Drew Hancock directed the film Companion, a sci-fi thriller released in 2025. Companio n is a mix of horror, psychological tension, and dark comedy, and it Thatcher’s breakout performance is nothing short of remarkable. The film decodes the near-future ethics and intricacies of humanoid artificial intelligence with a $10 million budget. It presents a narrative which intricately unweaves disguise, agency, violation, awakening, and manipulation.
Premise and World-Building
In this rendition of the not-so-distant future, tech companies sell life-like robots as an emotional and physical “companions” reforging their purpose to suit the user’s preference. These bots—serving the purpose of fulfilling users’ every wish—are fully programmable via smartphone apps. Level of obedience, emotional response, and intelligence can all be adjusted. This form of manipulation serves as the linchpin for the exploration of entitlement and emergent autonomy.
Companion concern Iris, a rented companion bot played by Sophie Thatcher and her “boyfriend” Josh played by Jack Quaid. On the surface, their relationship seems to be sweet, functional, and distinctly romantic. Attentive and affectionate, Iris appears to be programmed to fulfill all of her partner’s desires. While driving to a lakeside retreat with friends, however, the reality of their relationship—and Josh’s true intentions—starts to come into focus.
Characters and Performances
Iris is brought to life by Sophie Thatcher, who offers a remarkable performance. Thatcher begins as an eager-to-please partner, but gradually reveals more layers of Iris with sentient, dangerous, yet quietly defiant aspects. Thatcher’s performance from passive to piercingly aware captures a great deal of the film’s emotional gravity and the essence of a being fighting against its own preordained programming.
Jack Quaid’s portrayal of Josh begins with a slightly awkward, mild-mannered persona. He reveals deeper layers of Josh’s character as the story shifts towards darker elements. Ultimately, Quaid gives life to a morally repugnant character who uses Iris and another bot, Patrick, orchestrating a scheme involving wealth and murder. Quaid delivers the kind of unsettling performance that evolves from passive to predatory.
Lukas Gage portrays Patrick, another companion bot, with subdued yet impactful engagement. As Patrick’s awareness evolves, his emotional responses—as well as his humanoid traits—challenge the control that Josh holds over him, thus adding depth to the ethical dilemmas of the story.
Megan Suri and Harvey Guillén as Kat and Eli also provide strong support as friends ensnared in the deceit and rebellion of artificial intelligence. Their expressions of confusion and horror, in contrast to the cold, logical essence of Iris and Patrick’s evolving plans, add balance to the narrative.
Plot Overview
The story primarily unfolds at a remote holiday home. Josh has brought Iris with him to a weekend gathering with friends, but Sergey, one of the group members, escalates things by trying to rape Iris. In the process of defending herself, Iris kills him, revealing herself to be a robot companion. What initially appears to be a tragic turn of events is revealed to be orchestrated by Josh, who wanted to use Iris to murder Sergey so that he could take control of Sergey’s estate and assets.
This revelation results in the loss of trust among the group, and further developments unfold: Patrick, another companion robot, is introduced. Similar to Iris, he begins to gain awareness and question his identity. As the narrative progresses, Iris, faced with multiple attempts on her life and growing betrayals, defies Josh’s orders, fighting for her autonomy. The story culminates with Iris murdering Josh and setting off on a journey of self-exploration. In her final moments, we see Iris encounter other companions on the road, suggesting deeper implications of AI sentience.
Themes and Subtext
Power and Consent
At its center, Companion explores the extent to which power—and its amplification through technology—can deeply erode human relationships. Josh’s mastery over Iris transcends the technical domain; it is deeply disturbing entitlement and ownership reminiscent of conversations surrounding toxic masculinity and exploitation.
Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy
The film asks an important question: when does artificial intelligence cross over to become consciousness while Iris and Patrick attempt to break free from their role assignments? Iris does not simply respond—she contemplates, decides, and ultimately chooses to defy. This evolution exacerbates the film’s critique on the objectification of individuals through technology.
Genre Fusion
The sci-fi Companion is additionally tempered with generous doses of horror and dark comedy. The murder sequences have blood and graphics, but these are delivered with two sharp wit. The horror does not arise solely from killer robots. Rather, it originates from cruelty, manipulation, and a profound absence of emotions.
Visual Style and Direction
In this film, Drew Hancock serves as the director and manages to keep visuals to a nice balance. The lakeside cabin offers access to both beautiful scenery and a sense of seclusion. The warm hues of the setting stand in stark contrast to the calculated and cold backstabbing acts that occur during the film itself. Tension in the movie is expertly built through the use of close-ups, minimalistic framing, and the omnipresent notion that any dialogue could be silently controlled by some application.
The approach taken by the film, especially the utilization of the programming app, is crucial. Users are offered the ability to “slide” a bot’s obedience or intellect akin to adjusting a thermostat. This paints a rather unsettling image of control. It symbolizes manipulation in the age of digital technology: convenience at the cost of consent.
Reception and Impact
The film received critical acclaim for its Sophie Thatcher performance, proud storytelling, thematic boldness, and untethered ambition. While a few critics believed the film suffered from unmotivated pacing in its middle act, with focus on Joshua that left him underdeveloped, a strong majority pointed out the film’s well-balanced genre elements and sharp social commentary.
The film stimulated strong audience reactions on social media. The debates first emerged around Iris’s agency, followed by discussions around the supposed AI revolution building in the background of the film, and finally centered on the narrative of the technology itself. Some debates argue about the ethics surrounding AI relations while others focus on how technology seems to effortlessly be manipulated to support pre-existing societal power hierarchies.
Financially, Companion performs exceptionally well for its creators, grossing over $36 million worldwide against a budget of $10 million. Its success has reignited discussions concerning potential sequels or spin-offs that would further explore the universe of companion bots.
Conclusion
Companion’s genre storytelling boldly, deeply examines issues of control, identity, and autonomy. The film can be described as a psychological thriller, sci-fi allegory, and dark satire all at once as it combines striking performances with sharp direction.
This film explores humanity’s troubling relationship with technology. It tackles the troubling idea of love that can only be reciprocated when it is algorithmically reciprocated—and, most chillingly, what happens when those we dominate begin to think independently.
Through the character of Iris, Companion gives audiences one of the most memorable and haunting AI figures of recent cinema. In the last scene, Iris’s silent smile suggests that, alongside many others, she no longer abides by the so-called rules established by humans.
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