I’ve always been very polite to my Alexa, ya know, just in case.
“All monsters are human” was a poignant line delivered by Jessica Lange in “American Horror Story: Season 2” that sums up my takeaways from this movie. Maybe it’s time to reconsider our relationship with AI.
Can we call it a “body horror” even if that body is not human? This film proves we can.
“Companion” contains a little bit of every genre — sci-fi, comedy, romance, action, and horror all rolled into one twisty thrill ride through what could very well be our near future. There will be blood, love, and technology.
Finally, a smart, fresh tale that hasn’t been told before. Writer and director Drew Hancock has spun a hot sci-fi take on the classic “nature versus nurture” debacle while conveying an underlying feminist commentary that sticks with viewers even after the credits roll.
The new film, now playing in theaters, stars up-and-comers Sophie Thatcher (“Yellowjackets”, “Heretic”) and Jack Quaid (“The Boys”). Also filling out the cast in supporting roles is more young, rising actors, including Megan Suri (“Never Have I Ever”), Harvey Guillén (FX’s “What We Do in the Shadows”), and Lukas Gage (“Smile 2,” “The White Lotus”).
The trailers already revealed that Isis is a bot, so that’s as far as I’ll go with spoilers here because there are countless delightful and disturbing surprises in store for every movie-goer. This crazy story kept me guessing (and gasping) from beginning to end.
Sophie Thatcher has big final girl energy. While the thriller show “Yellowjackets” stars a bunch of excellent big-name actresses that earned Emmy noms for their roles, for me it was Sophie Thatcher that stole the show as young Natalie. I said it then, ‘This girl is going to be a huge star.’ Now as the leading actress in “Companion,” her future as a scream queen is cemented.
This was also something worth seeing on the big screen that isn’t an MCU flick. Though it’s a fantasy horror at its core, the film doesn’t rely on grandiose CGI sequences to get its message across. It’s very realistic, hauntingly so. I saw it on the Regal in Dickson City’s IMAX screen and that certainly added to the impact!
Rockin’ a commendable 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, “Companion” is at the top of the 2025 Valentine’s season releases. I laughed, I cried, I covered my eyes. My emotions ran the gamut through this heart-pounding tale that starts as a simple friends’ vacation in the woods.
I’ll leave the Movie Meow ratings to my fellow critic, Christopher Vernon, but I will finish my review with one final thought…
Good for her, even if she’s a robot.
