SPOILER WARNING: The next article offers away the Companion ending, and that of one other movie with comparable themes. So, when you have not but seen the brand new sci-fi film, I like to recommend you proceed with warning as a result of, when you end studying, it’s not like you possibly can reset your reminiscence to its manufacturing unit settings… proper?
Whereas not an overt horror film like just a few different current 2025 film releases, Companion remains to be, simply, my alternative for the primary nice horror film of the 12 months. Author and director Drew Hancock’s humorous thriller a few lady named Iris (Sophie Thatcher) who discovers, by way of some grisly circumstances, that she is a extremely superior robotic bought by her “boyfriend,” Josh (Jack Quaid), is as enjoyable, subversive, and thought-provoking as any of one of the best Black Mirror episodes I’ve ever seen.
Nevertheless, I can’t ignore the truth that the conclusion of the in any other case intelligent story felt just a bit too acquainted to me. Particularly, it feels virtually like a rewrite of the ending to what I imagine is without doubt one of the greatest sci-fi films of the twenty first century, not to mention all time. Some followers of nice A24 films who’ve additionally seen Companion most likely already know what I’m referring to however, for these unaware, enable me to clarify…
The Companion Ending Closely Mirrors Ex Machina
28 Days Later author Alex Garland made his directorial debut in 2015 with the Academy Award-winning Ex Machina, wherein pc programmer Caleb (Domnhall Gleeson) is chosen by tech billionaire Nathan (Oscar Isaac) to take part in an experiment involving his revolutionary humanoid A.I. creation referred to as Ava (Oscar winner Alicia Vikander). Quick ahead to the top: Ava manages to govern Caleb into serving to her escape the clutches of Nathan, whom she additionally kills, earlier than leaving him trapped inside Nathan’s house and going off to expertise the skin world for the primary time.
The ultimate act of Companion sees Iris, having gained full management of her OS with a technician’s assist, killing the manipulative Josh by jamming a battery-powered wine bottle opener in his temple – an superior closing kill added final minute – and driving away to be her personal particular person. Lengthy story brief, each movies conclude with the robotic feminine lead character, primarily, killing the human male lead earlier than going off to dwell a lifetime of her personal. Nevertheless, that’s removed from a deal-breaker for me.
Companion Shifts The Tone Utterly
Regardless of their distinct similarities, Companion does vastly stand out from the Ex Machina ending, due to contextual variations that make for a dramatically contrasting tone. Whereas Ava and Iris had been each prisoners to abusive males, Ava’s escape to freedom has a extra ominous high quality, contemplating she deceptively coerces the largely harmless Caleb into being her ally solely to go away him locked in a room the place he’ll greater than possible starve to demise.
Nevertheless, Companion paints Iris in a completely empathetic mild, particularly by making Josh a sadistic, self-absorbed scumbag that Quaid rightfully compares to his 2022 Scream character, homicidal horror fanboy Richie. Thus, watching her kill Josh – a scene Quaid himself described as “cathartic” to EW, which I might strongly agree with – and turning into the final one standing feels 100% justified and even fairly heartwarming.
It Is Normally In opposition to My Philosophy To Root For The Robotic
I’m a staunch, self-described technophobe, which doesn’t imply I’m in opposition to improvements like smartphones, automated vacuums, or something helpful like that, however I’m very involved in regards to the current developments and elevated reliance on synthetic intelligence. So, it most likely comes as no shock that I understand Ex Machina as a needed cautionary story, see Ava because the true final villain of the story, and discover myself deeply haunted by that ending to at the present time.
Nevertheless, I don’t really feel that means about Companion – not simply due to the contextual and tonal variations I described above, but additionally as a result of its tech-based themes are extra symbolic than that of Ex Machina, and Iris is supposed to characterize people handled as property by their important others. So, whereas, in actuality, I’m nonetheless very a lot in opposition to the concept of permitting a sentient, mechanical organism to roam freed from its personal units (no pun supposed), I used to be moved to see Iris break away from her captor and dwell on her personal. Actually, I hope the opposite “Iris” mannequin she drives by within the mid-credits sequence manages to realize the identical factor… and, hopefully, by much less violent means.
If you happen to loved Companion, which you’ll learn our evaluation of, I extremely advocate trying out Ex Machina, when you have not already. It’s a deeply profound thriller with breathtaking particular results and one of many coolest, most sudden dance numbers from a non-musical in cinematic historical past. Simply don’t anticipate to get an excellent date film out of it. Go away that to Companion.