Why do humans rely on technology? They do for many reasons such as organization, boredom, and life essentials. But where is the line drawn? It is drawn at utilizing technology to enable human connections. Writer and director Drew Hancock pushes the boundaries of AI in Companion. It is a film that correlates with robot and human suspense for an entertaining result. The level of seriousness just right. Companion is about a matter that goes awry which leads to twists and secrets to be revealed.

The film focuses on a couple, Iris and Josh (played by Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid). They go on a weekend getaway at a lake house with friends. The other folks are a gay couple, Eli and Patrick (played by Harvey Guillen and Lukas Gage). There are also Sergey and Kat (played by Rupert Friend and Megan Suri). Iris is a robot and her emotions are mixed. Josh tells her, “Remember to smile and act happy!” For Iris, this is rather complicated. She displays feelings of tension which arecultivated by the narration from the very beginning of the film. The script delivers the key fact that Iris is not a normal human. Her sensitivity is the cornerstone of intriguing suspense in Companion.

The film’s genius is aided by the uncomfortable vibe in its lake house setting. Given Iris already has a boiling mind of vengeance, Companion loops in the feeling that many cans of worms are waiting to be released. Companion boils until the film’s point of destruction as so much goes wrong along the way. Iris commits homicide due to being unable to properly handle human emotions. After the homicide she walks into the living room holding a knife with spattered blood. Josh, Kat, Eli, and Patrick are stunned and horrified. Josh must figure out how to clean-up Iris’s mess which was prompted by a technical failure. Josh refers to Iris as a “companion robot” or “emotional robot.” He does this to try and cover his tracks before her functions worsen… which they certainly do. 

The film gets hysterical when it becomes a battle between an “emotional support robot” against real humans. On top of that,the scenes have an interactive component when the “emotional support robot” uses the functions on a tablet to help with functionality. This happens in moments of suspense. The storyline of covering up a murder and getting a crazy machine on the loose is results in a crazy ride that dangles shambles of wonderous audacity in Companion. AI takes a deadly turn of demise in Companion. Despite the quirky layout, what makes this film a gem is its ability to create an atmosphere where viewers must think. There is more here than what is expected and that gets the audience involved.

The vividness comes from the desperation in the performances of Thatcher and Quaid. Since Thatcher is a machine and Quaid is the consumer (of her). The error falls on both sides but there is no excuse for the cause. They both have the minds to fend for their lives. The film’s message is NEVER RELY ON TECHNOLOGY FOR HUMAN EMOTIONS! No good comes from that! The creativity behind the boisterous disasters results in a grandeur of comedy and suspense with technology going full throttle. Not entirely a masterpiece, but very close. Three out of four stars for Companion.