Among the latest digital releases is the film 'Companion' with rising TV stars Sofia Thatcher ('Yellowjackets') and Jack Quaid ('The Boys').

Iris and Josh are the perfect couple. She loves him immensely and does everything to make Josh happy, and he… is just a nice guy who decided to treat his girlfriend to a weekend getaway. At the mansion of a wealthy Russian named Sergei, a meeting with Josh's friends is planned, along with something else that Iris doesn't need to know about yet. But that's for later; for now, the group dances, discusses how each couple met, and casts sidelong glances at Iris. Everyone except her knows that she is a robot.

The idea of making yet another movie about robots, especially female robots, which are now available in every taste from a child's android doll M3GAN to the hyper-erotic assistant Alice from the film 'Megan: At Your Service', is not new and even a bit clichéd. However, Iris, whose name in the original version of the film is ironically an anagram of the voice assistant Siri, balances between innocence and sexuality. Her image is the perfect embodiment of male desire, where the woman is simultaneously a traditional American wife from the fifties and a lover ready to fulfill any fantasy.

'Companion', marketed in its promo campaign more as a horror film, in terms of genre affiliation is more reminiscent of a sci-fi thriller, but the horror component is still present, though not in its classic form. Despite the fact that debut director Drew Hancock single-handedly conceived and wrote the film, it feels the influence of producer Zach Cregger, who directed the acclaimed 2022 horror film 'Barbarian'. Both 'Barbarian' and 'Companion' are original stories based on reflection on the role of women in society. However, Cregger's film focused mostly on the ambiguity of understanding the true antagonist and the nature of violence, while Hancock's 'Companion' rather chooses a female perspective and explores modern relationships through it.

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Josh's outward benevolence is deceptive, and red flags about him can certainly be noticed from the very beginning of the film, but he still skillfully maintains the mask of a nice guy. Behind his pseudo-care lies false nobility and cowardice, driving him to desperate attempts to improve his status in the eyes of society. Buying a companion robot was his simple way to eliminate loneliness and fulfill his desire to dominate at least someone.

Even though Iris is a robot designed to satisfy human needs, it is Josh who decides to build a relationship with her in such a way that the android feels like a human. In these moments, 'Companion' begins to reveal eerie scenes reminiscent of psychological horror. Every time Josh decides to turn Iris off on a whim, change her settings by hacking the system, and use her for his own benefit, you involuntarily cringe at the thought of being under someone else's control of your own consciousness and body.

Although 'Companion' centers around the incredible heroine Sofia Thatcher, a small but important role is played by the supporting character Patrick, played by Lucas Gage, who turns out to be the second robot at this party. Besides reflecting the male perspective, acknowledging that men can also be used, Patrick, unlike Iris, is in a relationship with a person who truly loves him. This contrast puts Josh in an unfavorable light again, making it clear that such treatment of another, even if they are metallic, is criminal.

Drew Hancock's attempt to give an original presentation to a somewhat tired story about humanoid machines brought a new and relevant perspective in terms of ideas. On the level of plot construction, 'Companion' sometimes falters—it's interesting to watch, but occasionally a certain fatigue sets in from the chase scenes in the woods. However, 'Companion' is one of the few films nowadays capable of delivering unexpected plot twists throughout the entire film without falling into self-repetition and remaining topical for both female and male viewers.

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