Sophie Thatcher And Jack Quaid Star In AI Horror Film, Companion
There’s been a few films in recent years about robots going rogue (Like the highly successful M3GAN), just to make you feel a bit on your toes about the rise of AI- and new horror film Companion is another entry into that genre.
The latest release follows Yellowjackets star Sophie Thatcher and The Boys’ Jack Quaid, a couple who are part of a group of friends that go for a weekend away in a lakeside estate. But Iris (Thatcher) is actually a robot designed to be a housewife, and unfortunately, things go violently wrong part way through the trip, turning everything on its head.
What do we know about Companion?
Josh (Quaid) is in love with Iris, a robot companion designed to be the girlfriend he always wanted. She can be customised in terms of personality traits to his liking, will never harm him and cannot lie, and they start a happy relationship after meeting. But Iris has no idea of the truth of her robotic origin and believes that she’s as human as everyone else. They’re both invited away for a weekend getaway at a lakeside estate alongside Kat (Megan Suri), Sergey (Rupert Friend), Eli (Harvey Guillén), and Patrick (Lukas Gage). So far, so luxurious, with Josh and Iris acquainting themselves with the luxury of the estate and their group of companions – but things suddenly start going very wrong. Iris, despite her design to be totally harmless, becomes violent and apparently murderous, with the trailer revealing that she eventually even kills Josh.
The film, of course, is in premise about a robot that turns bad and starts slashing, but there’s more beneath the surface. Not only are there themes of the ethics of technology and how we treat artificial intelligence that humans create, but there’s also commentary about relationships in general. There’s a nod in the trailer to the power dynamics that Josh and Iris have, with him being able to create a perfect girlfriend that apparently just means being docile and without personality. “The days of you controlling me are over,” she says as she confronts him after she becomes self-aware. Furthermore, it’s not quite clear if Iris fully intends to do harm to others. Oh, and if you’re worried about too much plot being given away (like the fact the trailer plainly states Josh will die), there’s more up the film’s sleeve and more twists than is at first apparent.
When does Companion release?
Companion is set to release in the UK on 31st January, meaning it’ll still be playing in cinemas around the Valentine’s Day period if you want a horror film about relationships to take your date to. (Or check out our guide to anti-Valentine’s films).
