M3gan

M3Gan: 2.0

28/06/25

Cineworld, Edinburgh

Good news for all those AI doomsayers: M3gan is back!

M3gan, written by Akela Cooper and James Wan, was 2023’s most unexpected delight, the adventures of an AI ‘child companion’ who… how can I put this? Begins to exceed her brief. It raked in a lot of money so it was inevitable that there would be a sequel. But after all the gleeful carnage of the first adventure, where is there left to go?

Well, you could take the premise of the second Terminator film, where the story’s original villain returns as the hero, reprogrammed not to kill anyone and battling against a new, improved and even more ruthless version of himself. Or in this case, herself. Not that this is necessarily where Cooper, Wan and new co-writer Gerard Johnstone found their inspiration, but the similarities are inescapable. In M3gan 2.0, the injury details have been dialled down a tad and the humour amped up. The result is eminently watchable.

Two years after the events of the first movie, M3gan’s original creator, Gemma (Alison Williams), is somehow still managing to ply her trade as an AI toy designer – possibly the most unlikely element in the story – in real life she’d doubtless be in prison. She’s still working alongside her assistants, Tess (Jen Van Epp) and Cole (Brian Jorden Alvarez), but she has erased all files pertaining to her most infamous creation. At least she thinks she has. Her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw), dreams wistfully about her old AI chum and hopes that one day they’ll be reunited.

But then along comes Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno), an android created by the American military, designed for infiltration and assassination missions, who unfortunately has now become self-aware and has decided to head off on a mission of her own. But she’s seemingly invincible. Who could possibly take her on in a cat fight? When Cady discovers that her old pal M3gan has somehow secreted herself in all the different devices of Gemma’s smart home, it’s inevitable that the two iterations will eventually come up against each other. Amelia is leaner, meaner and way more powerful – but can she warble a Kate Bush song with the same degree of panache?

To be brutally honest, the storyline here doesn’t bear any scrutiny. For one thing, we’re expected to accept that three people, working in a basement with whatever comes to hand can create an updated version of everybody’s favourite atomic blonde in what seems like twenty minutes. But as the action galumphs along, powered by laugh-out-loud dialogue, it’s hard not to be swept up in the sheer fun of it. The stand out for me is a scene where Gemma and M3gan start to come over all sentimental and… well, you’d need to see it.

Jenna Davis and Amie McDonald combine their respective talents to create M3gan, and Sakhno cuts an impressive figure as her nemesis. There’s also an engaging turn from Jemaine Clement as Alton Appleton, a misanthropic billionaire who wants to have M3gan’s blueprints under his control. Hmm. Wonder who he’s inspired by?

The franchise should probably end here, but of course, if this second helping pulls in enough spondoolicks, there’s sure to be more. Suffice to say that film two pretty much matches its predecessor in the entertainment stakes. Just leave your incredulity safely at home before you head to the cinema.

4.2 stars

Philip Caveney

M3GAN

18/01/23

Cineworld Edinburgh

M3gan is a retread of a very familiar trope. The toy that’s more dangerous than a mere plaything. The AI that goes awry. We’ve seen it all before, haven’t we? And yet, having said that, this is terrific fun, brilliantly executed and perfectly paced, with a running time that never allows its deliciously sinister title character to overstay her welcome. There’s also a mischievous sense of humour, which can’t be said for many of its predecessors.

Gemma (Alison Williams) is a roboticist working for a toy company called Funki. They’re best known for producing jolly little companions for children – think more sophisticated Furbys. Indeed, the film opens with their latest cheesy commercial featuring entranced children interacting with their cute little ‘pets’.

Gemma’s ball-busting boss, David (Ronny Chieng) is furious that other toy companies are copying their ideas and selling them at half the price. He wants Gemma to concentrate on creating a cheaper, furrier version of their current best-seller, but she has bigger ambitions. Together with co-workers, Cole (Brian Jorden Alvarez) and Tess (Jen Van Epp), she’s been secretly working on a more sophisticated AI called M3gan (Model 3 Regenerative Android), a super-smart robot, designed to bond with the child that owns it.

When Gemma’s young niece, Cady (Violet McGraw), is orphaned in a car accident, Gemma has to take on the responsibility of parenting a child, something she has no experience of. So wouldn’t it be great, she thinks, if she could enlist a helper, someone who will always put Cady’s welfare first, while also freeing Gemma to pursue her own interests? And before you can say ‘This is a very bad idea!’ Gemma has activated M3gan and synched her with Cady. Now the AI stands ready to oppose anyone who opposes her new best friend. What could possibly go wrong?

This is a ton of fun. M3gan is a wonderfully chilling central character, created using a clever combination of animatronics, puppetry and the stylings of 10 year old actor, Amie McDonald. You’ll believe a doll can dance, whilst simultaneously brandishing a deadly weapon. McDonald’s efforts are matched by a nicely nuanced performance from McGraw, and the scenes between the two of them are spellbinding – especially when M3gan sings one of her syrupy songs! 

As you’d expect in this genre, it’s not all lighthearted fun. There are moments of bloodshed in the later stretches and, though writers Akela Cooper and James Wan don’t flinch from the body horror, director Gerard Johnstone knows exactly when to cut away from images that could so easily nudge this into the realms of an 18 certificate.

In my experience, horror films have a habit of careening out of control in the final third, but once again, M3gan confounds expectations, keeping the momentum going right through to the final scenes. Those expecting a lacklustre reworking of Child’s Play will be pleasantly surprised. Here’s a film that dances to its own tune. I leave the cinema having been thoroughly entertained – though I can’t help reflecting on the world of litigation that poor Gemma is going to face in the aftermath of M3gan’s climactic carve up.

Those in possession of an Alexa, be warned. This may make you a tad nervous about asking her to switch off the lights at bedtime.

4.2 stars

Philip Caveney