Carl Roberts 
“M3gan 2.0 is a wonderfully evil, twisted, violent, but hilarious return for the killer A. I robot. This is brilliant entertainment from the start.”
The original M3gan took the world by storm in 2022. What should have been a run-of-the-mill thriller proved to be anything but. It became a box office hit, and critics and audiences loved it. A winning combination of horror, science fiction, and showing the dangers of A.I., the film kick-started the newest craze for making movies about killer robots. Although the premise wasn’t new, it gave the genre a fresh injection of fun and blood it desperately needed. Almost immediately, a sequel was announced and was on the drawing board.
Now, it’s here. M3gan 2.0 opens this weekend in cinemas. Once again written and directed by Gerard Johnstone from a story by Johnstone and Akela Cooper, the bitch is back. The movie feels like a natural continuation of the franchise, featuring the return of most of the principal cast from the original film (minus the ones who M3gan killed, of course). Led by Allison Williams as Gemma (who also produces the film alongside Jason Blum and James Wan and Violet McGraw as Cady, the film is a welcome return for M3gan and her human ‘friends’. But can M3gan make her return a brilliant and winning sequel? Or should she have been left on the scrapheap?
PREMISE
Two years after the events of M3GAN, Gemma has become an author and an advocate for the regulation of artificial intelligence while trapping a still-active M3GAN in a small, harmless robotic doll. However, M3GAN’s technology has been stolen and used by a defence contractor to create a military robot called AMELIA (autonomous military engagement logistics and infiltration android), who becomes self-aware, turns on her creators, and attempts an AI takeover. Facing imminent destruction, Gemma’s niece Cady convinces her to rebuild M3GAN with advanced upgrades so she can fight AMELIA.
THOUGHTS
Fans need not worry. The film is a riot from start to finish. Although it isn’t scary this time around (no jump scares here), it more than makes up for it with everything that made the original film so much fun. The violence we expect is here in a big way. Both films have been rated PG-13 in the United States. While in the UK, they both received a more restrictive 15 certificate. Whereas the first film, I felt, didn’t deserve the restrictive UK rating, it was more than justified here. I will never know how this film got a family rating in America. It surely pushed the PG-13 envelope to its very limits. While the horror isn’t that horrifying, the violence most certainly is.
Even though the worst death in the film (the very first one) is shown as a shadow on a wall, some violence is presented in full. However, this is diluted by some moving moments, some great thoughts on the danger A. I could pose us, and some brilliantly sharp and welcome humour. It is a surprise to discover exactly how much humour the film contains. Shockingly, many of these comedic moments come from M3gan herself and some of the film’s moving moments. Many have speculated on whether the film goes down the Terminator 2 route. The answer to this question is…SPOILER ALERT…yes. M3gan isn’t the villain here. Instead, she is a flawed hero despite some nasty moments that have us on edge.
ALLISON WILLIAMS
Allison Williams as Gemma is once again the main human character we follow. In the two years since the first film’s climax, Gemma has become an author and advocate for the regulation of artificial intelligence. She is still struggling to raise Cady, who has started to become a typical teenager while juggling her career. She and her company are also broke. With this complication and stress to deal with, the last thing Gemma needs is the resurfacing of M3gan. However, when M3gan does reappear, it is when Gemma and Cady need her the most. Allison Williams gives a superb performance throughout. She also becomes an action hero later on, beating tens belles of snot out of some of the villains’ minions. Despite having us feel exasperated at her sometimes, Gemma is the stable influence the film needs. And this is all down to Allison Williams’ acting prowess.
VIOLET MCGRAW
Violet McGraw as Cady is equally as good. Growing up in the two years between the films has done the character a world of good. Cady is tougher and more opinionated than she was before. Despite what she put her through, she still holds a candle for M3gan. When her ‘friend’ makes her reappearance, Cady is naturally hostile towards her. However, after a touching scene where M3gan reveals her new self before her recreation, Cady understands that she needs M3gan in her life. Cady also shows her tougher side during proceedings alongside her more logical side. She does make mistakes later on, but these are natural for someone so young. Violet McGraw effortlessly slips back into Cady’s shoes throughout, showing us she has a great future ahead of her.
