Companion

This movie had so much potential... a good premise, decent acting, etc. It just fell short in so many ways. One of those movies that you stick around and watch hoping there is an epic ending: spoilers, it didn't have one.

Right, well initially, then I will say that the synopsis for this 2021 horror movie titled "Companion" did sound interesting enough to make me sit down and watch it. Well, that and it being a horror movie that I hadn't already seen made me sit down and watch it.

The movie runs for 100 minutes, and I managed to sit through a staggering 31 minutes of the ordeal. Then I just gave up out of sheer boredom and a total lack of interest in the storyline. Yeah, writer and director John Darbonne didn't really deliver anything worthwhile here in this 2021 horror movie, at least not something that catered to my preference in horror movies.

Sure, the concept of an apocalyptic setting with something else than zombies was interesting enough, but the storyline was so boring that it just didn't play out well, and the movie was anything but entertaining. The 'companions', whatever they actually were, being haunts, ghosts, apparitions, etc., just grew very tiring to look at rather quickly. The intention for a different apocalyptic approach was good from writer and director John Darbonne, but it just didn't work.

I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie, and that was actually something that spoke in favor of the movie, despite of the storyline and concept actually being somewhat of a dumpster fire. The acting performances that I witnessed in the 31 minutes that I suffered through were actually fair enough. Just a shame that the actor and actresses virtually had nothing wholesome or worthwhile to work with.

Visually then "Companion" wasn't bad, per se. But it wasn't good either. The effects in the movie were adequate, but grew rather repetitive quickly, and that made my interest in the movie wane fast.

If you enjoy horror movies, then "Companion" is not a movie that I would recommend you waste your time, money or effort on. Nor is it a movie that I will ever return to attempt finish watching.

My rating of "Companion" lands on a very generous two out of ten stars.

I honestly thought I had fallen asleep without realizing it and missed parts of this because it didn't really make a lot of sense. I went back and watched those parts over, and nope...those parts still didn't make sense.

This could have potentially been an ok film but unfortunately it was a mess.

The high ratings you see are people who were obviously involved with the project and are a bunch of liars. The script seems like it was written by a fifth grader with no life experience trying to sound profound.

Plot? What plot? All sensibility of a plot went out the window with the stupid pseudo-narrative words that came up on the screen before the first shot ever took place. Some survivors are companions and so are some ghosts, but some aren't? However, if you are a ghost then you can only move so far from where you died. Unless you are a survivor, and then you can move about just like everyone else who is alive can. So who is the companion? A ghost that tries to kill you but can't move far? Or a live person who can? Do companions in real life try to kill companions? Not that I have ever seen. The entire movie is more confusing than a Rubik's Cube.

Acting? What acting? I've seen better acting by kindergartners performing a ten-minute play in the school lunchroom.

Cinematography and Direction? Don't ask. This is, by far, one of the worst pieces of junk I have ever laid eyes on. Give "Companion" a big pass. If you happen across it anyway, you'll wish you had listened to me. This is straight-up garbage!

There's stuff to like here. The director displays some flourishing touches with action scenes and uses a warm colour palette unlike the usual blue/grey of most horror flicks. I liked the mournful country-ish soundtrack which was a refreshing change from the usual frenetic stuff you hear in such movies. The acting was (mostly) competent.

The director was also the writer of the movie. Unfortunately, the story itself is the biggest weakness.

The Companions don't make sense as a threat. They are part zombie/ part ghost if you can imagine such a thing. The 'rules' under which they form and operate don't make much sense.

The platonic relationship between the two main characters was a refreshing change, but mostly the assorted characters are more like NPCs in a game. They randomly go off on road trips or missions, change their minds and double back, the dialogue is sometimes perplexing, characters form alliances with enemies or strangers for no discernible reason...

I'd rate it a 5 at best, but there's a promise of better things here from the participants.