Yula Fernandes
Much like Karlie Kloss at the 2019 MET gala, M3GAN 2.0 is looking camp right in the eye.
As I stared at the massive poster bearing an image of M3GAN with the tagline ‘This Bitch Is Back’ I knew that this would be interesting to say the least.
Directed by fellow Kiwi Gerard Johnstone, M3GAN 2.0 takes place two years after the events of the first movie. You know, the one where M3GAN goes on a wee murderous rampage after hacking her own software and gaining a little too much sentience. It’s all in the name of protecting her primary user Cady (Violet McGraw) but alas she ends up decommissioned… almost.
History seems to be repeating itself when a new android, with an equally cool acronym for a name, appears to have gone rogue. AMELIA, the Autonomous Military Engagement Logistics and Infiltration Android (Ivanna Sakhno) is newer, faster, stronger and smarter than anything ever seen before and she seems unstoppable. That is until Gemma (Allison Williams) reluctantly resurrects M3GAN in an attempt to fight fire with fire.
And guess what? The girls are indeed fighting! With a great blend of martial arts and robotic ruthlessness this was an action packed movie that had a little bit of everything including some truly iconic haircuts.
There is a definite tone shift from the first movie and I can see where audiences could come away feeling a little disappointed. I would not call this a horror at all. I reckon the trailers that played before the movie started scared me more. With next to no scares and one F-bomb I could really feel the PG-13 rating this time around compared to the first movie, probably due to the lack of any real suspense, bar one or two scenes.
But that’s not to say I didn’t enjoy this bonkers thing for what it was; a delightfully campy action spy sci-fi. It’s got some slick fight sequences, a killer montage and a lot of laughs (the kind that are actually vocalised and not just a nasal exhale.) It also hasn’t completely forgotten its roots with numerous callbacks to the first movie including another iconic dance and sing song moment.
If you enjoyed M3GAN’s sardonic humour and deadpan delivery in the first movie then you will absolutely love her in this one. Voiced by Jenna Davis (with the physical performance done by Amie Donald), M3GAN really drives home the fact that this is her world and we’re just living in it. The back and forth, scrappy banter between her and literally anyone else in the movie is exquisite and there are actually some genuine heartfelt moments thrown in the mix too.
The movie doesn’t take itself too seriously and once you realise that you’re not watching a bleak indie horror you can enjoy it so much more. So I say give in to it! Forget about Marvel, this is my MCU. M3GAN 2.0 you will always be famous to me.
Year: 2025
Rating: PG
Running Time: 120 MIN
Genre: Thriller, Dark Comedy
Director: Gareth Edwards
Starring: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ivanna Sakhno, Jemaine Clement
Production Studio: Blumhouse Productions
Distributor: Universal Pictures