de facto film reviews 3.5 stars

It’s not often the first month of the year delivers a terrific horror thriller, yet here we are. This past month has given us some nice surprises in the hilarious comedy One of Them Days and some meat-and-potatoes actioners in Den of Thieves 2: Pantera and Flight Risk, but the first great film of the year has properly arrived. Produced by Barbarian filmmaker Zach Cregger, this is another similarly twisty and wicked genre flick that benefits from being seen with as little knowledge as possible.

Courtesy Warner Bros

Iris (Sophie Thatcher) and her boyfriend, Josh (Jack Quaid), take a trip to an idyllic lake house deep in the woods. There, they meet Josh’s friend, Kat (Megan Suri), the mistress to a mysterious Russian Billionaire named Sergey (Rupert Friend) and couple Eli (Harvey Guillen) and Patrick (Lukas Gage). The home is owned by Sergey, who is supposedly involved in shady dealings. Things almost instantly go awry when Sergey makes an aggressive pass towards Iris, leaving a bloody mess for all involved and revelations that will permanently change their weekend plans.  To say more would give away many of the genuine surprises to be had in a film where the surprises are worth the price of admission alone.

Companion may not have the nasty edge of something like Barbarian or the rich social density of Get Out, but it manages to peel back layers of some real thorny subjects with skill. Writer/director Drew Hancock takes a myriad of different influences and genres to craft a distinct and playful genre thriller. At its core, this is a slick social satire with a detailed and intricate script. Blending dark comedy with elements of horror and sci-fi, Companion maintains its own distinct cocktail of thrills. Hancock’s blistering take on misogyny and the need to control creates tension through early squirm-inducing encounters that you know won’t end well, but the twisted fun of the film is seeing how the filmmaker takes you there. Hancock’s stylish use of location and scenery makes you feel claustrophobic in these tall, vast interiors of the mansion-like lake house. The filmmaker includes clever bits of storytelling through Iris and how she is able to adapt to the threat on-screen. Particularly scenes with her and an iPad are very fun, inventive uses of technology.

Courtesy Warner Bros

The filmmaker takes great joy in changing the typical genre beats using non-linear sequencing to raise stakes. Similar to Barbarian, the film will switch perspectives after a big twist, providing even more context to what’s truly in store. The twists here are not merely for shock value or to subvert expectations. Whereas a recent comparison, Strange Darling, felt a bit smug in its toying with audiences, Companion‘s greater  reveals enhance the film and give depth to certain characters. Few of these would work, however, if not for the game performances from its cast, namely the excellent Sophie Thatcher. Thatcher’s remarkable instincts as an actor shine in a complicated role that the Heretic and Yellowjackets star makes feel effortless. Iris is a character we come to understand more as the film moves along, but before we’re given context as to who or what she is, we’re immediately compelled by Thatcher’s magnetic aura.

Jack Quaid also has a complicated role in Josh, Iris’ boyfriend, who has to balance coming across as sweet and loving, versus the looming, darker notes of the character that comes out throughout the back half of the film. Quaid channels his father, Dennis Quaid, specifically in how a resting smile can prove to be anything but friendly. The other supporting players are given strong work, particularly Lukas Gage and Harvey Guillen. Gage, who broke through with his small stint on HBO’s Euphoria, has slowly become one of the more interesting rising stars of recent, showing an impressively versatile range as an actor. He takes that range another step further in his noteworthy performance here.

Courtesy Warner Bros

Companion is a smart, tense and exciting original genre film. Writer/director Drew Hancock makes a distinctive directorial debut that borrows elements from several different films, but feels wholly unique. Star Sophie Thatcher is becoming one of the more compelling rising stars in Hollywood with her breathtaking performance here. If you’re claiming Hollywood has run out of ideas, let this little thriller be the one to change your mind.

Companion is now playing in theaters.