THE SUPPORTING CAST
The supporting cast all make their marks during the proceedings. The returning Brian Jordan Alvarez as Cole and Jen Van Epps as Tess are welcome faces that connect the two films. Of the pair, it is Alvarez who gets most of the screentime allowed to them. He is also the comic relief, which the actor delivers in spades. Aristotle Athari, as Christian seems to be an afterthought as a character, only to play a significant part later in the film. The acclaimed New Zealand actor Jemaine Clement again gets to play a slimy role before he departs proceedings in a rather nasty way. These characters contribute plenty to the film, giving it precisely what it needs to make it so much fun.
IVANNA SAKHNO
Ivanna Sakhno as AMELIA is the film’s big bad. The actress steps into a similar role as Robert Patrick in Terminator 2 and Kristanna Loken in Terminator 3. Here, she is the A. I robotic villain to M3gan. Amelia is deadly, ruthless, murderous, unstoppable and uncompromising. In lesser hands, the character could be just a token throwaway villain, doing evil things, fighting the main characters before meeting a nasty and possibly fiery demise. Not so here. Ivanna Sakhno instils a real sense of purpose into her role, bringing Amelia to life in a more human way than we would expect. A revelation about her later on makes us see her in a different light as we gear up to the climax we know is coming. The actress makes the most of her role, making her character one to fear at every turn.
AMIE DONALD AND JENNA DAVIS
But of course, we all want to know about M3gan herself. Can she return to make us sit up and notice her all over again? Of course, she can. The pairing of Amie Donald as M3gan herself and Jenna Davis as her voice is terrific. Amie Donald brings M3gan to life in her physical form brilliantly, dancing once again, kicking ass throughout and making the character that much more memorable. Jenna Davis speaks M3gan’s lines to incredible effect, making us laugh at many points we wouldn’t expect and feel for M3gan. To our surprise, the character has us feeling a lot of sympathy for her at times. In the two years since we last saw her, M3gan has learned more about humanity than we would expect. She has been quietly watching over Gemma and Cady, remaining a silent but watchful companion.
When she needs to make her presence known, she does it in a way that instantly makes us fall in love with her again. Her aiding Gemma and Cady during a home invasion is not only brilliantly staged but also satisfying. Her vocal observations while trapped inside a harmless robotic doll are incredibly funny, while she also has a helpful side to her. When she gets her new and improved body, we can’t wait to see what she will do next. Amie Donald and Jenna Davis make M3gan someone we really shouldn’t like, but can’t help but fall in love with. Together, the pair make her a character we can’t help but cheer on. Every moment she is on screen, the pair make her someone to remember to brilliant effect.
DIRECTION AND WRITING
Gerard Johnstone’s direction and script are sublime. Returning to the franchise he helped create does the film wonders. Johnstone recreates what made the original film so fun and successful while also opening the franchise up to endless possibilities going forward. His visual flair, the neon-tinged sequence that occurs partway through the film, and the way he sets the film up cannot be underrated. His writing contains some biting satire, some surprising humour (one bit that has us rolling in the aisles) while also addressing the fears of the emergence of A. I and the dangers it could create going forward. Surprisingly, he also injects some real emotional content into his script, making us feel for M3gan in ways we wouldn’t expect to. Some of what he has written comes with a tinge of sadness that goes hand in hand with the emotion. It is a welcome surprise that the film contains so much heart during what we are seeing.
VERDICT
M3gan 2.0 is a wonderfully evil, twisted, violent, but hilarious return for the killer A. I robot. This is brilliant entertainment from the start. It doesn’t take itself seriously, knowingly revelling in the campness and silliness it contains. Okay, so it sometimes feels akin to The Terminator franchise, but that’s part of the fun. The film knows exactly what it is. It isn’t meant to be regarded as an epic Oscar-winner; it is purely and simply enjoyable entertainment. It works on so many levels. The horror isn’t too much for the squeamish, and the violence is offset by the humour. Together, the mix works brilliantly, giving the audience a fun and delightful time at the movies.
Could there be a third film? What do you think? The film contains so many outs that could lead to another movie in the franchise that a third chapter should be forthcoming if the film proves to be as successful as it deserves to be. A spin-off movie, titled SoulM8te, will be coming in 2026, set in the same universe. If that film proves to be a success, we may see a M3gan/ Soulm8te crossover film somewhere down the line. But that is for another time. For now, M3gan is back, large as life and twice as deadly. A superb mix that will appeal to the audience without a doubt. I can’t wait to see the film again, and for another round of violent, fun-filled mayhem with her. Do as M3gan commands, strap yourselves in and hold onto your vaginas!
M3gan 2.0 will be in cinemas starting Friday, Courtesy of Universal Pictures.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
