New twisted love story from Barbarian creators smashes Rotten Tomatoes with 90% rating-Laura Harman-Entertainment – Metro

Companion is an upcoming twisted romance horror movie that’s been praised by reviewers ahead of its release.

The 97-minute film from director Drew Hancock focuses on a romance between Iris played by Heretic star Sophie Thatcher and Josh played by The Boys star Jack Quaid.

The couple decides to take a trip to a remote cabin in the woods with a group of Josh’s closest – and most toxic – pals.

Money, desire, and greed begin to tear this gang apart as members of the group realise there’s something sinister about this weekend away.

Receiving a 90% ranking on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is certifiably fresh and has been praised by reviewers with some claiming it might be the first ‘great film of 2025’.

Slash Film commented: ‘Just know that Companion is the first great film of 2025 — a funny, fast-moving, meticulously crafted horror-thriller with a killer performance from lead Sophie Thatcher.’

Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid star in the film (Picture: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)

Emma Kiely said for Collider: ‘Sophie Thatcher is magnetic in Companion, which is a snaring look at how men still view women as adaptable to their needs, but also a surprisingly tender reminder that love, the right kind of love, makes the world go round.’

Frank Scheck for The Hollywood Reporter said: ‘A potential sleeper hit that belies January’s reputation as a cinematic dumping ground, Companion marks writer-director Hancock as a true talent to watch.’

‘Drew Hancock brought us a nearly perfect thriller that will make you question your ideas of love, a partner, and loneliness. And really does highlight why both Quaid and Thatcher are two of our best actors working today,’ said Rachel Leishman for The Mary Sue.

Companion has been praised by critics (Picture: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)

Both actors have emphasised the value of going in blind (Picture: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)

The main trailer reveals a major plot twist that is avoided in the teaser trailer.

While this doesn’t spoil the film in any way, many of the reviewers decided to omit this trailer and twist in their reviews to maintain the suspense they had when going in blind.

‘In my humble opinion, the teaser was so effective that the folks at Warner Bros. could’ve just stopped there and released the film without any additional marketing. But that’s not what happened. Instead, as the release date approached, a new Companion trailer arrived — and gave the game away.

‘To be fair, the trailer still plays things (mostly) close to the vest. And yet, it also reveals one of the biggest twists in the film. And a part of me can’t help but think that the movie would play even better had this particular detail been kept a secret,’ commented Chris Evangelista for Slash Film.

In interviews with Metro, both the lead actors emphasised that they thought ‘going in blind’ was the best way to experience this horrifying romance.

Companion is released in cinemas on January 31.

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