PLOT: A billionaire’s demise units off a series of occasions for Iris and her buddies throughout a weekend journey to his lakeside property.
REVIEW: There are two various kinds of folks I’m chatting with with this overview. The primary are people who both haven’t seen something or simply seen the teaser trailer for the movie. The second are people who watched the second trailer that launched on January eighth and even Jack Quaid warned in opposition to watching. Now to that first set of individuals, Companion is a superb thriller about relationships, energy dynamics, and morality. Please cease studying right here as you had been lucky sufficient to have a really clear expertise with this film. Go watch Jack Quaid, Sophie Thatcher and Lukas Gage kick some efficiency ass and provides us one of many biggest horror movies of the yr.
To the second folks, you’ve already had a big portion of the movie spoiled for you by the movie’s advertising and marketing. Sorry however that’s the chilly laborious fact. And provided that was a serious trailer, I really feel that its contents are truthful sport. Nonetheless, I additionally hate spoilers myself and would hate to be the rationale that somebody wasn’t ready to enter this expertise as contemporary as potential. So those that don’t know, soar to this timecode for the wrap-up and score.
Once more spoilers to observe, however I’m solely stepping into what was proven within the trailer. All different stuff is protected.
Companion follows Josh and his girlfriend Iris as they go on a weekend journey with a bunch of buddies. There, it’s revealed that Iris is definitely a intercourse robotic, and the weekend takes a decidedly darker flip when Iris does the unthinkable. The movie is ready to make intriguing factors about our relationship with know-how and the way neglectful it could possibly make us to the human expertise. And in addition simply how a lot shitty folks would exploit this sort of tech. Regardless of its excessive idea, the filmmakers are actually in a position to make the world really feel grounded and lot of that may be attributed to its fantastic solid.
The performances in Companion are completely good with everybody concerned getting their probability to shine. Sophie Thatcher is clearly the star of the present, attending to play with a lot nuance as a robotic instantly turning into self-aware. She’s in such management of her facial ticks and motion that it’s simple to be satisfied she’s a robotic. And I really like that she will get a second that’s clearly a nod to The Terminator. Jack Quaid continues to be a charismatic lead, all whereas exhibiting the character of Josh is a little bit of an asshole. There are actually some parallels along with his character right here and the one he performed in Scream 5, although Josh appears a bit extra toned down. It’s humorous how the nicest guys can play the most important jerks with ease. Megan Suri, Harvey Guillen, and Rupert Pal assist to paint the world and populate it with fascinating folks. I used to be most impressed with Lukas Gage who, after his unbelievable flip in final yr’s Smile 2, is actually exhibiting a ton of vary.
Author/Director Drew Hancock supplies a have a look at a world that would simply grow to be a actuality. I’m positive there will probably be some folks that view this world with rose-tinted glasses however I discovered the idea horrifying. True relationships end in development and two folks mix their very own lives in a means that requires sacrifice from each events. And Companion exhibits how a lot making somebody into your best mate, whereas ignoring all components of their true self, leads to an expertise missing in fact. And Hancock is ready to weave exposition into the dialogue in a means that doesn’t really feel too apparent.
Between this movie, Hellraiser (2022), and The Boogeyman, I’m discovering I’m an enormous fan of cinematographer Eli Born. I really like a shallow depth of discipline, easy digicam actions, and a widescreen presentation, all of which Born does superbly. The rating/sound design has this tranquil high quality, actually lulling you into the heightened world. There are additionally greater than sufficient moments of levity, with the horror extra being within the idea and occasions, than the tone and vibe. That is positively one you possibly can watch in group settings.
Truthfully, the most important slam in opposition to Companion is its advertising and marketing. Why on earth would you give away the hook within the trailer when there was already sufficient thriller that, that didn’t must occur? The January launch additionally doesn’t present a lot religion within the film by the studio, which given the standard of the movie, is genuinely baffling.
In the end, I beloved my time with Companion. And given its baffling advertising and marketing, I’m genuinely undecided how the response will probably be. I beloved the journey of the primary act, as you’re attempting to determine what the hell is going on and it’s a disgrace that some folks will probably be robbed of that. However finally, a movie is judged based mostly on its high quality from begin to end and never the way it was promoted, and I completely adored it. That includes a few of my favourite actors of the style delivering completely improbable performances to the twists and turns, that is one I can’t wait to revisit time and time once more. Right here’s simply hoping this future is additional away than it appears to be like.
COMPANION RELEASES EXCLUSIVELY TO THEATERS ON JANUARY 31ST, 2025.
