Companion (Hancock, 2025)

In a time where the horror genre could use something fresh, Companion (Hancock, 2025) comes in with a few twists and turns that keep you on your toes. Writer and director Drew Hancock creates a new spin on the artificial companion and the companion herself Sophie Thatcher (Iris) delivers a stellar performance from beginning to end.

Iris (Thatcher) and Josh (Jack Quaid) join their friends – Kat (Megan Suri), Eli (Harvey Gullién) and Patrick (Lukas Gage) – on a weekend getaway at a remote cabin, which which belongs to Sergei (Rupert Friend), Kat’s Russian boyfriend. The three friends – Josh, Kat, and Eli – all seem to have a secret language, and their partners are separate from that. As the weekend unravels and tensions rise, chaos erupts, and it is revealed that one of the cabin’s guests happens to be a companion robot. While some might have been able to tell, surprisingly the typically given plot description, along with the trailer, doesn’t lead you to believe you’ll know entirely, if at all, what the film is about and what is about to unravel.

Where Hancock excels is the subtlety in hinting Iris’ true form. The audience is made to believe that nobody knows there is a companion robot among them. But as the plot plays out, Companion makes all the more sense. Hinting that Iris wasn’t “built that way” and so on, could just be a really sinical way of looking at life, or in fact, hinting to the audience who the robot is. Changing the pace from previous AI companion films, Hancock’s script causes the the audience to question whether or not Iris knows she is AI or not.

The unknowing audience follow along as the friends uncover the true purpose of the weekend getaway and this feels more original compared to recent horror films. There are different twists, and Hancock keeps the audience hooked right off the bat. The horror element is a bit more subtle in Companion – covered in bright colours, at times, and Eli and Patrick bringing that typical “gay character(s)” elements of comedy. Adding your running through the woods chase scene extends the setting from just the secluded cabin and keeps the elements of horror there while combining a bit of thriller into the mix. Companion contains less jump scares and a bit more gore. If you end up jumping out of your seat, it is most likely due to the kill that had such a good level of anticipation built up until it happened.

And it all could have been completely different if Sophie Thatcher had not been cast as the titular Companion, Iris. Just as horrific, in the best way possible, as her performance in last year’s film Heretic (Beck & Woods, 2024), Thatcher embodies Iris and allows the audience to develop an emotional connection with her. Just like Josh feels for his robot companion, the audience feels for Iris throughout the entire unravelment of the weekend getaway chaos. The way Thatcher speaks, and moves is alluring, and her performance steals the show. Then, combined with the film’s score and the setting, the tone of her voice adds to the intensity and tension that continues to rise as the film goes on.

Unlike any horror film I’ve seen, or at least something new to be seen, Companion has just released in cinemas. This time, be sure to see it if it’s screening in a cinema near you. You won’t want to miss this ride.