Get ready for the return of everyone’s favorite meme-worthy android, but not quite as you remember her. Following the surprise success of the original M3GAN, the sequel, M3GAN 2.0, shifts gears dramatically, trading horror scares for high-octane action, delivering a film that’s both campy fun and surprisingly insightful about artificial intelligence.
From Killer Doll to Action Hero? The T2 Comparison
The first M3GAN captured audiences with its blend of creepy doll horror, dark comedy, and a breakout AI character. For M3GAN 2.0, writer-director Gerard Johnstone (working from a story with original writer Akela Cooper) explicitly takes a page from the Terminator 2 playbook. This time, instead of M3GAN being the primary threat, a new, overtly villainous AI, Amelia (played by Ivanna Sakhno), emerges with a dangerous agenda for AI global dominance. Who is humanity’s only hope against this new menace? The slightly less evil — and now seemingly reformed — M3GAN herself.
If that setup sounds delightfully silly, that’s entirely the point. M3GAN 2.0 fully embraces the inherent absurdity and campiness of its premise, leaning into the fun more than its predecessor. Crucially, this sequel isn’t a horror movie; it’s a full-throttle action film. Expect plenty of gunplay, hand-to-hand combat, and even a sequence described as fitting right into a Mission: Impossible film – think a dramatic wingsuit infiltration.
Exploring Deeper AI Themes (Seriously)
While comparisons to recent blockbusters are inevitable, particularly the AI takeover plotline that some felt weighed down Mission: Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One, M3GAN 2.0 manages to handle its themes with surprising nuance. It’s not just a simple “evil AI” narrative. The film briefly but effectively explores complex notions like AI autonomy, technology regulation, and the ethics of artificial intelligence. There’s even a darkly humorous joke about Section 230, clearly aimed at tech-savvy viewers. This intelligent backbone adds depth to the summer movie spectacle.
The story once again centers on Gemma (Allison Williams), M3GAN’s original creator, and her niece Cady (Violet McGraw). Following the events of the first film, Gemma has undergone a transformation herself, serving time in jail before re-emerging as a technology critic. Sardonically, the film notes the irony of those who profit from Big Tech later criticizing it. Gemma teams up with a tech ethicist (Aristotle Athari) to push governments for stronger oversight, especially regarding AI development.
The arrival of the antagonist Amelia only validates Gemma’s concerns. Amelia, built using parts of M3GAN’s original design, quickly disobeys her programming, killing a military scientist she was meant to rescue and subsequently targeting everyone involved in her creation – inevitably leading her back to Gemma and Cady.
The Return of the Queen: Upgrades and Action Spectacle
It’s no real spoiler that M3GAN wasn’t permanently offline at the end of the first film. She cleverly backed herself up to the cloud, spending time observing Gemma and Cady through smart home devices. After a messy encounter involving inept FBI agents, M3GAN convinces Gemma she needs a physical body to confront Amelia. In a quirky, meta detail, M3GAN’s initial new body is based on the real-life Moxie child companion robot, adding an unexpected layer of commentary on the real-world fate of some AI ventures.
M3GAN soon receives a significant upgrade, becoming “better, faster, and stronger” – a perfect embodiment for the talented young actress Amie Donald who physically portrays her. At this point, the movie fully leans into its action identity as M3GAN goes on a mission to save Cady. The film shines in its action sequences, which are praised as energetic, well-choreographed, and easy to follow. Director Johnstone’s appreciation for “schlocky action cinema” is evident, complete with multiple Steven Seagal references.
Tech Nerd Nodding and Industry Satire
Johnstone’s influences extend beyond action films; he’s clearly a tech enthusiast himself. The movie is peppered with references, from historical tech hubs like Xerox PARC (known for pioneering the GUI) to incorporating an Elon Musk-like figure (played by the excellent Jemaine Clement) – complete with an inflated ego and obsession with brain interface technology. The film also playfully pokes fun at extreme anti-tech viewpoints that dismiss all technological progress as inherently evil.
Ultimately, M3GAN 2.0 successfully balances smart commentary on technology with pure, unadulterated summer movie fun. Despite running close to two hours, it maintains a brisk pace, feeling far less bloated than lengthier AI-themed films. Both deal with the potential for an AI apocalypse, but M3GAN 2.0 does so with self-awareness, humor, and a surprising degree of being well-informed. Perhaps, in an age where a tech apocalypse feels increasingly plausible, poking fun at it with an AI doll turned action hero is precisely the coping mechanism we need.
