At first glance, Companion might seem like a normal romantic comedy (rom-com) or mysterious thriller of some kind, especially with a simplistic title like that. However, it’s actually one of the best sci-fi horror movies to have come out in recent years. Read on to find out more.

Till Death Do Us Part

Companion is the type of movie that is best experienced without knowing anything about the movie. In that spirit, I won’t be spoiling anything about the plot in my review. There are several twists and turns in the movie, one of which has been spoiled by one of the promotional trailers. This is a sci-fi horror movie that plays with established romantic comedy tropes such as the idea of love at first sight or the meet-cute, the pressure of wanting to fit in with your partner’s group of friends for the first time and more.

The movie also explores complex and mature subject matter such as being in an abusive and controlling relationship with a partner who gaslights. What makes Companion special is that all of that is depicted behind the veil of technology and technological themes, which is where the sci-fi element comes in. In that regard, it’s similar to other sci-fi horror movies such as Jordan Peele’s Get Out (2017) when it comes to the tense and suspenseful atmosphere and tone.

The highlight of the movie is definitely the performances of the two lead characters, Josh and Iris, who are played by Jack Quaid and Sophie Thatcher, respectively. Both of them are no strangers to horror movies and they are fast becoming fan favourites of the genre. While Jack Quaid is fast rising up due to his other roles such as Scream, The Boys and upcoming movies like Novocaine, Sophie Thatcher deserves more credit in Companion as she is definitely the MVP of this movie, delivering one of her best lead performances yet, continuing her streak from last year’s equally brilliant horror movie, Heretic (2024).

Despite having rom-com and sci-fi elements, Companion is first and foremost truly a horror movie. There are some great and gruesome bloody kills in this movie, which will satisfy any horror fan. The only flaw of Companion is that it loses some steam in the third act, where things start to become more predictable after all the twists and turns from earlier in the movie. In addition, kudos as well to first-time director, Drew Hancock. I look forward to seeing more from him in the future.

Every Rose Has Its Thorn

It’s been a decent start to the year for horror movies (Wolf Man) and it’s only just January. Companion is definitely worth watching if you’re into both horror and romantic comedies, but once again, this movie is best experienced without knowing anything ahead of time. Don’t even watch the trailers, trust me, it will be a much more impactful viewing experience.

FINAL SCORE: 80/100

We attended a press screening of Companion courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Malaysia. Companion premieres in Malaysian cinemas on 6 February 2025.