Overview: New Line Cinema — the studio that brought you The Notebook — and the unhinged creators of Barbarian cordially invite you to experience a new kind of love story.

4K UHD Blu-ray Verdict: Warner Bros. Entertainment is expanding their 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray catalog offerings this month with the release of the highly-anticipated Companion (4K Ultra HD + Digital) in the expansive 4K Ultra HD video format this April 1st, 2025.

For my money, this Companion (4K Ultra HD + Digital) sharpness takes a fairly large step forward from others in their 4K Ultra HD catalog and even comes with HDR (High Dynamic Range) for the complete 4K Ultra HD experience, of course.

So, what we have is Companion presented to us as a one-disc with a sheet for a Digital HD Copy. Other stand out points you should know are: Codec: HEVC / H.265, Resolution: Native 4K (2160p), HDR: HDR10, Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 and Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1.

Featuring Dolby Vision and HDR10 for brighter, deeper, and way more lifelike colors, as with most all 4K UHDs, everything that we watch features these qualities - but somehow, this film gloriously shines within them all.

Noticeably crisp with the overall clarity receiving an obvious boost here on this release, what is more is that it is enjoyably noticeable. For as well as some new nuances to the somewhat drab palette courtesy of Dolby Vision, we also get to witness sudden bright pops of color, which makes the eyes draw in, for sure.

One of those moments I will call She’s Tied Up Inside, for it perfectly illustrates the crisp cinematic elements used in the scene between the light of the windows coming through against the inner, darker house turmoil slowing coming into play. For if she doesn’t untie herself inside, the emotional knots, she is obviously going to explode!

As for the audio, well we get the choice of: English: Dolby Atmos, English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit) and Audio descriptive.

Overall, this is a very strong 4K HDR Blu-ray presentation, and, for the most part, the audio track remains fairly similar to its DTS-HD counterpart; with much of the action occupying the surrounds with outstanding directionality and placement where effects flawlessly pan between the sides and rears.

As for the film itself, well, with technology advancing at the rapid rate it does, we’re bound to see more films dealing with this subject matter: A. I. (Artificial Intelligence). Not just that, but also smart applications (smart cars, smart homes, smart phones, etc).

Companion takes this familiar premise to another level though, with a well set-up premise, good dialogue, and a clever play with keywords. With a well written script and convincing performances, the film works so well. It is funny, disturbing, suspenseful, thrilling, and - above all - it has a very strong survival element. Not in the way you might think, but you’ll understand when you see the film.

Couple Josh and Iris go to an isolated lake house owned by the wealthy Sergey. They are joined by their friends, a gay couple Patrick and Eli, and Kat - who doesn’t like Iris very much. Things quickly spins out of control when Iris wanders to the lake by herself, where Sergey forces himself onto her.

Judging by the poster and the film’s premise I guess you already know Iris is A. I., but the twist here is the fact that she doesn’t realize it. Sounds crazy? Well, it is perfectly justified. But wait, there’s more. There are even bigger surprises in store as the story unfolds, and we realize Josh had plans of his own.

In short, Companion is a fantasy mystery thriller that captivated me from beginning to end, with good performances from the entire cast. I also loved the idea that the film was shot on location - even the lake house - and not in a studio. I really enjoyed this and given its lush nuances, I think you all will too.

“Companion” Digital, 4K UHD and Blu-ray contain the following special features:

• I Feel, Therefore I Am
Could a robot have more humanity than a human? Delve into the complex relationships at the heart of “Companion” with Jack Quaid and Sophie Thatcher. • Love, Eli
Harvey Guillén and Lukas Gage explore the fun, lighthearted relationship of Patrick and Eli. Explore their supposed first encounter at a costume party and how that develops into a unique love
• AI Horror
Director Drew Hancock breaks down the fusion of slasher and sci-fi elements in “Companion” and how this is the perfect recipe for the wild and unexpected horrors humans can inflict upon AI.

The film is produced by the filmmakers behind “Barbarian” — Raphael Margules, J.D. Lifshitz, Zach Cregger and Roy Lee. The executive producers are Tracy Rosenblum and Jamie Buckner. On February 18th, “Companion” will be available Digitally at home on participating digital platforms including Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Fandango at Home, and more.

On April 1st, “Companion” will be available to own on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD from online and physical retailers. “Companion” will also continue to be available in high definition and standard definition from participating digital retailers.