Why So Blu?

Companion (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)

In this crazy time for America, artificial intelligence is a huge topic of debate.  The use of AI has made things just a bit too creepy for some.  When used for good of course AI is wonderful.  We know though that that’s not always going to be the case. Now imagine a world where AI is used in those ways we would rather it not be used.  Some of those nightmares are realized within the film Companion. Disguised as a romantic comedy at first, Companion turns into a nightmarish thriller that just so happens to be full of laughs too. Read on more about the Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid meet-cute shocker and don’t be fooled by its outward appearance because things are not as they seem.

Film

We meet Iris (Thatcher) strolling rather awkwardly in a picture-perfect grocery store.  She happens upon Josh (Quaid) who happens to be himself rather awkward, stumbling and knocking down a display of oranges when he sees her.  The moment is a cliché right out of any movie or show that has a romantic intent and we see it coming a mile away.  The pair are immediately inseparable and yet we go with it.

Fast forward to the same couple sometime later.  On a drive to a location, the two are just as content.  The car guides them down a road, a driveway actually and then parks.  They thank the car (AI, remember?) and get out.  The lake house they are parked in front of is stunning and owned by Sergey (Rupert Friend), the new boyfriend of Kat (Megan Suri).  Along for the weekend with the two couples are Eli (Harvey Guillen) and his boyfriend Patrick (Lucas Gage).

We learn in the greetings that Kat has an issue with Iris, but we are never sure what that is exactly.  After a few tense moments between the two, Kat snidely refers to Iris as Josh’s object and then says that she too is an object for Sergey, who has a wife and uses her for his other needs.  She uses him too, so it’s a fair trade.  After a wild night of drinking and dancing, Iris takes a shower and then sets out for the shore to get some sun.  While this happens, Josh inserts a memory stick into his phone.

At this moment, we learn exactly what Iris is.  After some audience speculation we learn that Iris is in fact a Companion robot.  Josh has gotten her and tuned her to his speculations.  He can control her intelligence, how she sounds, and even how they interact in all ways including sexual.  This is why Kat hates her. Now, back to the lakeshore.

As Iris prepares to head back to the house, Sergey saunters up and begins to push up on Iris.  He says that Kat has let him know “what she is” and that “it’s ok”. As Sergey begins to assault her, Iris finds a knife in her pocket and then murders Sergey.  In flashback we see the gory details.  The group is shocked to find out and plan to say that Iris malfunctioned and Josh plans to reset her and send her back to the robotics factory.

The ensuing remainder of the film is where the meatiest parts of the story remain.  But this gives away a significant twist that can spoil the film for those who haven’t viewed it.  I won’t be spoiling it here, but I will say that things go from a 7 to an 11 on a scale of 1 to 10 here.  Companion begins as this candy-coated cutesy love story type of film.  The remarkable way that it evolves into a social satire that is also a blood-spattered thriller is more than admirable.  The film is total entertainment and told in an extremely original way.

You read those words and wonder: How can Companion be original when we have Ex-Machina, AI, or even T2? Easy – The film doesn’t shy away from genre hopping.  Companion effortlessly moves from comedy to horror to thriller to sci-fi without ever feeling awkward or stilted by the changes.  There are no jarring story beats that take you away from the goal at hand.  Storytelling is at its peak and the players are all game to just go with it and give great performances.

I can’t even begin to discuss performances until I mention Sophie Thatcher.  From her early robotic movements to her strange eye contact, she goes all in. From the first to the last moments, Thatcher is impressive.  Also impressive is Jack Quaid who himself goes for an evolutionary performance.  Harvey Guillen also gets special marks for his hilarious performance as Eli.  He was a character that I could identify with as I’m usually the funny fat gay guy in the group!

As for the rest of Companion? The movie is brilliantly paced. Looks wise, it truly delivers with a gorgeous location and some truly inspired stylistic choices.  There are a couple of moments where it feels like there was some intentional use of filtering to make Iris look a little more artificial.  Like she’s there but not truly there in a sense. I also loved the music choices in the film.  These needle drops are rarely used and add to the sense of rarity that the film has. You don’t see too many original films these days, and Companion is just that.

