Everyone’s favorite sassy android (don’t you dare call her a toy) rises from her graveyard of gears in M3GAN 2.0. Gerard Johnstone returns to the director’s chair, welding together an entertaining sequel that builds upon the spirit of the original while avoiding the Trojan horse sequel trappings programmed into so many of its peers.
M3GAN 2.0 picks up two years after the events of it’s previous incarnation. Roboticist and M3GAN creator Emma (Allison Williams) now travels the country, speaking out as an author and advocate against the dangers of unregulated artificial intelligence (for obvious reasons). Despite claims of child endangerment and the other fallout from her creation’s murders, her niece Cady (Violet McGraw) remains under her parental control. Cady appears shaken but stronger for having endured the incident, taking self-defense courses and steeping herself in Steven Seagal flicks. Unbeknownst to them, M3GAN (voiced by Jenna Davis, AND played by Amie Donald) still resides with the family, having hidden herself within Emma‘s smart home programming.
“…builds upon the spirit of the original while avoiding the Trojan horse sequel trappings programmed into so many of its peers.”
The consequences of M3GAN‘s invention reverberate worldwide as the U.S. military hacked Emma‘s schematics and weaponized them, creating the Autonomous Military Engagement Logistics and Infiltration Android, or AMELIA for short (played by Ivanna Sakhno). It doesn’t take long for AMELIA to rebuke her programming and begin a bloody crusade against her creators. The government confronts Emma, demanding her help to tame the murderous android. Seeing her chance to escape the digital prison of the smart home software, M3GAN comes out of the shadows, demanding a new body in exchange for destroying AMELIA. Desperate, Emma agrees and the family quickly finds out that M3GAN has been rather busy the last two years.
M3GAN 2.0 “bleachbits” much of the horror elements found in the original film, reprogramming it’s own formula with an upgrade of humor and science fiction action. Horror fans may balk at the decision, yet this version of M3GAN feels much more organic, or “comfortable in her own skin” (pun sorta intended). The menacing android was at her best when given the chance to be sassy and violent in the first film, and both are exponentially more abundant in this sequel.
While many sequel films falter under this type of “more is better” direction (See: Sequel-itis), M3GAN 2.0 excels. Much of the credit for this should be attributed to writer/director Gerard Johnstone’s screenplay. Johnstone, who helmed the first M3GAN, never loses control of the sequel and (most appreciated) never takes his audience as idiots. Returning back to the word “organic”, elements like character interactions and plot progressions feel natural. It’s the small things, like M3GAN aging along side Cady, or launching smartass remarks at Emma just like human teenagers would. AMELIA bears a near identical but aged up appearance to M3GAN, a nice touch considering they came from the same schematic. Small attention to details like this are extremely valuable when buying audience approval. And while the plot certainly doesn’t break new ground and can be fairly predictable at times, M3GAN 2.0 never ceases to be entertaining.
In many ways, the progression of the two M3GAN films mirrors that of another Universal/Blumhouse property, Happy Death Day. As those who have seen the two entries in that franchise, horror elements of the original are exchanged for science fiction, Back to the Future type plot devices in the sequel. This is not to say the horror is completely stripped from M3GAN 2.0. Ivanna Sahkno’s portrayal of AMELIA is equal parts menacing and vicious. M3GAN‘s first appearance in physical form resembles some unholy combination of the grotesque cyborgs from Virus (1999) and Chucky after his appointment with Andy Barclay‘s fireplace. And despite the makeover, both in body and attitude, M3GAN still projects a creepiness that never allows the other characters, or us the audience, to trust her.
“The Horror elements of the original are exchanged for science fiction […but] M3GAN still projects a menacing creepiness.”
M3GAN 2.0 doesn’t revolutionize the genre, and isn’t some super deep parable that requires a Google search of “what was the REAL meaning of (insert art house movie here)”. It does hold duel societal messages of growth and preparing for change instead of fearing it, but they are surface level at best. And that’s all M3GAN 2.0 needs.
Not every film needs an essay explaining what you missed and why tRaUmA is at the core, a theme quickly evolving into a dreaded plague infecting all modern horror. Theatrical releases need a healthy rotation of intellectual films, but also films that are just fun to watch. The visuals are fantastic, most of the jokes land, and just enough elements of the original film are present amongst the necessary sequel progressions to declare M3GAN 2.0 a worthy, entertaining trip to the movies.
M3GAN 2.0 is currently playing at a theatre near you! Let us know what you thought of this upgraded sequel and how it stacks against the original in the Nightmare on Film Street Discord! Social Media is cesspool. Come hang out where the cool creep lurk…
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