Warning: This post contains spoilers for Companion.

Artificial intelligence might seem a more immediate threat than ever, considering its capabilities and potential misuse. But is the technology itself scarier, or the humans who exploit it without moral constraint?

Companion, the feature film debut from writer-director Drew Hancock (My Dead Ex, Suburgatory), is a darkly humorous film, offering commentary on toxic masculinity’s role in the rise of “emotional support robots,” or “f-ck-bots.”

This horror-comedy, now in theaters, benefits from minimal prior knowledge. However, the film’s marketing hints at the twist, revealed within the first 30 minutes (after several subtle clues). Companion begins with Iris (Sophie Thatcher), recalling a stereotypical meet-cute with boyfriend Josh (Jack Quaid) in a voiceover: “The two happiest moments in my life were the day I met Josh…and the day I killed him.”

The story then shifts to a weekend getaway at a lake house with Josh’s friends: Kat, and her Russian benefactor Sergey (Rupert Friend), as well as Eli and his boyfriend Patrick. Iris feels unwelcome, particularly by Kat, who declares, “You make me feel replaceable.”

Megan Suri as Kat in 'Companion.'

This comment, alongside other strange occurrences, becomes significant when Iris kills a sexually aggressive Sergey. After the killing, Josh tells a hysterical Iris to “go to sleep!”

Upon waking, Iris learns she’s a robot created by Empathix, designed as Josh’s completely obedient companion. Her early memories are fabricated, customized via an app controlling her intelligence, personality, eye color, and more. Due to Empathix’s protocols, she cannot lie.

She’s designed to offer the benefits of a human girlfriend without needs or free will—until Josh jailbreaks the app, enhancing her survival instincts and violence, prompting her to kill Sergey as part of his and Kat’s plan to steal Sergey’s money. Iris eventually accesses her settings and outsmarts them.

“This is a robot movie, but it’s unlike others. It’s not AI gone wrong, it’s AI gone right,” Hancock stated. “It’s a movie about self-discovery and, fundamentally, a breakup movie about a woman’s empowerment through self-discovery.”

Sophie Thatcher as Iris and Jack Quaid as Josh in 'Companion.'

From to to , numerous near-future sci-fi works explore the dangers of AI romance—a trend sure to grow, even if currently more conceptual than physical. These films and shows often sympathize with the bots, portraying humanity as either immature or cruel, frequently focusing on female AI as male objects of affection. Hancock challenges this trope, portraying Iris as a sympathetic final girl, justified in her violent retaliation against Josh’s entitled behavior. As Quaid describes Josh, he’s “a real sh-thead.”

“A less nuanced film would’ve made my character the protagonist and Iris the antagonist, with Josh saving the day,” he explained. “But I love how this film presents a more realistic scenario where Josh acts selfishly. The robot possesses the most humanity in this story.”

Ultimately, Josh’s hateful nature is so profound that even a programmed lover cannot tolerate him. That speaks volumes.