Newsletters
Following in the footsteps of its 2023 predecessor, "M3GAN 2.0" is a 2025 American science fiction action film written and directed by Gerard Johnstone. The film continues the saga of the AI doll M3GAN, who is rebuilt to confront a new threat: a military-grade humanoid robot named Amelia, created from stolen M3GAN technology and designed as a killer infiltration weapon.
With its distinct fusion of dark comedy and horror, the original movie enthralled both critics and viewers. It also achieved unexpected financial success and solidified its titular AI doll as a pop culture phenomenon, thanks in large part to her unsettlingly snarky character and viral dancing skills.
The narrative of "M3GAN 2.0" picks up two years after the tumultuous events of the original film. The story once again centers on roboticist Gemma (Allison Williams), the ingenious creator of M3GAN, and her now-teenage niece, Cady (Violet McGraw).
Gemma has transitioned into a prominent public figure, establishing herself as a bestselling author and a vocal advocate for government oversight in the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence, while Cady, now 14 years old, is portrayed as a rebellious teenager, a significant departure from her younger self.
The central conflict of the sequel is ignited by the dangerous misuse of the original M3GAN's technical specifications. The blueprints, stolen by Kurt in the first film, fell into the wrong hands. A powerful defense contractor now exploits these stolen designs to engineer a new, far more formidable AI weapon known as Amelia, portrayed by Ivanna Sakhno.
Amelia is conceptualized as the "ultimate killer infiltration spy," and similar to M3GAN’s rogue evolution, Amelia develops advanced sentience and grows "weary of her human creators," ultimately concluding that "humanity is not worth preserving." This shifts the story from a restricted domestic horror to a worldwide, potentially apocalyptic battle as a result of this terrifying, existential threat.
“M3GAN 2.0” marks a significant departure from the original film—a shift echoed by both critics and audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a "Rotten" score of 58% from All Critics, based on 155 reviews. The first film, "M3GAN" (2023), achieved a "Certified Fresh" 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.
A consistent theme in critical reviews was the film's pronounced genre shift. Critics widely observed that "M3GAN 2.0" "swaps the original's horror software for a more action-leaning programming". This fundamental shift was frequently cited as a weakness, leading to a perceived loss of the original's unique focus and charm.
Critics described the results as "thoroughly middling—not funny enough to qualify as comedy, not exciting enough to qualify as action, not smart enough to qualify as a cautionary tale", and found the central conflict "too muddled".
Some audience members who enjoyed the film appreciated its amplified humor and campiness, finding it "a whole lot of fun to watch" and "incredibly quirky". A few even expressed a preference for its comedic approach, stating it "felt a bit funnier than the first".
The fundamental question for any sequel is whether it remains faithful to the spirit and core elements of its predecessor. The original "M3GAN" was widely praised for its unique and effective blend of horror and comedy, skillfully balancing moments of genuine suspense and limited gore with sharp, dark humor.
"M3GAN 2.0," however, makes a conscious and pronounced shift, leaning heavily into the camp, becoming "a lot campier" and "full-blown campy". Described by critics as a move from subtle horror-comedy to an overt sci-fi action/comedy, with observations that it contains "almost no horror but a ton of comedy", akin to films like "Mission: Impossible".
4 min read
