WHAT I LIKED: Drew Hancock's feature debut 'Companion,' is a lot like 'Ex Machina,' in that it's a revenge story about a man abusing his android companion.
The main difference though is that this film is less concerned with the lines between human and robot, and more so with the way men might control them if they could; from helping them do whatever dirty work they come up with, to fabricating artificial relationships when their real ones fail. That says something pretty interesting, especially considering the main guy in this is outwardly written and played by Jack Quaid as the typical gaslighting "nice guy," and that crucially means the film also joins the likes of 'Don't Worry Darling,' 'Get Out,' or 'Blink Twice,' in following smiling, evil white men abusing their power.
But that only translates so well because the robot here is performed so empathetically by Sophie Thatcher, as she dotes and fawns in the way she's been controlled to, but also increasingly portrays her horror, sadness and anger at the things she's being made to do. That also makes her inevitable revenge arc all the more gratifying, and that's emphasised by the pulpy, amusing gore sequences too.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: It doesn't have the depth of similar films that tackle the same themes, and it's not as suspenseful or scary as others either.
VERDICT: Who doesn't love a revenge story about evil smiling white blokes? 'Companion,' may not be the most layered - or even the most thrilling - film in this popular sub-genre, but it's still a more-than worthy addition.
