M3GAN 2.0 is a genre-jumping, scary-yet-funny adventure that surprisingly also delves into concerns that many have today about technology and AI. It truly has something for every sci-fi geek and horror movie nerd, and makes for one of the best movies this year.
I am a huge fan of the first M3GAN film— campy, funny, and at times terrifying, it embodies all the things that I love about this genre of horror, which is that it leans into its own absurdity and silliness and makes such an entertaining film because of it. Not serious, not completely concerned with its consequences in the world, but yes, supremely entertaining. With M3GAN 2.0, these factors are turned up to 100, with an even bolder story, even higher thrills and funnier laughs, and best of all, even more M3GAN.
With everything that I anticipated going into this film, it did not disappoint. I was looking forward to how director Gerard Johnstone would innovate the core concept of M3GAN, especially since the allure of AI and the threat of its world domination is more relevant than ever. Thankfully, he hit it on the nose. The film delivers higher highs, with grander spectacles and a more perilous plot, and all of the sci-fi action goodness that fans love. Produced by James Wan, the film has his characteristic cheesy but oh-so-good fight sequences that I simply could not get enough of (think Malignant). Satisfying deaths, amazing set pieces, and energizing music all make this movie something I know will be put on at sleepovers to come.
I loved that this film had even more M3GAN than the first, however impossible that initially seemed. With more of her sass, her one-line quips, and an absolutely hilarious scene that involves her singing to console Gemma (the whole theater was laughing out loud at this part), she completely stole the movie for me. The fact that she was in the role of the “good-guy” this time, but the main characters never knew if she could be trusted after the events of the first movie, was ingenious and kept me on my toes.
M3GAN, courtesy of Universal Pictures
Played by voice actor Jenna Davis, her dialogue and attitude were amazing and propelled the movie forward, not to mention her arc in gaining the motivation to ignore her coded principles and save the world. This is the best portrayal of M3GAN yet, and I’m excited to see more of her (maybe in the potential spin-off I hear is in the works).
I also loved how, through the comedy and scares, the film manages to convey strong conversations about the current state of technology and AI in the world, and the potential for our over-reliance on them with serious consequences. Allison Williams’ character Gemma is portrayed as an advocate for controlling and regulating exactly how much technology is present in our, and specifically our kids’, lives, and the movie manages to conclude that this technology is not evil but it should be monitored and used in a way that doesn’t take over our entire lives while still being present as a tool, which I thought was tasteful and well done. I myself work in tech, and I saw several references to real-world concepts and paradigms that made me believe that the director and writers seriously did their research about this topic and were passionate about the accuracy. Take, for example, the mention of the paperclip problem, which is a thought experiment conceived by Nick Bostrom in 2014, where an AI program given too much power to make something as simple as paperclips ends up destroying the world in the process. I like the fact that this little easter egg was mentioned in the movie, as it ties it to the real world and gives the viewer something lasting to think about.
I enjoyed M3GAN 2.0, and it has given me renewed confidence in the potential for both creativity and sequels in the industry. The looming threat of AI is ever-present, and the fact that the film can make tongue-in-cheek commentary about it while also giving the audience laughs and scares is simply masterful. M3GAN 2.0 hits theaters on June 27th and is an absolute must-watch this summer.
