DVD Corner

Companion 4K UHD Review

“Companion” is a surprising multi-genre film.

Written and directed by Drew Hancock, “Companion” is told from the perspective of Iris. She accompanies her boyfriend Josh to a getaway retreat alongside couples Eli and Patrick and Kat and Sergey. Sergey owns the luxury lake house that everyone is staying at. The story takes a different direction when we see Iris killing Sergey. It turns out Iris is a companion robot that Josh rented. Josh modified and controlled her to kill Sergey for reasons that will later become apparent. Freaked out, Iris goes rogue and essentially has to fight for her life while the others track her down. There’s a lot more going on here than that, but this is really the type of movie that will be more satisfying the less you know going in.

Evil robot/AI stories such as “M3GAN” have become quite common in this day and age so it was refreshing to see “Companion” go against that trend. Drew Hancock concocted a sci-fi story that is not only told from the perspective of a robot coming to terms with who she is, but it explores the dark side of humanity. Themes of codependency, toxic relationships, technological dependence, reality and fantasy, and greed are touched upon here in a story that also dives into multiple genres. In addition to being a sci-fi tale, it’s also part romance, part thriller, part heist film, part horror film, and part existential coming-of-age film. It sounds like a lot on paper, but Hancock juggles everything well in a tight 97 minute runtime. There’s not a wasted moment to be found here and the story keeps surprising you with twists and turns along the way. 

Having starred in films and shows like “Heretic” and “Yellowjackets,” it’s clear that Sophie Thatcher is a rising star. Her role as Iris is arguably her best to date. It’s nice to see her get a deep starring role in which she has a great character to work with. Much like Thatcher, Jack Quaid is everywhere these days. He shows some range here in a role that is different than usual for him. Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Rupert Friend, and “What We Do In The Shadows” breakout Harvey Guillén also shine in their respective roles.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.39:1 2160p. How does it look? The 4K disc offers up a crystal clear transfer. 

Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? This effective Atmos track hits all the right notes.

Extras:
* Digital copy
* “Companion: I Feel, Therefore I Am”- A featurette on the character of Iris and her relationship with Josh.
* “Companion: Love, Eli”- A featurette on Eli and Patrick.
* “AI Horror” revolves around the AI storyline in the film.

April 1, 2025 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | Companion 4K UHD Review, Companion Movie, Jack Quaid, Sci-fi, Sophie Thatcher