Shadows on the Wall

Companion

dir-scr Drew Hancock
prd Zach Cregger, Roy Lee, JD Lifshitz, Josh Mack, Raphael Margules
with Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guillen, Rupert Friend, Jaboukie Young-White, Marc Menchaca, Woody Fu, Younus Howlader
release US/UK 31.Jan.25
25/US 1h37

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With a witty script that touches cleverly on a range of deeper issues, this thriller pulls the audience into a situation that grows progressively nastier by the minute. Writer-director Drew Hancock gleefully plays with our sympathies, shifting the balance of power to reveal some genuinely nightmarish attitudes. So if the film never feels particularly scary, and the meaning remains fairly superficial, it's smart enough to keep us thoroughly entertained.

Heading to a weekend with friends in an isolated mansion in the woods, Iris (Thatcher) is remembering her cute meeting in a supermarket with loved-up boyfriend Josh (Quaid). But his friend Kat (Suri) gives her the cold shoulder when they arrive. Kat's Russian boyfriend Sergey (Friend), who owns the house, is nicer, as are life-of-the-party Eli (Guillen) and his hot boyfriend Patrick (Gage). But Kat can't quite get over the fact that Iris is a very lifelike robot companion. And Iris thinks she's human, genuinely feeling all the emotions. Then Josh tinkers with her programming.

Where things go is properly outrageous, creating a violent and very broad black comedy that knowingly touches on provocative things like artificial intelligence, gender roles, identity issues and loyalty. The script may never grapple with these ideas, choosing instead to focus on extreme greed. But a continual string of sharp references adds a zing of intelligence that elevates things above most movies that descend into this kind of carnage.

Thatcher is terrific as the adoring girlfriend who begins to have thoughts of her own, or at least she thinks she does. The interaction between Iris and Josh is superbly nuanced, augmented when the well-up-for-it Quaid begins to tip over the top without losing his smiley nice-guy persona. Gage, Suri and Guillen have their own strong moments along the way, while Friend gets to chomp wonderfully on the gorgeous scenery.

Through all of this, the slick filmmaking, blunt characterisations and jaunty humour continually remind us that this is a movie, which means that we engage with it as such. As a result, the underlying themes remain gurgling just out of reach, and everything feels a little familiar. Thankfully, Hancock is happy to push the boundaries, letting things get truly grisly along the way. And at least the hint of topicality give us something to think about.

themes, language, violence, sexuality 29.Jan.25

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