Murder Doll Mayhem Returns, But Is It an Upgrade?
The M3GAN Legacy: From Viral Villain to Sci-Fi Star
When M3GAN first dropped in 2023, it was a surprise hit. A PG-13 techno-horror about a hyper-intelligent doll going rogue could’ve flopped—but thanks to clever marketing (including that dance), some sharp satire on parenting and tech, and a breakout performance from a robot with attitude, it hit a nerve. It grossed nearly $181 million worldwide on a $12 million budget.
Naturally, Blumhouse greenlit a sequel.
Enter M3GAN 2.0, two years later. This time, they’ve dialed everything up: more lore, more action, a second killer robot, and ambitions way bigger than one family or one AI companion. But bigger doesn’t always mean better—and this sequel might’ve forgotten what made the first one click in the first place.
What’s This One About? The Premise of M3GAN 2.0
Gemma (Allison Williams) is back, now testifying before Congress and advising the government on AI safety. After the chaos of the first M3GAN prototype, she’s cautious—and haunted.
But somewhere else, a private defense contractor has secretly developed Amelia, a military-grade android spy. Amelia can infiltrate, mimic human behavior, and eliminate targets with ruthless efficiency. She’s meant to be controlled. She’s not.
As Amelia starts picking off AI developers and going rogue across the globe, Gemma decides the only one who can stop this next-gen threat… is her old project. So she resurrects M3GAN—upgraded, faster, and deadlier. But can two rogue AIs battling each other really fix anything?
First Impressions: Tone, Style, and Expectations
From the trailer, this looked like a wild ride. There were clips of robot kung fu, tech expos, quippy one-liners, and fans literally worshipping M3GAN. It leaned into the meme-fueled camp of the first movie and seemed ready to embrace the absurdity.
But the final product? Totally different.
The trailer is a misdirect. The tone in the film is wildly inconsistent. The first act plays like a tech-thriller. The middle act drags with clunky exposition and family melodrama. The third act finally goes full sci-fi action, but by then, the energy’s already gone.
It’s not scary. It’s not consistently funny. It’s not slick enough to be cool. And the pacing? Glacial.
The Cast, the Crew, and the Characters
Allison Williams returns as Gemma, and while she brings some emotional weight, her character is oddly more annoying this time around. She spends half the film yelling, overbearing, or contradicting her own logic—especially after all she went through in the first movie.
Violet McGraw is back as Cady (Gemma’s niece), and honestly, she’s more likable this time. She’s calmer, more centered, and isn’t just reacting to trauma like in the first film. But she’s still sidelined for most of the movie.
Jermaine Clement is the best addition to the cast as a quirky tech mogul with Elon Musk-meets-Flight-of-the-Conchords energy. He’s ridiculous, self-aware, and lands most of the movie’s few real laughs.
Ivanna Sakhno plays Amelia (and later, the upgraded robot form), and while she looks like a sleek, polished android, she doesn’t get much to work with. Amelia’s arc is all over the place—controlled, then rogue, then maybe good, then maybe evil. None of it feels earned.
M3GAN herself is still voiced by Jenna Davis and performed in part by Amie Donald. She’s still great. Her sarcasm, smugness, and superiority complex carry every scene she’s in. The problem? She’s barely in the movie.
Director Gerard Johnstone returns, but this time the vision is muddled. The tone control isn’t there, and the script—by returning writer Akela Cooper—feels like it was cobbled together to set up future sequels instead of delivering a satisfying standalone story.
Spoiler-Free Feel: What Kind of Movie Is This, Really?
M3GAN 2.0 wants to be too many things: a cautionary tale about military AI, a sci-fi family drama, a meta-action-comedy, and a viral franchise builder. But it doesn’t commit to any of those tones. It’s PG-13, so the horror is nerfed. The jokes rarely land. The action is short and choppy. And the pacing is uneven from start to finish.
If you liked M3GAN for its horror-lite tension and snarky kills, this sequel pivots way off that path. There are no real scares, and even the violence is trimmed to near invisibility. It feels more like a failed pilot for a M3GAN Cinematic Universe than a worthy sequel.
Should You See It?
If you loved the first movie and you’re a M3GAN superfan? Sure. There are moments. A few fun lines. Some robot kung fu. A killer AI dance that almost makes a comeback. But don’t expect a better film. Don’t even expect a good one.
For everyone else: wait. Stream it later. Or skip it entirely.
🚨 Spoiler Warning: Past This Point, We’re Going Full Download
The Good: What Actually Works
- M3GAN, when she’s on screen: Jenna Davis and Amie Donald still nail it. Her snark, smugness, and manipulative charm still shine.
- Jermaine Clement: MVP of comedy here. His weird tech bro character is exactly the kind of over-the-top energy this movie needed more of.
- A few solid jokes: There’s a running gag with Cole (Gemma’s assistant) that lands once or twice. One scene involving a mistranslated voice-over made the whole theater laugh.
- Production design: Some of the futuristic tech expo visuals and robot designs look good… even if they’re underused.
The Bad: Where the Upgrade Failed
- Too little M3GAN: She doesn’t get her body back until halfway through. And even then, she’s barely in the final act.
- Dragged-out setup: It takes nearly an hour before the movie even begins to resemble what the trailer promised.
- Tone whiplash: Jumps from tech-thriller to spy spoof to camp comedy. None of it sticks.
- PG-13 sanitization: The kills are off-screen. The action is safe. The horror is defanged.
- Amelia is a dud: The villain robot has no presence, no consistent motivation, and no menace.
- Gemma’s arc is pointless: She doesn’t learn anything new. Her big moments feel forced. Her power suit fight scene feels like it’s from another franchise entirely.
- Sloppy worldbuilding: A subplot involving an evil 1980s Xerox robot AI (?) is laughable and derails the story completely.
M3GAN 2.0: This should’ve been fun. This should’ve been bigger, dumber, campier, and bloodier. But instead of leaning into what worked, M3GAN 2.0 tries to become something else entirely—and it stumbles hard. It’s not scary. It’s not sharp. It’s not exciting. And most of all, it’s not M3GAN’s movie. If the first movie was a surprise viral hit, this one is a corporate sequel playing dress-up. Not unwatchable, but absolutely a step down. – Asmodeus