Companion – A Fun Exercise That Could Have Been More

Every once and a while a film comes along and decides to shake things up, in 2022, one such films was Barbarian. The film exploded onto the scene, confounding and shocking spectators with its subversive bend of genre and form, especially for the modern era of horror. Writer/Director Zach Cregger, and company, collectively established a sleeper hit and a must-see film wherein its subversion exists within its very cast. As a result, many audiences nowadays may see the promotional material for Drew Hancock’s Companion and jump at the sight of “from the team that brought you Barbarian” but be aware, this film is a different one altogether, despite the two films sharing a production team. That isn’t to say subversion doesn’t lie within this film’s code as it seeks to upend the conventions of the romcom genre while satirically assessing millennial/incel culture and the limits of technological reliance.

In many ways, Companion feels prescient to today through its establishment of neurochips along with the evolution of artificial intelligence. However, as it continues, the film appears more concerned with providing fun, albeit contrived, genre fare while pivoting the discussion towards such themes as insecure men and toxic relationships. Although that conversation is more than welcome, that shift leads to the loss of some of its original charm and instead, exchanges it for something less distinct. Hancock’s debut is an entertaining feature colored in blood red and pastel pink, but is one that loses significance once the credits roll. That being said, the film has an ace up its sleeve in Sophie Thatcher, who delivers an exciting and versatile performance as Iris, a character many horror fans will take immense pleasure in rooting for.

Hancock’s tale takes place in the near future, a future which finds internet lust manifesting itself into the production and distribution of ‘Companion Bots,’ androids designed to fit their owners’ every need. Whether it be sexual or emotional, they are designed to illicit happiness in the owner and fulfill their desire. The film centers around Iris and her relationship with Josh (Quaid) as the pair venture off to a cottage for an exciting weekend of debauchery. A weekend which she believed to be yet another moment in a relationship of them, little did she know the events that would lie in her path. Thatcher portrays Iris with a naive sense of humanity, as if she feels like the kind of character ripped right out of a Nicholas Sparks novel (minus the sadness).

Iris presents as someone so full of life and humanity that when the film starts to move and she begins to change, audiences will find themselves not only pulled in but also riveted by the dynamics of Thatcher’s rousing performance. She is not a complicated character, but Thatcher imbues her with a sense of newfound discovery and ability akin to what has been seen in such films as Blade Runner and A.I.. Meanwhile, she is pursued by a supporting cast who seek to embody every facet of millennial or incel culture, each carving out a character portrait like what one would see on an Instagram reel. While they all offer up good performances, the writing lacks the depth needed to take it to the next level. Rather, the characters feel like punchlines and stereotypes waiting for definition. There is fun in the genre setting the film is navigating, however, it struggles to reach the heights of other subversive genre fare.

On the technical side, the film is well directed as Hancock shows prowess behind the camera. The film has a few exciting stylistic flairs and has fun throwing blood and vulgarity around while occasionally posing some questions. Overall, Companion is a good looking, well-acted, and well-presented film that just falls a little short of what it could have been. In the wake of films like The Substance and Barbarian, the opportunity for genre is back, and although Companion shares their influences and interests, it fails to relish in its genre coating and instead, becomes a fun exercise led by a fantastic central performance rather than the genre mash bloodbath it could be.

still courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

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Brad Simon

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