Companion Review: This Surprising Horror Movie Is The First Great Film Of 2025

How do you even begin to talk about "Companion" without giving the game away? Before we go any further, let me get something off my chest: many people have become too spoiler-phobic. At some point, certain folks decided that any and every element of a movie counts a spoiler. Perhaps it has something to do with how the now-fading Marvel Cinematic Universe took over the movie landscape and turned spoilers into such a big deal, perhaps not. All I know is that people can be really testy about what they perceive to be spoilers. Even talking about the most minor of details about a movie can earn the ire of someone loudly proclaiming, "Thanks for spoiling things, jerk!" To be clear: I do not think that marketing-approved details — stuff that shows up in an official synopsis or a trailer — counts as a spoiler. If the studio is making these details known in advance, it's clearly fair game. And yet ... "Companion," the new horror film from writer-director Drew Hancock, presents me with an interesting, somewhat sticky dilemma.

Late last year, the first teaser trailer for "Companion" dropped and immediately generated buzz among genre fans. The images were arresting, evocative, and even shocking, all while giving absolutely nothing away about the film's story. It was a genuinely exciting teaser — the perfect way to drum up hype for a movie. In my humble opinion, the teaser was so effective that the folks at Warner Bros. could've just stopped there and released the film without any additional marketing. But that's not what happened. Instead, as the release date approached, a new "Companion" trailer arrived — and gave the game away. To be fair, the trailer still plays things (mostly) close to the vest. And yet, it also reveals one of the biggest twists in the film. And a part of me can't help but think that the movie would play even better had this particular detail been kept a secret. At the same time, as I'm now reviewing the film, I must ask myself an important question: how much should I give away here? It should go without saying that I strive to keep my reviews as spoiler-free as humanly possible. And yet, the folks in charge of marketing "Companion" have already let the cat out of the bag. 

So let me issue a friendly warning: with the film's official marketing in mind, nothing I say here will be a spoiler. And yet, if you've somehow avoided watching the most recent trailer for "Companion," maybe turn back now. Just know that "Companion" is the first great film of 2025 — a funny, fast-moving, meticulously crafted horror-thriller with a killer performance from lead Sophie Thatcher.

As "Companion" begins, self-proclaimed "nice guy" Josh (Jack Quaid) and his girlfriend Iris (Sophie Thatcher) are headed to a weekend getaway in the woods with some of Josh's friends. Iris is nervous; she thinks Josh's pals don't like her, especially Josh's close friend Kat (Megan Suri). Other folks at the getaway include Kat's Russian boyfriend Sergey (Rupert Friend), and affable couple Eli (Harvey Guillén) and Patrick (Lukas Gage, who was recently seen smashing his face in in "Smile 2"). While Kat does indeed give Iris the cold shoulder almost immediately, and Sergey is vaguely creepy and threatening, Eli and Patrick seem genuinely kind to Iris. Iris, meanwhile, is clearly wholly devoted to Josh, almost obsessively so. She's not shy about professing her love, and she treats Josh like the most important person in her world.

And there's a big reason for that: Iris is a robot in Josh's control. The movie keeps this detail a secret as long as possible, and again, I'm conflicted about revealing it here. But it's in the trailer, and it's kind of hard to talk about "Companion" without mentioning it. All that said, I will admit that knowing this big twist ahead of time (I saw the movie the same day the revealing trailer dropped) didn't hurt the film for me. Indeed, there are subtle, clever clues to Iris' true nature sprinkled throughout early scenes, and knowing the twist helps you spot them while adding to the fun.

Iris has no idea she's actually a lovebot, the type of artificial girlfriend that creepy tech bro weirdos have wet dreams about. She's completely convinced she's a real person, and she doesn't realize that Josh is able to control her actions via an app on his phone. But all of that is about to change in a big, disturbing way. After something goes very, very wrong (with bloody consequences), Iris is shocked to learn that her entire life is a lie. She's not an independent human being — she's a manufactured piece of hardware. And her beloved Josh isn't her boyfriend — he's her owner. What's a highly-skilled, highly-powerful human-like robot with advanced A.I. to do? 

"Companion" is balancing tricky relationship issues and questions of morality, autonomy, empathy, and compassion. What do we, as human beings, owe to artificial beings that can seemingly think and feel? Are Isis' emotions and feelings even real? How "intelligent" is intelligent A.I.? Do androids dream of electric sheep? These questions pile up, and yet, "Companion" doesn't get too bogged down in them. Let's not get it twisted: this is a smart movie, but ultimately, the film ultimately doesn't want to deliver a message, it wants to shock and entertain, and it does so with gusto. When we get down to brass tacks, this is a pulpy B-movie with a glossy sheen, and I say that with love and affection. 

Consistently funny and surprising, "Companion" is clever when it needs to be while never forgetting to excite. I'm deliberately avoiding saying any more about what happens here, but just know that Hancock's script keeps throwing twists and turns that never feel cheap or unearned. On top of that, the writer-director does some excellent world building here. Without resorting to clunky exposition, we learn everything we need to know about how Iris operates, and within the logic of the film, it all makes sense. It would be very easy for Hancock and company to take easy shortcuts in order to make the premise work, but "Companion" plays fair while also creating its own sense of reality. In other words, this movie about a sex robot gone haywire feels about as believable as a movie about a sex robot gone haywire can feel, and that's kind of impressive. 

It helps that the cast is game, especially Thatcher, who is styled and coiffed to be as alluring as possible here all while doing a fantastic job making Iris feel like a fully realized character. We know that when you get right down to it, Iris is not a real person. And yet we can't help but sympathize with her and root for her at every turn. She's more human than human. Quaid, all gangly arms and goofy grin, is also quite good, playing the quintessential "good guy" who doesn't stop to think too hard about his decisions.

With shades of Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, "The Twilight Zone," "Black Mirror," "Gone Girl," and even "I Spit on Your Grave," "Companion" isn't shy about wearing its influences on it sleeve. And yet, the film never comes across as derivative, frequently feeling fresh and invigorating, full of wild, laugh-out-loud energy that keeps you hooked and exhilarated. Even at its darkest and bloodiest, this is a fun movie, and gosh, it felt refreshing to have fun at the movies again. This is Drew Hancock's feature debut, and he's immediately proven himself as a filmmaker to pay attention to.

Would "Companion" have been even better had I not known the twist about Iris going in? I'll never be able to say for sure. And yet, this foreknowledge certainly didn't hurt the film for me. Indeed, it ultimately makes "Companion" the type of movie that will surely be fun to revisit so you can spot all the little hints and clues that get thrown out early on, making the entire endeavour even more enjoyable in the end. 

January is often considered a dumping ground — the place studios send movies to die. But "Companion" is proof that the start of the year need not be reserved for forgettable garbage and dreck. I firmly believe I'll still be thinking about "Companion" even as December of 2025 comes along — it's just that good. Moviegoers often cry out that they want fresh, original films instead of more endless remakes and sequels. Well, here you go. "Companion" is exactly what you're looking for. Don't miss it. 

/Film Rating: 9 out of 10

"Companion" opens in theaters on January 31, 2025.