10 Best Horror Movie Moments Of 2025
7. The Candle - Companion
Companion opens with Iris (Sophie Thatcher) falling for a seemingly charming man called Josh (Jack Quaid). While at a vacation house with friends, Iris discovers she's a sex robot that Josh reprogrammed to murder one of his associates. Realising that Josh intends to deactivate her after she fulfils the deed, Iris flees into the forest.
After capturing Iris and handcuffing her to a chair, Josh attempts to justify his behaviour, explaining how life is rigged against "nice guys" like him.
After Iris berates him, Josh reduces her intelligence to zero, making her incapable of making decisions for herself. He then orders Iris to place her palm on a lit candle, forcing her to experience excruciating pain. Iris cannot act of her own free will, forcing her to sit quietly while the flames peel the flesh off her endoskeleton.
This would be harrowing if Iris were screaming, but it hits harder to see her torturing herself in silence. It's more poignant thanks to Sophie Thatcher's performance, since she conveys pain, fear, and sadness purely with her eyes, since her character has limited control of her facial muscles during this moment.