Companion was a super-enjoyable film with a not-so-subtle commentary about how we, as a society, use and abuse technology, including AI, for our comforts. Which shouldn’t be a surprise considering we do that each other.

Often funny, and filled with sharp dialogue, and whip-smart performances from Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, and Harvey Guillen.

You know from the opening narration that you’re in for a treat, Sophie’s character Iris sets up what starts to feel like a wonderful rom-com love story, and then it ends with the revelation that she’s going to kill Quaid’s character Josh before the end of the film. And that just hangs there, adding an unspoken tension to what plays out for the next hour and a half.

Iris isn’t real. We know something is off from the beginning, and if you’ve seen the poster this isn’t a spoiler. She’s a robot, an android, a replicant.

Iris and Josh are joining a group of friends at a remote, ‘rustic,’ ‘small’ cabin for a weekend getaway. They are joining Kat (Megan Suri), Eli (Guillen), Patrick (Lukas Gage) and Sergey (Rupert Friend).

Kat is stand-offish with Iris, but there’s so much more going on here than what’s on the surface. With one moment, something horrible is done, changing everything, and putting Iris in a whole new light.

Thatcher is wonderful here and brings Iris to life beautifully, and subtle changes in her performance shows how she is used and manipulated.

And I love Quaid in this. He’s so good at comedy, and then when he gets darker, its jarring but incredibly believable, and consequently, scary, frightening. Josh is a manipulator, and has no real respect for anything but his own feelings. He uses technology without appreciating it.

All of this is going to come out in an engaging, bloody ride that entertains and raises all manner of questions about human behaviour.

I really enjoyed this one. It was well-crafted, the effects were great, and there’s a real tension to the narrative. It also explores important themes that are becoming more and more prevalent in society, not only how we treat technology, but how we treat one another.

Companion doesn’t overstay its welcome, with its brisk runtime, there isn’t a wasted scene or line of dialogue. Everything works to further the narrative and its characters. It’s smart, fun, and has a lot of fun with its ideas.

Hancock, who served not only as director, but wrote the film as well, had a solid vision for the story, and brought it to vibrant life. This one is definitely one to check out, enjoy, and then discuss when the credits roll.