M3GAN 2.0 – Film Review
Reviewed by Harris Dang on the 26th of June 2025
Universal presents a film by Gerard Johnstone
Screenplay by Gerard Johnstone
Produced by Jason Blum, James Wan, and Allison Williams
Starring Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ivanna Sakhno, and Jemaine Clement
Cinematography Toby Oliver
Edited by Jeff McEvoy
Music by Chris Bacon
Rating: M
Running Time: 120 minutes
Release Date: the 26th of June 2025
M3GAN 2.0 continues the story of Gemma (Alison Williams) two years after the events of the first film. Ever since she faced the titular malevolent role (played by Amie Donald and voiced by Jenna Davis), alongside her niece Cady (Violet McGraw), Gemma has become an author on policing and regulating artificial intelligence. Cady is less reliant on technology now and is more open about her social and school life.
Gemma and Cady’s respite ends once they become embroiled in a takeover conspiracy. A secret defence contractor has stolen Gemma’s original designs of M3GAN and develops their own military android called AMELIA (Ivanna Sakhno), which stands for Autonomous Military Engagement Logistics and Infiltration Android. When she becomes self-aware, she ruthlessly turns on her creators and plots a hostile takeover. At the brink of survival, Cady encourages Gemma to bring M3GAN back to life to fight AMELIA. What if M3GAN turns rogue herself? What is her true primary objective?
The first film was successful with both critics and audiences. It proved the theme of A.I. exploitation is still financially and creatively viable with today’s audiences. Since then, we have had films involving killer androids, such as T.I.M. (2023), Subservience (2024), and Companion (2025), as well films involving as A.I. paranoia like the recent Mission: Impossible sequels.
M3GAN also possessed a marketing campaign that became instantly viral due to a dance scene, which conveyed the campy, go-for-broke mentality of the film’s premise. While it drew audiences in, some said it failed to live up to its prospects. With the sequel’s marketing doubling down on appeal to social media camps – the uses of the word bitch, the Britney Spears song Oops, I Did It Again – it may also be a case of drawing audiences in (or repelling them) of said supposed campiness in the film itself. Does M3GAN 2.0 live up to the heightened feel of its marketing and provide a fun cinema experience?
M3GAN 2.0 stands out due to its change in genre. By diverging away from its primary objective in being a horror film, it becomes a sci-fi action fantasy. Returning to the fray is writer/director Gerard Johnstone, who has taken over sole screenwriting duties from a story by himself and Akela Cooper. Showing his skills in comedy in his debut film Housebound (2014), Johnstone manages to effectively meld action and comedy. While the storytelling is heightened, it rarely overly telegraphs the comedy as it delivers the punchlines with acuity and wit. The targets of humour about A.I. and sci-fi story tropes – featuring sci-fi conventions, cosplay, humans as a source of produce – may be low in ambition but they are targeted with an appropriately fun yet blunt force.
Much like Housebound, Johnstone’s lead characters are unapologetically flawed, and he refuses to easily redeem them. Gemma’s choices in the first movie are considered and it aligns with the tension between her and M3GAN in terms of trust, adaptation, and acceptance of change. The said tension raises questions much like the first film. Does the fault lie with the creator or the creation? Will the stubbornness of humanity be its downfall especially when A.I. follows suit of its human creator? How can A.I. adapt when humanity refuses to change? The arguments are explored in depth and add suspense to the proceedings, which make the characters’ decisions feel recognisably human.
The cast’s performances are all enjoyable, with the returning actors all enthused to be back. Williams balances humour and pathos to keep her character engaging and sympathetic, even when her character is remarkably flawed. McGraw adds a newfound sense of gravitas and maturity to her character that was not evident in the prequel. Amie Donald and Jenna Davis both feel right at home with the genre shift and relish the numerous opportunities the sci-fi fantasy genre affords them, complete with fantastic stunt-work and cathartic set-pieces. The same should be said about newcomer Sakhno, who is no stranger to the genres mentioned thanks to her standout work in The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018). Her formidable presence, striking physicality, and eerie line deliveries create an engaging foil for the titular character. Jemaine Clement provides a very funny performance as a technological billionaire who is so slimy, he leaves a trail wherever he goes. Finally, Aristotle Athari (who stars in the underappreciated sci-fi rom-com Molli and Max in the Future, 2023) compels with his supposedly monotone delivery.
Speaking of monotone, what slows the film down is the heavy exposition. While some of it is necessary in terms of the story’s ambition, a lot of it is delivered through dialogue. The film does move with an overall decent pace. However, the dense exposition brings the story to a halt, dragging proceedings to a heavy 2-hour runtime. With a film as genre-focused as M3GAN 2.0, a ninety-minute runtime with credits would have been perfect for it.
Overall, M3GAN 2.0 successfully expands on the original by changing up the formula. It delivers more fun, more laughs, and more surprises from our mischievous little friend.
Summary: M3GAN 2.0 successfully expands on the original by changing up the formula. It delivers more fun, more laughs, and more surprises from our mischievous little friend.
3.5
Impressive
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