Since the release of Alex Garland’s 2014 sci-fi film Ex Machina, conversations surrounding artificial intelligence and the ethics of how humans use it have come to the forefront. Questions about whether robots can feel things or if there’s even a slight possibility that they possess autonomy are more relevant than ever in our continuously shifting modern age. Drew Hancock’s intriguing directorial debut Companion explores the intricacies of A.I., companionship, greed, and morality with a sinister sensibility.
Yellowjacket’s own Sophie Thatcher plays Iris and is no stranger to horror films and playing complex characters. Built by the tech company Empathix, Iris is a perfect companion robot programmed to do whatever her boyfriend, Josh (Jack Quaid), desires. They spend the weekend with friends in the secluded lake house of a Russian billionaire, Sergey (Rupert Friend), where nothing goes as planned and everyone’s true colors are revealed in a warped progression of twists and turns, intelligently unraveling into an amusing, diabolical, and darkly comedic sci-fi thriller.
Setting the film in the remote woods of upstate New York adds to the alienation and loneliness Iris experiences in her co-dependent relationship with Josh— a selfish, narcissistic, and horrible human being who only cares about himself and his best interests. There are many twists in the movie, but, one of the big ones, in particular, demonstrates how Josh discards his friends when they’re of no use to him any longer. The supporting performances from Lukas Gage (Patrick), Harvey Guillen (Eli), and Megan Suri (Kat) are compelling, funny, and three-dimensional. Hancock gives his characters depth and makes them more than names on a page — he breathes life into them.

In the dreamy opening sequence, Iris and Josh meet in an empty grocery store, they lock eyes; it’s like love at first sight and sets the tone for what’s to come. Thatcher and Quaid’s chemistry is magnetic. The quippy one-liners and sharply written dialogue add gravity and realism to the story—watching their banter is fun and exciting.
A central part of their power dynamic is them constantly outsmarting one another, yet Iris is the one who comes out on top. At first, the cat-and-mouse chase is between Iris and Josh, but he ropes his friends into the plan to capture and turn her off because she turns unpredictable and misbehaves. Things get out of control, lives are lost senselessly, and there’s no telling what might happen next.
In a tense scene between Josh and Iris, he reveals to her that she’s a robot and that everything she says and does is programming. She’s bound to a chair, immobilized, and helpless. Thatcher’s performance is powerful and believable as she slowly realizes what she is, and it is heartbreaking to see her reaction. He undermines and treats her as an object, but it’s a delicious delight to revel in what fate has in store for him…and the final result is gruesome. At last, he is relegated to the physical, emotional, and psychological torment that Iris endured for so many years of their being together.

Watching Iris’ arc throughout the film is fascinating, as she goes from a lifeless, subservient companion to an autonomous robot who finally breaks free from Josh’s grip and can forge her freedom, one she rightly deserves. She becomes more humanistic, developing thoughts and emotions. Thatcher stunningly embodies these shifts, from facial ticks to physical mannerisms, her development and evolution evident. Iris is the movie’s A.I. final girl and she makes it easy to root for her.
On the other hand, Josh doesn’t change at all. He is the same person from the start and doesn’t learn anything by the film’s end. He would only “change” if it benefited him in the moment. Quaid goes from naturally quirky and charming to aggressive, violent, and demeaning when things don’t go his way. Fittingly, casting Quaid as the ultimate villain in the film mirrors his entry into the horror genre (most notably, his role as Richie Kirsch, one of the masked killers from 2022’s Scream 5). He proves that he has range as an actor— and it’s a treat to watch him step into these challenging and colorful roles.
Companion is a brilliant film that subverts expectations and never loses sight of its sense of urgency. Hancock conjures up conceptually interesting ideas that add substance and weight to the narrative. Rarely have we encountered stories about female robots in cinema that are liberating and optimistic. Iris will remain in history as one of the best A.I. protagonists ever put to screen and the final image of her smiling while driving down an empty highway in a classic vintage car is seriously cool.
Companion is released on January 31st.