M3GAN 2.0 is a significant downgrade that sees the killer robot lose her edge

In early 2023, M3GAN generated quite a buzz, earning an impressive $180 million globally and instantly capturing the hearts of social media users as soon as the initial trailer hit screens.>

It’s hardly unexpected that a follow-up was quickly announced, and it’s even less surprising that in the vein of ‘Terminator 2’, the sequel to M3GAN, titled M3GAN 2.0, has opted for a twist where the once menacing robot character now aligns itself with humans as an anti-hero.

As we transition, the genre shifts for M3GAN 2.0, moving away from horror and delving into sci-fi action. Although there’s enjoyment in seeing M3GAN transforming from a lethal entity to a witty one-liner spitting machine, it unfortunately marks a substantial drop in quality compared to the original version.

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From the ending of the first film, it’s clear that M3GAN was vanquished but not annihilated, managing to infiltrate Gemma’s (Allison Williams) home tech system. For a span of two years, she remained undetected by Gemma. However, when Gemma and her ward Cady (Violet McGraw) encounter danger, the presence of M3GAN becomes crucial.

In a troubling turn of events, a defense corporation has been exploiting the pilfered M3GAN technology from the initial film to develop their ultimate weapon: a lethal infiltration robot dubbed AMELIA (Ivanna Sakhno). However, it appears that AMELIA no longer adheres to commands and instead harbors a chilling ambition – the annihilation of the human species.

It’s hard to imagine anyone defeating Amelia, but who else could it be? Megan, of course! Despite Gemma’s hesitation, she provides Megan with a physical form and some enhancements to boost her deadliness beyond her original capabilities.

The strategy for M3GAN 2.0 demonstrates clever thinking, steering clear of merely repeating what was successful in the initial version. It introduces a fresh dimension to M3GAN’s interactions with Gemma and Cady, simultaneously providing writer/director Gerard Johnstone room to delve deeper into the themes presented in the first film.

It’s disappointing that the sequel doesn’t manage to avoid repeating the popular scenes from the first film. Instead, we have another dance scene and an unanticipated musical performance, among other similar instances, which seem more like attempts to recreate the same reaction rather than offering a fresh, exciting moment worth seeing.

Removing the scary aspect makes M3GAN less captivating because she lacks an element of danger or unpredictability. Even though we’re repeatedly warned not to trust her, her actions don’t always reflect this suspicion. Without that underlying tension, it becomes quite predictable and enjoyable for a while, but it might not be engaging enough to maintain interest over a full two-hour movie.

The inclusion of Amelia serves to balance out what’s missing and provide a unique angle elsewhere. However, it presents a conundrum as we’re warned her actions could be catastrophic, but the technical jargon makes it hard to grasp the danger fully. Essentially, she’s an emotionless robotic assassin, a type we’ve encountered before.

Introducing Amelia, the sequel swaps out spine-chilling horror moments for thrilling action scenes. Regrettably, much of the climactic battle has been teased in previews, but there’s a nice mix of events, including an unforeseen upgrade for Gemma reminiscent of a “Mission: Impossible” sequence, and a heist with that distinctive flair.

The issue is that none of them stand out notably, not nearly as much as the corridor scene in the original film does. Like other elements in M3GAN 2.0, such as its skillful combination of practical and digital technologies, the action scenes are competently done – despite a few being affected by quick cuts – but they don’t quite engage the audience as much as desired.

In the gaming world, I’d put it like this: “The third act unveils a big twist that even the most casual observer would spot. Not only does it stretch the movie unnecessarily, but the twist primarily serves to introduce yet another clichéd element, echoing a well-worn trope from previous sequels.

If you’re hoping for another two hours of M3GAN being playful and showcasing more elements that made the initial film enjoyable, then you might want to increase your rating based on enjoyment alone. However, despite the potential in changing its genre, M3GAN 2.0 doesn’t seem to advance enough compared to the original film.

M3GAN 2.0 is released in cinemas on 27 June.

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2025-06-25 19:19