Companion movie review. An unexpected thriller based on an old theme

Companion was supposed to be a kind of successor to Barbara by debutant director Drew Hancock. However, the film crew ultimately decided to create a separate story. It is also better not to reveal its plot details, because much of the film depends on a single scenario twist and your perception of it. However, the movie deals with the chosen topic masterfully and from an unusual angle.

The girl Iris (Sophie Thatcher) likes to remember the first time she met her boyfriend Josh (Jack Quaid), because it was love at first sight. Even though Josh's friends don't really like her, she still loves her boyfriend and tries to make his life better in every way. So when the couple finds themselves in the country house of billionaire Sergey (Rupert Friend), Iris tries not to embarrass Josh. However, what started out as an ordinary vacation for a group of people not burdened by heavy thoughts quickly turns into a struggle for survival - and not in the classic sense for such stories.

At first, Companion tries to seem like a slightly clumsy romantic comedy, but an experienced viewer will suspect something is wrong from the first frame. Frankly speaking, even from the poster and technical features of the movie, you can guess what it is really about. We won't spoil the surprise, but we will say that the key plot twist happens quite early on, and it may definitely disappoint some people.

Let's also note that it is almost impossible to achieve such a high level of quality as Companion in a debut work. And for this alone, the movie can be given separate bonuses. After all, this is an extremely structured, clear story that works according to a well-thought-out internal logic and uses its own brevity to better reveal its main ideas. You will see only a few main characters and one central location, but even with such an arsenal, the film crew still manages to build a fantastic world that you believe in, filled with interesting details and nuances.

I focus all my attention on Sophie Thatcher. The classic image of the "damsel in distress" in her performance and in the current script context turns into a show of unusual emotions and expressive movements. Watching Iris's transformation as she goes through more and more severe trials is a pleasure, albeit a little strange and even creepy.

In addition, Companion successfully combines different genres. The elements of romantic comedy are particularly striking, as they both amuse and enhance the disturbing atmosphere. At the same time, if you think about it a bit and look at the film as a whole, such experiments slightly defocus the motives behind the script. However, again, for the director's first work, this is still an extremely excellent level.

The movie seems to have a little something for everyone. Romance, horror, psychology, science fiction, comedy, experiments with filmmaking technologies. One can only be glad that The Companion did not become a development of The Barbarian, but took an original path. After all, while audiences and critics like to shout about the lack of originality in Hollywood, it is works like this that prove the opposite.

Yes, Companion is definitely not a sensation or a masterpiece. The movie lacks the emotional depth and expressiveness to touch something really important in the hearts and minds of the audience. However, everything it does, it does extremely well. And the element of surprise allows you to turn viewing into additional entertainment.

Will the central theme of the movie resonate with you? You can only find out in person.