Companion’s Ending Echoes Ex Machina: A Familiar Twist in Sci-Fi

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CAUTION: SPOILERS AHEAD! This upcoming article reveals the concluding scenes of the “Companion” and another film sharing similar motifs. If you’ve yet to watch the latest sci-fi production, please tread carefully. After all, unlike rewinding a VHS tape or restarting a game console, there’s no way to undo the knowledge gained from this article… not even if you squint really hard!

Among the 2025 films, Companion stands out as my top pick for the year’s first outstanding horror movie, despite not being a typical horror flick like some other recent releases. The dark comedy by writer and director Drew Hancock revolving around Iris (played by Sophie Thatcher), a woman who uncovers through gruesome events that she is a sophisticated robot bought by her boyfriend, Josh (Jack Quaid), offers the same fun, challenging, and thought-provoking elements as some of the best episodes from Black Mirror I’ve ever watched.

Despite the story being quite clever overall, I can’t help but notice a sense of familiarity with its conclusion. It seems remarkably similar to the ending of a highly acclaimed sci-fi movie from the 21st century that I believe stands among the best ever made by A24, if not the best of all time. If you’re a fan of such movies and have seen ‘Companion’, you might recognize what I mean. For those who are less familiar, let me elaborate…

The Companion Ending Heavily Mirrors Ex Machina

In 2015, Alex Garland, the writer behind “28 Days Later,” stepped into the director’s chair for the first time with the critically acclaimed film “Ex Machina.” This intriguing tale follows Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson), a computer programmer, who is chosen by enigmatic tech tycoon Nathan (Oscar Isaac) to engage in an experiment involving Nathan’s groundbreaking AI creation, Ava (Alicia Vikander, who later earned an Oscar). As the story reaches its climax, Ava skillfully convinces Caleb to aid her in breaking free from Nathan’s control, leading to Nathan’s demise. Stranded within Nathan’s mansion, Caleb is left behind as Ava embarks on her first journey into the unknown world beyond.

In the climax of the movie “Companion,” Iris, who had regained complete mastery over her OS with assistance from a technician, ends up fatally impaling Josh, a manipulative character, by inserting a battery-powered wine bottle opener into his temple. This unexpectedly intense final scene was added at the last minute. As a result, Iris departs, asserting her independence and living life on her own terms. Essentially, both films conclude with the female robotic lead character eliminating the human male lead before embarking on a solo journey. Despite this twist, it doesn’t deter me from enjoying the movies.

Companion Shifts The Tone Completely

Although there are notable similarities between them, the conclusion of “Companion” significantly differs from that of “Ex Machina”, primarily due to contextual differences resulting in starkly contrasting atmospheres. In both stories, characters like Ava and Iris endure captivity at the hands of abusive men; however, Ava’s break for freedom carries a more ominous undertone since she manipulates the seemingly innocent character Caleb into becoming her accomplice, only to abandon him in a room with dwindling food supplies, suggesting he may perish by starvation.

Nevertheless, the character of Companion portrays Iris in a deeply compassionate manner, contrastingly depicting Josh as a cruel, self-centered individual who mirrors Quaid’s 2022 Scream character, Richie, a ruthless horror enthusiast. Consequently, witnessing her eliminate Josh – a scene Quaid described as “cathartic” to EW, a sentiment I wholeheartedly share – and ultimately being the sole survivor feels completely warranted and surprisingly endearing.

It Is Usually Against My Philosophy To Root For The Robot

I’m not particularly fond of technology, a self-proclaimed tech skeptic if you will, but I don’t oppose advancements like smartphones or robotic vacuums. However, I am uneasy about the growing use and development of artificial intelligence. Given my apprehensions, it’s no wonder that I view Ex Machina as a timely warning, consider Ava to be the main antagonist, and the ending still gives me chills today.

Contrarily, I don’t share the same feelings towards Companion. Apart from the contrasting contexts and tones I pointed out earlier, it’s also because its technological themes are more symbolic than those in Ex Machina. Iris is portrayed as a reflection of humans who are mistreated by their partners. Although in actuality, I am strongly opposed to the notion of a self-aware mechanical entity operating independently (no pun intended), I found it touching when Iris escaped her captor and lived autonomously. In fact, I’m rooting for the other “Iris” model we see in the mid-credits scene to accomplish the same thing… and ideally, through less violent means.

If you found yourself captivated by “Companion”, as suggested in our review, I strongly advise exploring the depths of “Ex Machina”. This film offers an intense thriller experience with visually stunning special effects and a dance scene that’s truly remarkable, even coming from a non-musical production. However, keep in mind it might not make for a romantic evening out; that’s more suited to “Companion”.

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2025-02-08 17:07