So, as you can see, I loved Companion. It has laughs, a few shocks and is just right with its twists and turns and changes in genre from moment to moment.  The performances are fantastic, and the subject matter is timely and right on the button.  This is a contender for a top film for 2025 for me and what a blast it is! Do yourself a favor and check it out! If you love horror, thrillers, or sci-fi you are most definitely in for a treat.

Video

Encoding: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: 2160p

Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1

HDR: HDR10

Layers: BD-66

Clarity/Detail: Companion looks perfectly wonderful in 4K.  With a modern sheen perfectly fitting for a 2025 film on the format, the textures of the formidable woods surrounding the lake house look great here.  The interiors of the lake house also stand out when taking in the modern lines of the furniture and artwork.  Characters also have fine definition. HDR10 works wonders for the color palette too. This is a sharp looking title and why wouldn’t it be! It’s a new film!!

Depth: Depth looks great throughout.  In the middle of Companion, there is a back and forth between characters in the film where the focus shifts from one character to another and then back again.  The look is flawless as the focus shifts and the camera movements are nothing less than perfectly fluid.  This trend follows throughout but this feels like a standout moment.

Black Levels: Blacks are also flawless in this presentation, coming close to the edge but never giving way to compression issues or disc space or bitrate limitations.

Color Reproduction: Colors here hail from the modern perspective with pastels looking especially striking. Iris’s barbie inspired color choices look perfectly fetching while other more primary options have the same pop.  The greens and browns of the forest also look amazing here.

Noise/Artifacts: Clean.

Audio

Audio Format(s): English Dolby Atmos

Subtitles: English SDH, German, Italian, Spanish, Cantonese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Polish, Swedish

Dynamics: Dolby Atmos brings the world within Companion to life.  The forest and lake house get equal love here and the atmospherics are lovely throughout.  Dynamically speaking, the mix is rather subtle, with a reliance on dialogue, music cues and score over most things, but in the midst of action, sound effects and echo become parts of the sound environment too.  The added channels enhance this when needed. Since this is a mostly front heavy mix, don’t expect fireworks though.

Height: Height speakers make the remote locations ambience seem large and full bodied.

Low Frequency Extension: Bass is reserved for the score and a few moments of action.  Otherwise, the channel is rather reserved.

Surround Sound Presentation: Surround sound activity much like the height activity is reserved.  Since the story is light on locations and characters, it’s completely understandable for surround sound moments to also be on the light side.  Some moments of gunfire and a few things that require echo pop up here and there. Music is another item that you hear from time to time in these channels.

Dialogue: Dialogue is priority in the mix and always sounds excellent.

Extras

In keeping with its recent trend, Warner Brothers is releasing Companion in a one-disc iteration with a matte slipcover with poster artwork.  A digital code is included.  Bonus features are 3 featurettes that amount to about 15 minutes in total.  These bonuses are all EPK in nature, but cute for what they are.

Bonus Materials:

• I Feel, Therefore I Am –
  • Could a robot have more humanity than a human? Delve into the complex relationships at the heart of “Companion”with Jack Quaid and Sophie Thatcher.
• Love, Eli –
  • Harvey Guillén and Lukas Gage explore the fun, lighthearted relationship of Patrick and Eli. Explore their supposed first encounter at a costume party and how that develops into a unique love.
• AI Horror –
  • Director Drew Hancock breaks down the fusion of slasher and sci-fi elements in “Companion”and how this is the perfect recipe for the wild and unexpected horrors humans can inflict upon AI.

Summary

I don’t think Companion could not have been released at a better time.  The film is equal parts thrilling, fascinating, and hilarious.  I was blown away by the committed performances of Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid and loved the brilliant pacing and the way that so many genres could weave a fantastic tale together.  While some of the overall themes felt familiar, the sum of its parts felt wholly original, and I went for a wild ride watching the film.  Companion feels like the first truly original film of 2025, and I am hoping it won’t be the last.  This 4K presentation from Warner Brothers is obviously the way to go for collectors and fans of the film. Curious film fans need not hesitate.  A blind buy will not hurt you! Unless of course you cross Iris…

Get your copy of Companion HERE