Companion (2025)
Sci-fi silliness.
Presentation:
An amusing modern flick, but not particularly a whole lot of laughs. It’s unclear whether the yellow green grade is intended to be off-puttinging or alien, so I wasn’t a big fan of the color. Shot on alexa35 and shallow depth of field master primes, the increased dynamic range is notable with lots of details in the shadows and minimal silhouetting. As a consequence of abundant detail, everything looks modernly HDR and lit, which some will argue complements the ironic tone. The film never takes itself seriously and it’s quite clear from the trailers and beginning of the film what the girlfriend is so the plot twist underwhelms. I think the gay couple was actually the most enjoyable part of the film, because at its core the film is a comedy. Quaid and Sophie Thatcher are a bit serious in their roles, but end up feeling like shallow AI husks. Quaid is laughably one dimensional and offers nothing to the table and could really have been replaced by anyone. Thatcher has strong acting potential as usual, but her talents seem wasted on such a mediocre script.
Story:
Ridiculous, how did she revive when she had her head blown out? A quick reboot and she physically restores her hardware?
Conclusion:
There are many loopholes in this film, but it never takes itself seriously to cause serious objection. Instead, it leans into its unapologetically vapid presentation, though still surprisingly enjoyable in some scenes. I just feel like the only reason it gets a pass with its silliness is because the title cards and music acknowledge it. It’s the equivalent of saying “this might be a stupid question” before asking a stupid question, so I guess it’s protected from being called a stupid movie now. If you’re into a campy mindless version of Ex Machina or Elizabeth Harvest, then you might enjoy this one, though I’d definitely recommend those instead. A bootleg DVD era flick if redressed in modern visuals.
Recommendations
Heist meets circus sideshow.