‘Go to sleep, Josh...’
We keep finding new ways to say that artificial intelligence is bad. Not because the technology itself is a bad thing but because the human race is made up of garbage people who will always use AI to advance their own insidious agendas. Companion borrows from Ex-Machina, Black Mirror and many others when warning of the dangers of AI but it does so in a way that incorporates toxic masculinity, power dynamics and manipulation…
Josh (Jack Quaid) and Iris (Sophie Thatcher) are a seemingly well-adjusted and loving couple. Iris seems a little insecure perhaps but other than that, a gathering at their friend’s secluded lake-house appears to be running smoothly. Things go south quickly, however, when Sergey (Rupert Friend), a boyfriend of one of the other guests, makes a pass at Iris and so she murders him. Because it turns out she’s actually a robot. Heartrendingly, she doesn’t know she’s a robot, and some of the film’s best moments come when Thatcher as Iris reckons with this information.
Aside from the performances, it should also be noted that while Companion starts out in a way that is satisfying but predictable, the plot takes several twists and turns that I did not see coming. First-time writer-director Drew Hancock weaves in plenty of social commentary, but he never loses sight of ensuring the film remains captivating throughout with a slippery plot leading to a showstopping conclusion.
Companion is playing in the same sandpit as many other films within this genre, but it retains a sense of unpredictability that combines with the distinct voice of the director to create something genuinely innovative – an excellent genre film.
