Last year left a tough act to follow in terms of film releases. From “A Complete Unknown” to “We Live in Time,” there was a wide array of transformative stories on the silver screen. As one of the first releases of 2025, “Companion” attempts to live up to this standard.

Cautious feelings are on the rise because of the development of artificial intelligence and the possible threats posed to humankind’s future. This dark comedy and thriller, by the creators of 2022’s “Barbarian,” puts up a different view: Maybe the species that sees a need for A.I. at all deserves everything that comes with it.

Sophie Thatcher, known for her role in “Yellowjackets” and Jack Quaid of “The Boys” star as the protagonists Iris and Josh respectively. Their weekend getaway takes a violent turn when it’s revealed that Iris is an artificially enhanced robot built for human companionship whose programming has gone rogue. The juicy sci-fi premise of the story makes way for a deeper understanding of the potential and somewhat probable dangers of A.I., as well as being used as a parable for male manipulation and the expected subservience of female figures in relationships.

Josh, who paints himself as a “nice guy” despite all evidence to the contrary, cringes when Iris calls herself a sex robot. He hates the term “fuck bot,” because, to him, she’s so much more than that. She’s “an emotional support robot,” “who also fucks.” Yet, as the story progresses, Josh becomes increasingly degrading and sharp, revealing his true manipulative character.

Iris, on the other hand, remains herself throughout the film. In the beginning, it seems as though she loves Josh. After revealing to the audience that she is a robot, Iris realizes that she wants autonomy from him. His control over her is especially conveyed through his ability to change her eye color, voice and intelligence level directly from his smartphone.

The two protagonists struggle for the weekend, constantly reaching for the upper hand, both failing and succeeding in various turns. While lacking in the jumpscare department, the plot replaces the shock factor with continuous twists, which leaves the audience with a whiplash feeling.

Overall, the film does a fantastic job of using a pseudo-futuristic setting to comment on controversies in today’s political and technological world. The cinematography and acting were the true takeaways of this film. However, the story was lackluster and not as original as it was intended to be. The writing is mediocre and cliché, which forces the story to be carried by the actors. It’s apparent that Thatcher and Quaid did their best with the script they were given, but the writing leaves something to be desired.

If you’re looking for a film to shake you to your core, this probably isn’t the movie for you. However, if you’re looking for entertainment that can subtly be dissected, “Companion” may be the right choice.

Rating: 3/5