Companion (2025)
One of the most rewarding experiences as a moviegoer is going to see a movie with little to no expectations only to be pleasantly surprised by it. The trailer for writer/director Drew Hancock's Companion made it seem like just another gory horror film, of which there are plenty. But, in reality, the marketing team had a method to their madness. They clearly realized that the fiendishly clever Companion is best enjoyed without any spoilers (but even if you happen to catch a spoiler, it's still well worth seeing).
It's also not really accurate to call Companion
a horror film. Are there elements of horror? Yes, and a couple (but only a
couple) of ultra-gory moments might keep it from having even broader appeal.
But that said, the film is actually a hybrid of the horror, sci-fi, comedy, and
perfect-crime-gone-horribly-wrong genres.
The story's most basic spoiler-free
setup is this: Iris (Sophie Thatcher) is traveling with her boyfriend Josh
(Jack Quaid) to stay at a luxurious, remote lake house owned by a Russian
billionaire (Rupert Friend), who is dating Josh's friend Kat (Megan Suri). Also
at the cabin is the gay couple Eli and Patrick (Harvey Guillen and Lukas Gage).
Iris is desperately in love with Josh but is troubled by the nagging thought
that the house's other inhabitants hate her.
And…that's as far as this review will
go in terms of plot, except to say a violent death occurs at the end of act one
of Hancock's inventive script. Things spiral from there. Aside from Hancock's
script, the film's biggest asset is Thatcher. She was good in last fall's solid
horror outing Heretic, but she turns in a star-making performance here.
For the movie to work, the audience has to like/feel bad for/root for Iris.
Thatcher nails the part, and most viewers will be cheering her on as she
navigates the story's crazy twists.
January can often be a dumping ground
for bad movies and mediocrities, but Companion is a refreshing
exception.
