There are plenty of upcoming horror movies set to hit the 2025 movie calendar, and one in particular — Drew Hancock’s Companion — stars a pair of actors who are really hot right now. Jack Quaid and Sophie Thatcher have become well-known for their roles on (for Quaid) The Boys, Scream and the upcoming Novocaine, and (for Thatcher) Yellowjackets and Heretic. Ahead of its January 31 release in theaters, critics have seen Companion, and they are praising the performances — particularly Thatcher’s — in this fun and twisty thriller.
Drew Hancock has talked about knowing Sophie Thatcher was the right choice to lead his movie — and with its chilling trailer, it’s not hard to see why — but it is difficult to suss out exactly what is happening on Josh and Iris’ weekend getaway. Early reactions to the Jack Quaid thriller implored moviegoers to avoid spoilers, so rest assured, I won’t be ruining anyone's experience here! In CinemaBlend’s review of Companion, Eric Eisenberg rates it 4 out of 5 stars, saying that Thatcher boosts every aspect of this film with her excellence. He writes:
Companion is a film made with dark sensibilities, but it’s built to be fun – delighting in toying with the audience’s expectations and unfurling its ever more ominous plotting with the sun shining and a palette of pastels. You can’t help but smile broadly as the movie takes you by surprise with the new layers that are pulled back, and there is a plethora of witty dialogue and sight gags, but what’s vital is that it doesn’t undercut its drama and thrills with its comedy. Conversely, the humor opens the door to emotionally invest in the protagonists and antagonists, which has the effect of boosting the stakes. When it gets to the heavier and scarier material, you care.
Chris Evangelista of SlashFilm knew one of the movie’s big twists going in (it’s apparently revealed in one of Companion’s later trailers), and he assures fans that doesn’t take away from the overall experience. Sophie Thatcher gives a killer performance in what Evangelista calls “the first great film of 2025.” The critic rates it 9 out of 10, writing:
Companion is balancing tricky relationship issues and questions of morality, autonomy, empathy, and compassion. … These questions pile up, and yet, Companion doesn't get too bogged down in them. Let's not get it twisted: this is a smart movie, but ultimately, the film ultimately doesn't want to deliver a message, it wants to shock and entertain, and it does so with gusto. When we get down to brass tacks, this is a pulpy B-movie with a glossy sheen, and I say that with love and affection.
Frank Scheck of THR is just one of the critics saying that Companion is joining films like last weekend’s box office winner One of Them Days in challenging the reputation January has for being a “cinematic dumping ground.” Drew Hancock has delivered a “deliciously twisted” treat of a sci-fi thriller, Scheck says:
The tyro director steps up to the plate beautifully, delivering an ingenious, fast-paced horror-thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat while also featuring generous doses of mordant humor. As with the best films of its type, Companion works on more than a surface B-movie level, providing sly satirical commentary about power dynamics in romantic relationships to which more than a few audience members will be able to relate.
Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting gives the movie 3.5 out of 5 skulls, writing that Sophie Thatcher stuns as she continues her ascension to stardom, but there’s not a weak link to be found in the cast. Companion is highly entertaining and smart, even if it’s not trying to reinvent the genre. Navarro says:
Luckily, Companion‘s sense of fun doesn’t stem from the plotting but rather its unpredictable characters. The story adheres to a familiar trajectory that pulls from a variety of notable cinematic influences, and Hancock finds inventive ways for the characters to react unpredictably to new developments. It’s through the characters, who all feel three-dimensional and flawed in unique ways, where the film catches you off guard. Hancock plays their motivations close to the vest, only revealing them in full when and where it can maximize the drama and horror- and the horror doesn’t flinch from brutal, bloody violence.
Jarrod Jones of Paste also encourages audiences — spoiled or unspoiled — to enjoy its not-new but always important message about finding your identity in a toxic relationship. Jones gives it a 7.0 out of 10 and writes:
To Hancock’s credit, spoilers won’t ruin your enjoyment of his messy romantic thriller (its latest trailer seems confident that’s the case, anyway), though knowing certain pieces of information going in does blunt its better surprises. With that, I will be … encouraging you to see it—because Hancock’s vicious, buoyant, surprisingly sweet movie has, if not provocative, then cozily affirming things to say about identity and the transcendent feeling of unburdening oneself from shitty one-sided relationships, and can be a real bop if you’re willing to play along.
Critics seem to be over the moon with Sophie Thatcher’s portrayal of Iris, and Jack Quaid is getting plenty of praise as well. In fact, the movie holds a 96% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing. If this horror flick sounds intriguing and you’ve managed to avoid spoilers, you might want to get to the theater as quickly as possible when Companion opens on Friday, January 31.
