‘M3GAN 2.0’ review: The ‘Evil Dead 2’ of sassy killer robots
3.5/5 dancing robots
There is something incredibly fun about horror movies leaning into the campier side. Especially when they are funnier the second time around. And that’s what happened with M3GAN 2.0. She’s back, taller, and better than ever.
Director Gerard Johnstone took the concept of M3GAN and asked: What if it was more funny that scary? When a new AI is created by the government named AMELIA (Ivanna Sakhno) killing everyone who made her “life” possible, Gemma (Allison Williams) has to try and figure out how to fight her. Her only option: M3GAN.
Everything about M3GAN 2.0 feels more fitting to me than the last. While watching M3GAN kill someone with a paper cutter was fun, the sequel is less about the kills and more about whatever M3GAN is willing to do to stop AMELIA and protect Cady (Violet McGraw). If Gemma gets saved along the way, whatever.
Yes, M3GAN 2.0 has beats that feel almost forced into it because they know fans will want her to dance or sing, it still works. The sequel allows not only M3GAN and Cady to grow but it allows the idea of the first film to change with its characters. M3GAN was a villain and now she’s their only hope of surviving and that’s always a fun dynamic to explore.
I really loved that this movie felt a bit more funny than the first. Which was fun in itself. It did have M3GAN playing “Toy Soldiers” on a piano. But taking the bits of humor from the first and amping it up for the second allows these outlandish characters and circumstances to really shine.
Don’t worry, she’s still M3GAN
Part of the fun of this movie is the fact that Gemma has to work with M3GAN despite everyone telling her it is a bad idea. It is your Terminator 2: Judgment Day but with a twist. For me, so much of this movie felt like what happened with The Evil Dead franchise. Not that I think M3GAN and Ash Williams are the same but rather than the franchise itself benefitted from leaning harder into another genre with the sequel.
Basically think if Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator was really into dancing and making jokes with Sarah Connor. It’d be a completely different movie. M3GAN 2.0 allows the humor of the first film to dive this time. We loved M3GAN because she has no filter and isn’t afraid to make fun of those around her. The same can be said about the new and improved version.
She updated her operating systems and while she’s not as dance heavy, there is still some of the old AI in there. Including one of the best needle drops in the entire movie (even if it was uncomfortable). Overall, M3GAN 2.0 is fun. It reminded me a lot of how Sam Raimi was allowed to mix horror and humor with The Evil Dead 2 and that’s what Gerard Johnstone did with this.
If you loved M3GAN, you have quite the fun ride with the sequel. She’s back in theaters on June 27.
(featured image: Universal Pictures)
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