Companion (2025): Inventive plot twists and interesting concepts, but the shifting logic and lack of commitment and exploration of the existential themes keep it on a subpar level
Greetings, Fiction Igniters! 🔥
Today, we’re cracking open the mind-sparkling, gear-grinding, half-baked-yet-still-hot tamale that is Companion (2025), written and directed by Drew Hancock.
Now, let me tell you, Blaze Crafters, this one is like biting into a piping-hot chimichanga of sci-fi ideas. You know there’s something delicious inside, but damn if the filling doesn’t squirt out the sides, leaving your hands messy and your narrative hunger only half-satisfied.
This flick had me pumped with its Ex Machina-meets-The Terminator-with-a-splash-of-rom-dram premise. It’s got concepts, baby. Existential juice. The kind of stuff that gets us, the Inferno Imaginators, whispering, What does it mean to be human?
But then… the punchline comes too soon, the logic melts faster than wax near a bonfire, and some of the choices? Oof. They feel like they’re from the “Because Plot” school of storytelling. You know the one. Tuition paid by Convenience.
Let’s break it down, Kindle Knights, not just to roast (gently) this bold sci-fi soufflé, but to extract the golden storytelling crumbs and learn how we can write better, deeper, and more memorable tales.
Companion – Part I: Firecrackers of Genius 🔦
Let’s give credit where the circuit board deserves it: Companion comes loaded with big, juicy ideas. We’re talking about androids that don’t know they’re androids, questions of identity and autonomy, and the emotional chaos of falling in love when your memories and feelings might be programmed.
Think about it, Firestorm Fictionists: what would you do if you found out you were made to serve someone else’s needs, but had real feelings? That’s pure narrative uranium right there. Glows in the dark and blows up when handled right.
And the two robot leads, Iris and Patrick? As characters, they have so much potential. Iris especially is a compelling mirror of human emotion in artificial skin. There are moments of sincerity, vulnerability, and a weird warmth that teases something truly profound…
…but the story takes all this potential and just kinda… tiptoes past it. Like a kid sneaking through a haunted house but never opening any doors.
Companion – Part II: Convenience is the Killer of Immersion 💥
So, my Wordsmith Warriors, let’s talk about the logic gaps. I’m not talking nitpicking here. I’m talking about major moments that suck the oxygen out of a viewer’s suspension of disbelief.
One big ol’ flaming red flag? The rules of the robots.
Why does Patrick turn into the Terminator when it’s plot-convenient—cops’ clothes, super-strength, kill mode engaged—while Iris stays soft, emotional, vulnerable, even when rebooted?
We’re not told if there are models, upgrades, or just different personalities. It’s just happening because the story needs conflict. And suddenly we go from Her to T2 without warning or explanation.
And the voice commands? Listen, if Josh could use his phone to command her before, why doesn’t he try it again when she’s near him? We’re told the rules, then they’re tossed like matches into a rain barrel. And when Iris is rebooted at the end, she remembers everything… but Patrick? Blank slate. Same tech, different results. Why?
As Incendiary Inkmasters, our takeaway? Set rules for your world, and stick to them. Break them only if it creates more tension and has a reason. Think about Looper (2012), or even The Matrix (1999)—wild worlds with their own bizarre logic, but they never cheat.
Remember the golden rule of fiction logic: If the audience starts asking “why didn’t they just…?”, you’re losing them.
Companion – Part III: Emotional Opportunities Left on the Grill 🌟
Here’s the kicker, Ember Authors: Companion brushes up against so many emotional high notes, but doesn’t let them sing.
Discovering you’re not human? That should be an earthquake to the psyche. But it barely shakes the ground.
Committing murder for love? That should shatter your moral compass like a frozen windshield.
Instead, we get these things tossed out like flavor packets. Interesting, but not fully stirred into the soup.
Contrast that with Blade Runner 2049 or the Black Mirror episode “Be Right Back.” When those characters confront synthetic love, memory, and identity, it hurts. It unravels them.
Tip for us Flame-Fueled Fantasists: when writing deep emotional moments, slow down. Let your characters process. Cry. Rage. Doubt. Don’t rush past it to get to the next gunshot.
Even the greats do this. Look at George R.R. Martin in Game of Thrones. He lets grief and betrayal bleed on the page. He marinates in it.
Companion – Part IV: Real-World Fallout? Nah, Just Shower Time 🚗🌊
Here comes the crispy part: by the end, the movie racks up a body count. One cop. One repair guy. A few more. And then Iris just… showers? And plans a new life?
No cops? No forensic team? Nothing?
Now, sure, fiction can bend realism. We’re fine with that. But when a story ignores real-world consequences that it already set up earlier? That breaks the spell. Big time.
Fellow Pyre-Penned Pioneers, if you plant a gun in Act I, someone better hear the shot in Act III. If you introduce the real world, the real world needs to react. Always ask: how would the world realistically respond to this?
Look at Breaking Bad. Walter White’s actions snowball into real-world consequences. That’s what makes it hit hard.
Companion – Part V: So… Should You Watch It? Heck Yeah. 🚀
Let me be clear, Sparked Sentience Squad: I liked Companion.
Despite its flaws, it’s a fun ride. It’s got guts. It’s got sparks. And it shows that Drew Hancock has the guts to try something bold. And for that, we toast him with our story-fueled tankards.
But as storytellers? We owe it to our readers, players, viewers—hell, even to ourselves—to go deeper. To chase consistency. To make choices feel earned.
The next time you draft a twist or character beat, ask yourself:
Quick Inferno Check for Plot Integrity:
- 🌪️ Are my story’s internal rules clear and consistent?
- 🎧 Have my characters earned their choices through internal motivation?
- 🌎 Have I shown how the world reacts to major plot events?
- 😓 Are my characters feeling enough? Or am I rushing past pain/loss/love?
- 🛡️ Am I avoiding “because the plot needs it” choices?
Final Sparks, My Flicker-Forged Friends ✨
Companion is like a raw diamond—sparkly, sharp, but in need of polish. It teaches us that bold ideas are not enough. They must be supported by emotional truth, consistent logic, and earned choices.
Drew Hancock is a director to watch. The guy swung for the fences. Respect.
Now it’s up to us to take these lessons and turn our own stories into glowing bonfires of brilliance. Because every logic hole, every convenient twist we fix, every deep moment we mine for truth? That’s fuel for the fire.
So grab your quills, your keyboards, your Final Drafts, and your napkins full of dialogue snippets, and remember:
Until next time, don’t write… ignite! 🔥
