'Companion' review: A clever, darkly funny AI thriller that'll leave you guessing
Courtesy of Warner Bros./New Line Cinema
I know the common advice is always: "Go into this movie knowing as little as possible." But in today’s age of social media, where studios are scrambling to capture our attention away from streaming platforms and the constant lure of our smartphones, they’ve had to get creative in making moviegoing feel like an event. Unfortunately, this often means that trailers and advertisements reveal more than filmmakers might want. Despite all that—and even though 2025 has just begun—it seems like a foregone conclusion that Drew Hancock’s twisty, intelligent, and completely original psychological thriller about the rise of artificial intelligence, “Companion,” will be one of the year’s best films.
“Companion” draws favorable comparisons to the similarly themed “Ex Machina,” but while both explore AI, their mechanics and tones are distinct. After all, we’re in a much different place with AI now than we were in 2015 and “Companion” offers a brilliant recontextualization of how we misuse this technology, intertwining those themes with deeper explorations of free will, emotions, pain, and intelligence. It’s a taut, well-crafted piece of mainstream entertainment—perhaps with less on its mind than you’d initially think—but still an exhilarating ride filled with clever twists, smart characters, and solid performances. Oh, and it’s also very funny.
The movie kicks off with Iris (Sophie Thatcher, outstanding) meeting the love of her life, Josh (Jack Quaid), in a serendipitous, love-at-first-sight moment in a grocery store—an encounter that, in the age of dating apps, feels like a relic of a bygone era. Fast-forward, and the couple is en route to the remote mansion of a wealthy Russian tycoon named Sergey (Rupert Friend). Iris is nervous about making a good first impression on Josh’s friends.
Among them are Kat (Megan Suri), Sergey’s girlfriend (though he’s actually married), Eli (Harvey Guillén), and Eli’s attractive but dim-witted boyfriend Patrick (Lukas Gage). The initial atmosphere is awkward, as everyone feels each other out, but it’s not, on the surface, the worst weekend spent with friends. That is, until all hell breaks loose. The next morning, Iris walks through the door covered in blood, holding a knife. At this point—and feel free to stop reading here if you want to avoid spoilers (though the trailers have already given this away)—it’s revealed that Iris is actually a robot (or, as some in the film put it, a "sexbot"). The ramifications of this reveal, coupled with a web of secrets and mysteries, make “Companion” a thrilling, unpredictable ride.
Hancock has crafted an ingenious premise that, much like producer Zach Cregger’s wild “Barbarian,” consistently subverts expectations. As a first-time filmmaker, Hancock shows a masterful command over his universe. He fills in the small details—things you wouldn’t even think to ask about—and his characters behave in ways that are both strategic and believable.
Without giving too much away, the second half of the movie becomes a battle of wits between Iris and Josh. Iris must adapt and evolve her programming to gain the upper hand. At one point, she even discovers a remote control that allows her intelligence to be set to "40%," and everything from her eye color to the pitch of her voice is automated through an app on an iPad. This evolution of Iris makes her arc all the more satisfying, and Thatcher’s performance is compelling from start to finish. Without her, “Companion” would not nearly be as memorable. It’s also profoundly ironic that the most emotionally resonant character in the movie is a robot.
As the story unfolds, it offers keen commentary on the ownership some men feel over women and their ability to make decisions based on their own desires. This thematic depth is juxtaposed with gory, outrageous fun, as Quaid, Gage, and Guillén all make the most of their eccentric roles in a situation that quickly spirals out of control.
“Companion” is an unexpected gem that has already set the bar for the rest of 2025. It’s a film that walks a tightrope between being a thrilling genre piece and a thought-provoking commentary, with a lived-in quality that’s rare in mainstream cinema. Hancock clearly thought through the shifting perspectives, the framing of the story, and how the characters’ actions feel grounded and real—nothing here feels dumbed down.
Movies seldom get much better (or more entertaining) than this.
Grade: A
COMPANION opens in theaters Friday, January 31st