Carl Roberts 
“Companion is a delightful surprise from the start. Its blend of violence, gore and unexpected laughs makes it a terrific crowd-pleaser.”
Companion is the latest movie from writer and director Drew Hancock. Featuring Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid alongside Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guillén, and Rupert Friend, the movie is a romantic horror film. It tells the story of a weekend getaway among friends at a remote cabin, which unravels into chaos after a revelation that one of the guests isn’t what they seem. So far, so normal for a film of this kind. However, you’d be wrong on so many levels. If you have seen the trailers, you’ll know the film contains a surprise that is a major spoiler. If you haven’t, avoid them like the plague, go and see it clean. The less you know about the film, the better. But no matter if you do know the surprise beforehand or you don’t, the film will blow you away.
PREMISE
A billionaire’s death sets off a chain of events for Iris and her friends during a weekend trip to his lakeside estate.
THOUGHTS
I can’t go TOO much into what the film contains or we will be in spoiler territory. However, this is top-notch cinema entertainment. From the very start, we fall in love with Iris (Sophie Thatcher) and Josh (Jack Quaid) and their first meeting. It is these two characters that we will follow and spend most of our time with. And that isn’t a bad thing. While the rest of the cast all add great support during the film, Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid blow the audience away. Our feelings towards one of them do change after a mid-film twist but we can’t help but love both of them.
The film contains plenty of violence, bloodletting, and gore, but it also has a lot of unexpected humor to it. And I do mean a lot. At times, we should be appalled by what we see on screen but instead, we find ourselves laughing as the film rarely takes itself too seriously.
A DARK ELEMENT
However, the film contains a dark element that rears its ugly head, casting an unsightly shadow on the proceedings. The theme of male control, domination, and domestic violence. No matter the fun to be had with the film, this dark undertone resonates with us, hitting a bit too close to home. With the knowledge that these actions happen on a daily basis around the world, the film doesn’t shy away from these aspects. It doesn’t allow us to brush this element of the film off, bringing home the horror and terror that these actions cause. Kudos has to go to Drew Hancock for adding this to his screenplay and bringing this vital issue to us through the medium of his movie. It is an uncomfortable aspect of an enjoyable film.
SOPHIE THATCHER
Sophie Thatcher gives us a career-best performance as Iris. From the very second we meet her, we are in love with her. She comes across as sweet, innocent and someone we could so easily be friends with. Her kind and gentle nature hardly waver during the first quarter of the film, making us comfortable in her presence. However, after a shocking act which brings this quarter to a close, we suddenly see a different side to Iris, one we are not sure of. No matter how we view this, we still hold a lot of affection for her. And this is all down to Sophie Thatcher and her portrayal of Iris. Despite some of the acts, although unintentional, that Iris commits, we are never afraid of her. We are afraid FOR her.
By the time we reach the end credits, Iris has been through the wringer in more ways than one. Sophie Thatcher instills such feelings of warmth and emotion in her performance that we can’t help but love Iris. Every time Iris is threatened, we want to reach inside the screen, into the film and help her as much as we can. We feel every tear Iris sheds, we feel every emotion, all her pain until it reaches a crescendo that makes our hearts want to burst for her. Sophie Thatcher not only leads the film but carries half the weight that the film contains on her shoulders superbly.
JACK QUAID
Jack Quaid is the other half of the equation and, in doing so, also delivers a career-best performance. Forget Ritchie in Scream and Hughie in The Boys, Quaid has never been better in his role as Josh, Iris’ boyfriend. Again, from the start of the film, we find ourselves liking him, that grin of his winning us over. Again, for the first quarter of the film, he has us in the palm of his hand.
But again, we get to the quarter mark of the film and then we are thrown a curveball which changes everything, giving the film a more sinister edge to it. When we finally discover what is going on, who is who, and what lies behind their exteriors, we find our allegiances shifting. And that is the beauty of it all. No matter if Quaid is a villain or a hero, we can’t help but find ourselves liking him.
Once again, we can’t tear our eyes off of him. He also is gifted some hilarious lines of dialogue and events that befall him that find us laughing out loud. By the time we reach the climax, we know how we feel about him and his actions through three-quarters of the film after the revelations. But at no time does Quaid’s performance or enjoyment levels drop. He, like Sophie Thatcher, is superb throughout.
THE SUPPORTING CAST
The supporting cast all play their roles well. The one person who stands out the most is Lukas Gage as Patrick, the boyfriend of Harvey Guillén’s Eli. We find ourselves liking Patrick from the moment we meet him, feelings that continue through most of the movie. Megan Suri as Kat and Rupert Friend as Sergey also prove their worth during the film, Friend to a lesser extent as his role is the one that sets the main crux and twists in motion. Megan Suri holds her own as Sergey’s wife, one who has serious revelations about her relationship and where it’s going, and how it is at that moment. Whereas Guillén comes across as completely likable and completely devoted to Patrick. The sequence where he and Patrick first meet actually warms our hearts, another surprise in a film full of surprises.
WRITING AND DIRECTING
Drew Hancock pulls off a masterstroke by directing his own screenplay. Every shot fits perfectly with the narrative he has created. Without spoiling things, the basic premise is something we have seen before, but not like this. Hancock has taken the idea and completely turned it on its head. Instead of being a straight-up horror movie, he has given it a huge sense of fun. He knows the premise is an outlandish one and embraces it fully, bringing us a film that thrills and occasionally scares but is never less than entertaining. The only problem I had with his screenplay was the revelation of the ending immediately at the beginning. How and why it happens is a fun trip getting to but we do feel robbed of a surprise. This, though, is a minor quibble in a film that we really can’t have any quibbles at. And he also delivers a death that is one of the most brutal we’ve seen on screen for a while. Deserved, yes, but brutal in the extreme.
VERDICT
Companion is a delightful surprise from the start. Its blend of violence, gore, and unexpected laughs makes it a terrific crowd-pleaser. Considering the first month of 2025 isn’t yet over, we have an early contender for one of the most enjoyable films of the year and one that will be hard to top. Of course, it isn’t high art and won’t win any Oscars, but that hardly matters. This is for all of us who go to the movies for a good time, an escape from everyday life and anything that may be bothering or affecting us. And believe me, when the film starts, you are in for a good time, one that you’ll want to repeat several times over at least.
When we get to the end of the film, we will get a reminder of another classic movie from yesteryear. Again, no spoilers, but you will know it when you see it. Far from having us groan, it again elicits a laugh from us, adding another layer of enjoyment to a film that surprises us with its sheer enjoyment levels. This is a different kind of love story, one that showcases Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid’s talents to the full. This is the first great film of 2025, one full of originality. Sit back, relax, and find someone made just for you…if you dare!
Companion will be in cinemas starting Friday, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
