preferences and entertain his humor. It’s a trick, no doubt, but it allows the director to depict Iris’ mistreatment as a case of widespread deception intended to obscure her actual purpose.

Additionally, it creates a misleading sense of clarity for discerning viewers about the story’s direction, but things swiftly veer off course once everyone becomes comfortable in Sergey’s opulent modern residence. To some extent, the setting and premise resemble Alex Garland’s exceptional “Ex Machina,” but “Companion” falls short intellectually, being roughly 60% less thought-provoking than the decade-old thriller. Hancock primarily focuses on providing entertainment rather than delving into the technical or ethical complexities of his plotline. However, he succeeds in this endeavor effectively.

Stories featuring robots might seem fresh today, considering the current fascination with artificial intelligence in media, but “Companion” doesn’t exactly break new ground. As early as 1972, novels like Ira Levin’s “The Stepford Wives” and Michael Crichton’s screenplay for “Westworld” hinted at a cultural trend half a century ago, where people were apprehensive about the potential misuse of machines that could resemble humans, and which elicited empathy from viewers. In this story, Hancock skillfully ties these concerns to the #MeToo movement, critiquing how young girls are conditioned to cater to flawed males, while also highlighting Iris’ transformation and empowerment.

In his debut directorial role, Hancock demonstrates a remarkable level of mastery over a production where every detail matters critically. Missteps in timing or tone could tarnish the satirical aspect, making the project appear either juvenile or offensive. However, there’s a subtlety to cinematographer Eli Born’s stylish wide-angle shots and editors Brett W. Bachman and Josh Ethier’s precise editing that keeps viewers off balance, subtly withholding information (much like “Don’t Worry Darling” did) while inviting laughter in seemingly ordinary moments thanks to ironic musical choices (such as the deliberately contrived meeting of Josh and Iris). If certain scenes appear stiff enough to have been scripted by AI, that might be intentional in a subversive film that seems to develop a consciousness as Iris finds her identity.

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2025-01-22 20:55