by Austen Terry, Contributing Writer
In January 2023, Blumhouse and Atomic Monster graced our screens with M3GAN, a movie about a robot doll that will stop at nothing to protect the child it has bonded with, even if that involves killing people or animals to achieve its objective. Murderous robot AIs weren’t new then, nor are they now, but this film struck a chord on the internet and went viral. Meaning a sequel was almost guaranteed.
M3GAN 2.0 picks up two years after the events of the first movie, and after several hearings, Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw) are finally able to start their life over. The government somehow got control of M3GAN’s AI, and creates a new robot in Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno), and she eventually loses control. This leaves the government to find Gemma and Katie, believing they are in danger. M3GAN herself returns, still voiced by Jenna Davis, and with a physical performance by Amie Donald. They must band together against AMELIA and protect Cady and Gemma.
Gerard Johnstone returns to write and direct this seque (Akela Cooper gets a story credit). Plus, the producers stepped up the game here in terms of budget. 2.0 feels different, and not just in tone. AI is a topic on everyone’s mind at the moment, and this movie tackles its usage. A friend of mine recently asked the question, Are there ethical ways to implement AI into the world? This film provides a solid answer to that question. It elaborates that it wasn’t software issues that caused M3GAN to go haywire, but AI becoming self-aware. This isn’t some cheap cash grab sequel; it has a message and heart.
Williams and McGraw are still good together as aunt and niece. I like the fact that their characters don’t change much. Gemma does see more problems with just letting tech raise your kids, but she and Cady are still very much oil and water. Most sequels will bring back characters and have them pull a 180, but after the trauma Cady went through, it’s not unrealistic for her to still be closed off. More so after the M3GAN debacle, she is still self-reliant and closed off. McGraw pulls it off well. Williams portrays her role of trying to grow as a parent well, and is extremely mistrusting now.
The new and returning players all make this film work, bringing connectedness to this world. Cole (Brian Jordan Alvarez) and Tess (Jen Van Epps) try to make Gemma see how to do the right thing. Sakhno does a fantastic job portraying the robotic nature of this character. Donald still has what it takes to portray the practical character, and Davis’ voice still causes chills. Everything molds together to make this story a decent movie. The act three twist, though I predicted one part of it, was still surprising.
While it doesn’t break new ground, M3GAN 2.0 is still a fun action horror film. There are indeed better AI stories out there, but this sequel allows the audience to glance at what our future is becoming. AI is something we all need to look at and worry about.
Rating: Liked It
M3GAN 2.0 is currently playing in theaters
You can read more from Austen Terry, or follow them on Instagram and Letterboxd