Warning: This article contains spoilers for Companion.
A trailer forCompanionprematurely showed audiences what is arguably the movie’s most important reveal, but another scene helps make up for it.Companion’sbig twist is that Sophie Thatcher’s Iris is actually a robot companion for her “boyfriend,” Josh (Jack Quaid). An initial teaser trailer left plenty of room for viewers to guess what the film is about, but its full-length trailer revealed the truth about Thatcher’s character. Showing off a twist during the movie’s promotional phase was a risky move, but it makesCompanion’s second robot reveal all the more exciting.
The reveal happens near the end of the movie’s first act, shortly after Josh and Kat (Megan Suri) disclose their—mildly successful—plan to kill Kat’s boyfriend, Sergey (Rupert Friend), for his impressive fortune. In a shocking twist, Patrick (Lukas Gage), Eli’s (Harvey Guillén) boyfriend, is discovered to be a foil to Iris.
Patrick Also Being A Companion Robot Is An Effective Twist
The Reveal Helps Drive Companion Forward
The movie discreetly hints at Patrick being a companion when he recounts the story of meeting Eli. Patrick’s storytelling is hyper-specific, and he describes falling in love with Eli from the moment their eyes locked at a party. His tale of instantly falling for Eli echoes Iris' “perfect” experience meeting Josh for the first time, when she claims to have immediately known he was her match. These idealistic meet-cute stories show that, as companions,both Iris and Patrick are victims of their owner’s programming choices.
This reveal shows how Eli and Patrick function as a foil to Josh and Iris. Whereas Josh loves his control over Iris, Eli seems to be genuinely in love with Patrick, turning him off in order to protect his feelings.
The big twist comes after Iris has escaped, when Eli argues that Patrick deserves a share of Sergey’s $12 million, but Josh retorts that Patrick “doesn’t count.” Eli soon tells Patrick to “go to sleep,” just as Josh had instructed Iris before. Patrick immediately turns off and his eyes roll back into his head. This key reveal shows how Eli and Patrick function as a parallel to Josh and Iris. Whereas Josh loves his control over Iris, Eli seems to be genuinely in love with Patrick, turning him off in order to protect his feelings.
Patrick’s being a robot propelsCompanionforward. The movie’s humans struggle to catch up with Iris as she makes her great escape, especially after she increases her intelligence to its maximum capacity. After Eli dies, Josh turns Patrick into his own companion, emphasizing Josh’s passion for control. Patrick soon becomes a pawn in Josh’s relentless, bloodthirsty pursuit of Iris. When Josh uses Patrick as a weapon against Iris,the cat-and-mouse chase becomes more enthralling because Iris is challenged by someone with the same abilities as her. Patrick’s violent actions,such as killing Kat inCompanion, keep the stakes high and the audience on their toes.
Patrick’s Robot Twist Is Better After Companion Spoiled The Iris Reveal
Patrick’s Identity Makes Up for an Early Spoiler
Companiontook a risk by revealing Iris to be a robotduring its promotional phase, but this ultimately served the film by enticing fans of sci-fi and horror films who may have initially thought the movie to be a romantic thriller. Audience members likely went intoCompanionknowing that Iris is an AI-companion, but thepreview gives no hint that Patrick is also a robotas he is shown only briefly.
Companion Review: Don’t Worry About Spoilers, This Entertaining Thriller Is Built To Last
Companion isn’t the kind of movie that hangs everything on the reveal of its premise, and knowing the truth might actually make it more fun to watch.
Twists make movie-goers pay attention, andCompanion’s big reveal with Patrick is no different. After audiences learn about his real identity, they’re left wondering what other surprises are in store. Patrick’s role as a companion sets up the film’s second half as Josh weaponizes him against Iris, upping the ante and raising the stakes ofCompanionas it approaches its exciting ending. Iris' escape becomes more intense as she works to best one of her own kind, intensifying the movie. By offering viewers this shocking, adrenaline-filled twist,Companionmore than makes up for its early reveal that Iris is a robot.
Companion
Cast
Companion is an upcoming psychological thriller crafted by writer-director Drew Hancock.
