When you have a child, you need to put up with a lot of things and love unconditionally. If they get into trouble at school or even with the law, all of this is just part of being a parent. But what if your child was a bloodthirsty AI which killed 4 people (and a dog), and then planned to pull out your tongue and turn you into a vegetable to make you easier to manage?
Years ago, “Robotologist” Gemma (Allison Williams) while working for a toy conglomerate designed and built a life-sized animatronic doll. The only toy a child would ever need, the model 3 generative android or “M3GAN” (voiced by Jenna Davis, live performed by Amie Donald) was thinking, caring and protective. Right as Gemma’s recently orphaned niece Cady (Violet McGraw) needed a new mum, she got a psychotic doll which would kill to protect her…which it did. Gemma and Cady managed to destroy M3GAN, but you can’t keep a good AI down. She stuck around. In the ether, bodiless but protecting and providing from the shadows, while learning.
But when an autonomous military engagement logistics and infiltration android “AMELIA” (Ivanna Sakhno) goes rogue, it looks like there’s only one hope. AMELIA is based on stolen tech from M3GAN‘s development and only the OG has a hope of stopping a technological holocaust. But she’ll need a new body and to prove to Gemma that she can be trusted, or is Gemma just making the same mistakes all over again?
M3GAN blew up in popularity upon its release in 2022. With an effective marketing campaign and a cut down PG-13 rating, the film grossed over 180 million dollars on its mere 12 million budget. Making yet another big-time multiplier for Blumhouse Productions. For the inevitable sequel, director Gerard Johnstone returns, but this time also writes the screenplay himself and honestly, I think the film is better for it!
I found myself quite disliking the original M3GAN and Akela Cooper‘s screenplay. The film had several edits to appeal to a younger audience with the lack of common logic that bugged me even more. Following on from 2019’s similar “AI killer doll” movie ‘Child’s Play‘ which I still find the superior film, which didn’t help either. Even for a horror film about a deranged toy, it was dumb.
But something told me I was in for a treat with M3GAN 2.0 as Johnstone takes the James Cameron approach to horror movie sequels. This is now an action series where the tables have turned, and the villain becomes the hero! Cady isn’t the only one who had a growth spurt and M3GAN has grown up. She’s a little more mature, a little more human but still an android, largely indifferent to anyone besides her BFF.
I can’t say everyone who was a fan of the first film will love this, shifting of genres and turning the pint sized slasher into an action heroine, but I feel that Johnstone’s screenplay, along with the faster pacing of an action film, is much better at handling the returning characters and themes. The jokes just land on target this time around, also with New Zealand funnyman Jemaine Clement‘s tech billionaire ‘Alton Appleton‘, making me laugh out loud to an embarrassing degree!
M3GAN kicks a lot more ass this time, shootouts, car chases and synthetic catfights. Not simply repeating the formula of its predecessor, this allows M3GAN 2.0 to further explore the concept of a developing AI. The responsibility Gemma has for M3GAN‘s bloody rampage as her creator and how much M3GAN regrets her own actions, is AI not so much the problem as much as those willing to misuse it?
Practically the entire (surviving) cast of the last film return which is a welcome change for a sequel in general. Gemma‘s assistants Cole (Brian Jordan Alvarez) and Tess (Jen Van Epps) have expanded roles while still providing comedic fodder. Allison Williams and the voice of Jenna Davis have more of a candid back and forth. Violet McGraw gets some action scenes, even if the film has a little trouble finding a use for her character. While M3GAN‘s returning stunt double Amie Donald gets another dance number sure to be as much of a meme as the last film’s hallway routine.
M3GAN 2.0 is one of those sequels which shakes things up to such an extent that you get a completely different experience. Rather than a rehash of what worked last time, Blumhouse Productions and Gerard Johnstone take some chances. It’s equally as silly as the 2022 hit, however I must say, I just enjoyed the ride so much more this time around.