The teaser trailer for Drew Hancock’s Companion charmed me. The film itself chagrined me.
Presented as a twisted sci-fi horror film from the same creators that brought us Barbarian (2022) just a couple short years ago, Companion instead plays out like an uninspired sci-fi “thriller” (a weird way to describe a film with few thrills) with either too much or too little on its mind.
During a weekend getaway to a remote log cabin, Iris (Sophie Thatcher) realizes that she is actually a “companion robot” for one of the worst movie Joshes ever (Jack Quaid). Josh has used Iris as both his lover and as part of a nefarious scheme.
The role that AI is playing and will continue to play in our society is certainly something Companion is attempting to grapple with. The problem is that it does not approach questions about AI or technology with any sort of depth. Instead, it relies too heavily on an overly silly tone that does not at all match the deep themes it thinks it’s addressing. The tonal direction Hancock takes might lead to some chuckles, but it feels like a frustrating way to take the movie overall. It aims for both serious critique and social satire, failing to really hit either target. As a result, the film is neither as fun nor as smart as it thinks it is.
Rating: 2/5