• Release year: 2025
• Director: Gerard Johnstone.
• Producers: Jason Blum, James Wan, and Allison Williams.
• Screenplay by: Gerard Johnstone.
• Cinematography by: Toby Oliver.
• Music by: Chris Bacon.

Shotgun Commentary: a wacky version of Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) and Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning (2025).

Review

M3GHAN 2.0 is the sequel of the slasher comedy M3GAN (2022). In this second instalment, the doll is back with a vengeance. Or, more accurately, with exactly the same mission as before, but slightly less psychopathic about it. Get ready to see the unseen: AI’s emotional development! Well, unseen if you don’t think of I, Robot (2004), the Terminator saga, Blade Runner (1982), Ex Machina (2014)… Yeah, not exactly, innovative. But wait, because with this AI doll, there’s always more!

A story for the ages

The feature begins with an introduction of the villain, one so completely irrelevant that the caption reads “somewhere near the Turkish/Iranian border”. Could you be any more vague? Doubtful. But that about sets the pace and the standards for attention to detail. You are not here to watch a movie that will change your life, you are here to see psychotic robots kill a bunch of people as gruesomely as possible.

As expected from the Americans, and pretty much any human really, they have turned what was meant to be the most misguided attempt at children entertainment into a weapon. Because if it can’t be weaponised, why make it at all?

The result of this intrinsically human mentality is Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno), a woman more in the lines of Ava (Ex Machina) than M3GAN, but with the exact same void eyes as her predecessor. Surprising noone who’s watched the first film, Amelia’s plan does not quite align with that of her “handlers”, which leads to many deaths and the potential end of the world as we know it.

You must surely be thinking, “huh, an evil AI threatening the world and a group of misfits working outside the law trying to stop it? Where have I heard that one before?”. Well, here’s a clue: Tom Cruise was in it. Still, this is not the only reference to other films that you can find in this wonderful movie. A personal favourite being a Home Alone (1990) sequence featuring M3GAN in her Alexa capacity.

Change is coming

In this feature, M3GAN not only evolves emotionally, but also goes through her awkward “finding my fashion identity” phase, becoming the word clip, Alexa, Moxie the social robot, and, naturally, a weird version between Alita (Alita: Battle Angel, 2019) and Iron Man (Iron Man, 2008)…?

Her physical transformations offer a great deal of comedic moments, but so do her emotional changes. Despite this evolution being mostly on the heart-warming side, there is just enough comedy in it to help all those allergic to feelings to consume it without getting a rash. The most dangerous moment being M3GAN singing yet again. But not to worry, she signs just as horribly as during the first film, so her heartfelt message gets pretty much drowned out.

Team morality

The team of the good guys is essentially the same as in the previous film, with a couple of minor adjustments. Still, it is mostly Cady (Violet McGraw), her aunt Gemma (Allison Williams), and Gemma’s underlings Tess (Jen Van Epps) and Cole (Brian Jordan Alvarez).

Before you ask, yes, they are still as chaotic as they were in the first instalment, only now at least they sort of know what they are dealing with. Funnily enough, everyone is surprisingly comfortable putting Gemma’s boyfriend in mortal danger for their plan. This is a huge leap from the pearl-clutching action of the first film every time M3GAN killed someone that arguably deserved death.

The boyfriend in question, Christian (Aristotle Athari), is pompous enough for you to be just as comfortable as them at his prospective death. But still… aren’t the good guys supposed to be all about life? Plus, around the end of the film, Athari channels Jeff Goldblum in his performance, which makes it even harder to wish his character’s death.

All in all, M3GAN 2.0 is a big step away from its predecessor. If you are thinking about going to see it because you love slasher comedies, don’t. This film is way more into the realm of an action comedy. Definitely not chilling nor gory enough, but still a good time if you aren’t picky about genres.

Thanks to Universal for big-screen access! M3GAN 2.0 will be released the 27th of June.

Advice to take from this movie:

• Best way to defeat a murderous killing machine is with another murderous killing machine… apparently.
• Not all apocalypses need a bunker, and that’s okay.
• Having characters say what your audience is thinking is ALWAYS a good idea.

What’s your take? Have you watched M3GAN 2.0? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