Movie Review ~ Companion

From Sam Raimi’s gleefully grotesque The Evil Dead (and its bonkers sequel) to Drew Goddard’s mega-meta The Cabin in the Woods, filmmakers have found endless ways to make idyllic retreats anything but. Drew Hancock’s Companion, arriving in theaters from New Line Cinema at the tail end of January, taps into a nostalgic lineage while delivering something decidedly more sinister for our doom-scrolling culture.  Expertly blending dark comedy, unexpected violence, and a subtle commentary on the dangers of unchecked dependency on our devices, it’s a film that doesn’t rewire the genre but adds just enough sharp circuitry to leave a lasting impression.

The setup feels almost textbook: Iris (Sophie Thatcher, The Boogeyman) joins her boyfriend, Josh (Jack Quaid, 2022’s Scream), for what should be a peaceful lakeside retreat with his close friends. But in Hancock’s capable hands, this familiar premise transforms into a wickedly clever commentary on modern relationships and trust in the digital age. To say much more would risk spoiling the many surprises Hancock has carefully laid out in his debut feature. While the marketing may have already tipped its hand a bit too much (a trend I wish studios would finally learn to resist), there are still enough twists to keep audiences on edge. The less you know about the shocking revelation that sends this weekend spiraling into mayhem, the better your experience will be. Trust me: go in blind.

As Iris, Thatcher, fresh off her intense turn in Heretic, walks a perilous tightrope between vulnerability and something far more dangerous, delivering a performance that feels electric with unspoken tension. By the time the film reaches its unusually satisfying finale, she’s fully embraced the live-wire nature of the role, giving off the kind of undeniable screen presence that signals a career on the rise.  Quaid brings a disarming charm to Josh that makes him an appealing foil for Thatcher.  There’s chemistry at play, but it’s not quite what you imagine, and it works for the film’s aim.

The supporting cast is equally well-chosen, with Lukas Gage (Smile 2) and Rupert Friend (Asteroid City) delivering as members of the tight ensemble, ensuring their characters stand out but consistently subverting your expectations. Harvey Guillén (Wish), in particular, shines as Eli, injecting the film with much-needed moments of levity without undercutting its tension.  Only Megan Suri (It Lives Inside) comes off a bit adrift because her character is the most thinly written of the bunch, strange considering how well-defined Iris is. You’d think Hancock would have applied some of that same detailing to Suri’s snooty schemer.

Hancock’s script, though initially reminiscent of Black Mirror, gradually sheds its tech-thriller skin to reveal a razor-sharp dark comedy that’s as self-aware as it is unapologetically violent. It’s a tricky balance to strike, but Hancock pulls it off with remarkable confidence, keeping the pacing taut and the stakes high for what is essentially a one-joke concept.  At a brisk hour and a half, the film never overstays its welcome, avoiding the kind of bloat that often plagues similarly high-concept horror.

Set in the near future but avoiding the dystopian clichés of neon skyscrapers and endless rain, the movie traps its characters in a world close enough to ours to feel uncomfortably familar. How far into the future are we, actually?  This is thanks, in large part, to Scott Kuzio’s smart production design, which crafts a stabilized tech-tinged environment that frames the plot themes without stealing focus. Add to that Eli Born’s evocative cinematography—capturing isolation and paranoia with precision—and Hrishikesh Hirway’s eerie, deceptively dreamlike score, and Companion feels as if it’s holding a mirror up to our present while tilting it just enough to keep us guessing at its ultimate angle.

Under closer inspection, there are a few loose threads where the film’s internal logic strains under the weight of its own ambition. However, these quibbles feel minor because of how much Companion gets right. It’s the kind of movie that thrives on a big screen with an engaged audience. At the screening I attended, the crowd’s audible reactions to not just the horror but some laughably ludicrous (in a good way) lines of dialogue showed how well it could unsettle and entertain in equal measure.

Beneath its blood-spattered surface, Companion also offers a sly commentary on the increasingly blurry line between technology and intimacy. Without hammering the point home, the film asks disconcerting questions about how much of ourselves we’re willing to give away in exchange for convenience, connection, or, perhaps, control. This is what gives the film its bite, elevating it beyond the realm of disposable genre fare.

If 2024 showed us anything about the genre, the horror landscape is ever-evolving.  We’re less than a month into the new year, and the POV horror flick Presence from Steven Soderbergh has made you think and along comes the stylish Companion to deliver exactly what discerning horror fans crave: intelligent thrills, good actors creating memorable characters, and enough depth in the narrative to allow you to discuss it at length after.  Just remember to silence your phones before entering the theater – you won’t want any real-world technology interrupting this particular cautionary tale.