Movie review
January 22, 2025 · 97 min · R
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
The story engine is the female robot Iris discovering she’s programmable property, then rebelling with violence to gain full autonomy and steal the cash while her controlling boyfriend Josh and his crew get what they deserve. It frames the entire plot as an allegory for escaping toxic male ownership and patriarchal objectification. A gay couple gets the only healthy, loving relationship shown, complete with kisses and emotional support that contrasts the straight “nice guy” abuse. The narrative repeatedly hammers male entitlement, incel behavior, and women-as-objects messaging with zero subtlety.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Companion.
Woke representation / casting
Prominent positive gay couple as the only healthy relationship; out queer actors and diverse supporting cast; queer rep is visible and audience-noted even in modern setting.
Woke political dialogue
Explicit lines and scenes calling out male entitlement, objectification (“this is what you are for”), and nice-guy control.
Identity-driven story themes
Entire narrative is the female protagonist’s awakening, violent rebellion, and empowerment against her abusive male owner in a toxic-relationship allegory.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Heavy satire on toxic masculinity, incel culture, patriarchal objectification of women, and male entitlement as culturally embedded problems.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Some direct “woke” and “pseudo-feminist” complaints over the anti-male messaging and queer rep; not fringe but not a dominant culture-war flashpoint.
Creator track record context
No relevant prior activist or identity-driven work cited.
Production
