‘M3GAN’ Is One Part ‘Bride of Chucky’ Two Parts ‘Terminator’ and All Fun | Review
M3GAN isn’t just killing the competition with creative marketing tactics and catchy trailers that feature a darker version of Taylor Swift’s “It’s Nice to Have a Friend,” Blumhouse’s latest killer doll movie is killing it. Period. Even with the PG-13 rating (which slashes the gore in half) and the comedy-horror label (which veers more into ironic humor and palatable scares), M3GAN lives up to the hype.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and that is nowhere more apparent than in the big-tech world where everyone is scheming to create the next big invention to totally and radically improve everyone’s lives. Which is exactly where M3GAN begins—with a big-tech toy company that has created a Furby knock-off that serves as every child’s BFF through smart-tech learning tools, in-app fun, and constant listening and monitoring. But what if that technology was further improved upon and placed in something a little more lifelike than a pocket-sized colorful pet?
After a disastrous test run of Gemma’s (Allison Williams) passion project, Model 3 Generative Android (shortened to M3GAN) sets her back with her boss David (Ronny Chieng), real disaster strikes when her sister and brother-in-law are killed in a tragic snow plow accident, which leads to her becoming the sole guardian of her niece Cady (Violet McGraw). With the pressure of deadlines looming over her head, and a very clear child-free lifestyle being interrupted by Cady’s presence, Gemma revisits M3GAN with renewed interest—hoping to create a BFF for her traumatized niece and remove the burden of parenting from her own plate.
Image via Blumhouse
M3GAN is a brilliant piece of technology. She’s paired with one child to cater to their every need, designed to adapt to new situations and information, and solely responsible for the emotional and physical well-being of that one child. In M3GAN, Cady finally feels like she’s listened to, accepted, and loved, which is something she’s clearly struggling with in the wake of her devastating loss. M3GAN seems innocuous enough. She reminds Cady to flush the toilet and use a coaster; she reads her to sleep and sings her lullabies; and she’s always ready to play games with her. Of course, things go massively awry when M3GAN develops a savage desire to kill anyone who mildly inconveniences Cady.
While there is no question that M3GAN is a raucously fun slasher film, with a few extremely satisfying kills, the film also offers up a compelling moral dilemma. Sure, we can improve our lives with the novelty of artificial intelligence that can drive our cars, turn on our lights, and answer mundane questions, but AI cannot replace the humanity that connects all of us together. In addition to these dilemmas, Akela Cooper’s script keenly explores the raw emotions of adolescence in juxtaposition to artificial intelligence’s unfeeling replication of those big feelings. M3GAN might be an advanced piece of technology, but she still operates on the binary of black and white, anyone who strays into the gray is a threat to her prerogatives. She can’t compute the nuances.
One of the reasons that M3GAN works as well as it does is because of the practical effects of M3GAN paired with the performers behind her (namely, Amie Donald’s performance and Jenna Davis’ voice). Packaged together, they create a wholesome-looking doll with a Gossip Girl-inspired wardrobe, with a charmingly sinister voice that is as innocuous as it is unnerving.
Image via Blumhouse
One of the only real weak spots in M3GAN is Kurt’s (Stephane Garneau-Monten) disjointed subplot about corporate espionage, which is half-heartedly introduced mid-way through and quickly “resolved.” In retrospect, while it does seem like something was maybe cut for time, this plot point leaves the door wide open for a sequel, which will undoubtedly see a new tech giant use the plans for M3GAN to create their own murderous doll. Frankly, I cannot wait to embrace M3GAN 2.0—I’d even nominate her for Speaker of the House. She’d teach everyone manners.
It may come as a surprise, but M3GAN is fun for the whole family. While it may be nightmare-inducing, and lead to you unplugging Alexa, the horror isn’t too horrifying and the violence is decidedly PG-13. The most gruesome murder is the most satisfying one, and the death that underscores that this is a horror film for female audiences. Which is wholly refreshing, considering the history of horror. Director Gerard Johnstone knows exactly how much is too much, building up the suspense and giving satisfying outcomes without being perverse.
She might be a pint-sized nightmare, but she’s also a dream come true for horror fans that err on the side of dark humor and realistic fears. To get that “3” in M3GAN, all you need is 1 part Bride of Chucky and 2 parts Terminator.
