M3GAN 2.0 Movie Review: 2 is Better Than 1

M3GAN 2.0 takes things radically differently and in a more bombastic way than its predecessor, but manages to stay surprisingly coherent and relevant.

M3GAN 2.0 boasts a premise that’s definitely different in style and tone to the previous film. Whereas M3GAN was a sometimes campy sci-fi horror thriller, this movie leans more into action and embraces the camp more wholeheartedly. I welcomed that approach, even if it was a gamble; the element of the unknown is what drives suspense, so revisiting that unknown only serves to demystify it and thus lessen the horror, like how hearing the same joke for the 11th time takes all the punch out of it. Thankfully, that gamble paid off, as we got a sequel that actually feels warranted and stands on its own.

A large part has to do with M3GAN 2.0 actually taking into account consequences of the previous film’s events. Things didn’t get a factory reset just because M3GAN was temporarily vanquished. Instead, we see a world where AI safety and regulation has become a major discussion, and characters take stances on it based on their experiences. This allows the film’s setting to feel not just more real, but also more relevant, considering how AI usage is a contentious topic right now, though with significantly less murder involved.

This evolution pertains not only to the world, but to the characters as well. Gemma is now trying to genuinely be a good stepmom to Cady, and they clearly have a better understanding of each other. But Gemma takes a hard stance in fearing the limitless possibility of AI, for good reason; I too would be a little mistrustful of Siri if I was nearly lobotomized by a murderous child robot. Gemma’s ideology causes a new conflict between her and Cady, who is more open to the potential for technology. The setting the characters are in and how the characters have adapted to it make M3GAN 2.0 feel like a genuine sequel instead of a rehash. Granted, the film ultimately plays things safe with the theme of AI, but I still appreciate how the world has reacted in various ways to the M3GAN incident.

Then there is M3GAN herself. The franchise pulls a little Terminator 2 and makes her an ally this time, instead of an obsessed psycho. Yet the film still manages to find a bit of nuance with her, and I appreciate that layer to her character. The main question that keeps coming up throughout the movie is whether M3GAN’s turn is genuine. Is she really capable of caring for Cady, or is she just fooled by her own program into thinking helping her is the right thing to do?

The concept of an AI struggling with whether its conscience is real or not is nothing new. In sci-fi, it’s the equivalent to whitebread. Yet M3GAN 2.0 makes those themes work because it frames them in a more suspenseful context. M3GAN used to be ruthless and murderous. Despite her protocol to protect Cady, can she truly be trusted to look out for Gemma and others, or will she eventually attempt to embrace her inner Ultron once more? It makes her dynamics with Gemma and Cady intriguing, as Gemma has very justifiable reservations towards M3GAN. 

For instance, there’s a scene where Gemma opens up a bit to M3GAN about her insecurities and flaws. M3GAN comforts her and talks her through it, and things actually get a little emotional. However, M3GAN then starts singing along to the emotional background track. While it’s silly, it’s also a sign that M3GAN still doesn’t fully empathize with humans, and thus can be emotionally insensitive. Moments like these keep us guessing on M3GAN’s true motives, and that suspense is also what makes the themes of AI and sentience come across as fresh, or at least interesting.

Sadly the same cannot be said for AMELIA, which I think is a weak point of the film. Ivanna Sakhno does a fantastic job; she looks far more human than M3GAN, yet her actions and voice always carry a creepy robotic undertone. However, she’s mainly there as antagonist fodder, with not much character of her own. We see glimpses, mainly regarding how she wants freedom and also tries to make M3GAN join her as an AI companion. But when the film actually focuses on her, it’s usually to make her look cool and scary during the action scenes.

Thankfully those action scenes are entertaining. M3GAN 2.0 takes a more action oriented approach where things are more over the top. We get M3GAN doing a wingsuit dive into a top secret military base, that should speak for itself. This approach also allows for the film’s campier moments to mesh far more naturally than they did in the first movie. The movie’s general humor is also strong, as I could watch a whole series of M3GAN being snarkily aggressive to Gemma like a teen drama bully.

I have one final reservation to go over, and that is in regards to the future of this franchise. The film seems to leave itself open for yet another sequel, and a spinoff is already in the works. Yet despite how much M3GAN 2.0 surprised me with its quality, I am not sure if such a gamble could be pulled off twice. We already escalated from home and toy based horror to robot girls punching each other in cyberpunk suits; exactly where do you escalate from here without things becoming stale? M3GAN goes to space?

Still, I am saying all that because of how much I enjoyed this film, and because I don’t want the series to fizzle out by overstaying its welcome. M3GAN 2.0 is different, and it’s not afraid to show it. In my opinion, it’s all the better for it. This could very easily have been a lazy cash grab and “M3GAN but again.” Instead, what we get is a fun, sometimes campy action thriller that still takes itself pretty seriously when it has to in terms of its characters. It’s rare for me to enjoy a horror sequel over the original, and this film proves itself to be an upgrade rather than a sidegrade.

M3GAN 2.0 is now available to watch in U.S. theaters, in U.K. and Irish cinemas, and globally in theaters.