‘M3GAN 2.0’ review: camp robo-horror sequel is a downgrade

The best science fiction – and M3GAN was always more than a straightforward horror – is ahead of its time. Released in 2023, the killer doll flick was as much about chuckles as chills, sending up modern malaise (kids being raised by screens, the oncoming threat of AI) with a cheery penchant for relieving characters of their body parts. AI has since swiftly mutated from an advancement on the horizon to a regular feature of everyday life, proving just how prescient the concept was.

• READ MORE: Making ‘M3GAN’: inside the creation of horror’s viral new villain

M3GAN centred on Gemma (Girls’ Allison Williams), a workaholic toy developer suddenly placed in sole custody of her grief-stricken niece, Cady (Violet McGraw). A far better inventor than carer, she saw this as a chance to test out her latest project, the Model 3 Generative Android AKA M3GAN. This eerily lifelike AI doll – portrayed by Amie Donald, voiced by Jenna Davis – entertained and protected whichever child it was brought for. Even if you haven’t seen the film, you probably don’t need telling that this didn’t quite work out as planned.

The movie was obviously Child’s Play for the TikTok generation and the sassy doll’s unexpected dance moves duly went viral, turning her into something of a queer icon. As a result, the movie upgraded its $12million budget into more than $180million at the box office, so this sequel was as inevitable as a new iPhone. Back in the hot seat, director Gerard Johnstone dials up the campiness and action, but tones down the horror even further.

A military defence contractor has seemingly used M3GAN’S coding to create AMELIA (Autonomous Military Engagement Logistics and Infiltration Android), a robotic weapon of mass destruction played by Ivanna Sakhno. Except – uh-oh – AMELIA’s gone AWOL in search of a revolutionary artificial intelligence that’s been locked in a secret location for decades. If she can harness it, this will spell disaster on an epic scale. So M3GAN, who was always more an antihero than outright villain, has been warily rebooted to try and save the day.

The Terminator 2-inspired plot is actually quite a bit more convoluted than that, and only grows more twisting as the movie progresses. Flight Of The Conchords’ Jemaine Clement clearly relishes his role as a kinky tech bro, while Williams sensitively conveys Gemma’s development into a caring parent who’s forged a real relationship with Cady. M3GAN 2.0 cleverly channels our collective anxiety about being replaced by robots and is packed with killer quotes: “Hold onto your vaginas!” the titular doll yells upon kicking a sports car into hyper-speed, a line fans will no doubt repeat to each other whenever they get behind the wheel. A running gag involving the Kate Bush song ‘This Woman’s Work’ is also laugh-out-loud funny.

In fact, for a good third of its runtime, the second instalment in the franchise is actually an advancement on its predecessor. Alas, M3GAN 2.0 ultimately spirals out of its creators’ control, with the plot becoming all but incomprehensible and betraying its own squiffy logic. Through it all, though, the movie never loses its sense of humour or love for its characters. Ironically for a film about AI-powered killer dolls, M3GAN 2.0 has lot of heart.

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