‘M3GAN 2.0' movie review: The killer doll is back to slay it slowly
M3GAN, about a killer robot doll who believes it is only doing what it is programmed to, enlivened January 2023 with buckets of gore and grins. The sequel, M3GAN 2.0, switches the programming from straight-up slasher to a mix of Terminator and Mission: Impossible, to create a film that moves as jerkily as its protagonist, with markedly fewer laughs.
Director Gerard Johnstone and writer Akela Cooper return, as do horror specialist James Wan for producer duties. Returning cast includes Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Amie Donald, Jenna Davis, Brian Jordan Alvarez and Jen Van Epps.
Two years after the events of the previous film, Gemma (Williams), the roboticist who created M3GAN, is now a writer and advocate for the ethical use of AI. Christian (Aristotle Athari), Gemma's boyfriend, seems to be on board with her AI-with-responsibility principles. Her niece, Cady (McGraw), who came to stay with Gemma after the death of her parents, is equally interested in science and soccer and has a secret robotics project hidden under a photo frame of her parents.
M3GAN 2.0 (English)
Director: Gerard Johnstone
Starring: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ivanna Sakhno, Jemaine Clement
Storyline: The killer robot is brought back from storage to fight another psychopath robot with dreams of world domination
Runtime: 120 minutes
After the M3GAN debacle, Gemma is working with Cole (Alvarez) and Tess (Epps) to create labour-saving devices to keep the company afloat. When an Autonomous Military Engagement Logistics and Infiltration Android, AMELIA (Ivanna Sakhno), goes rogue and kills the scientist it was meant to rescue and steals the neurotoxin he was developing, Army colonel Tim Sattler (Timm Sharp) seeks Gemma's help.
After a sticky start, where Cady attacks the military and FBI agents who come to their house in Home-Alone style, Gemma reluctantly agrees to get M3GAN (Donald, voiced by Davis) up and running. Since she does not fully trust M3GAN, she puts the robot's operating software in a plastic Teletubby body with the promise of giving her a body upon good behaviour.
ALSO READ:Claudia Doumit to join 'M3GAN' spin-off 'Soulm8te'
After breaking into wicked tech bro Alton Appleton's (Jemaine Clement) party, where AMELIA is already up to its dirty tricks, the stakes are raised as AMELIA is set to lay waste to the Earth in an effort to get back to its family—a self aware system from the '80s. The time has come to rebuild M3GAN with a 'few' enhancements.
M3GAN 2.0 would have benefitted if it had been 30 minutes shorter. There are call backs to Terminator and Mission: Impossible from the use of air conditioning vents as a mode of ingress to a secure space and high altitude jumps to good versus bad terminators. The crazy spider walk is there briefly and M3GAN's sarcastic comments are chuckle inducing. As it is, M3GAN 2.0 just about manages to keep one's interest.
M3GAN 2.0 is currently running in theatres
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Jessie J Opens Up About Breast Cancer Surgery, Awaits Results With Hope
Last Updated: Living My Best Life singer Jessie J provides an uplifting update about her breast cancer struggle. English singer-songwriter Jessie J has been recently opening up about her breast cancer diagnosis and surgery. It was just before she released her song, Living My Best Life that she disclosed suffering from the early stages of breast cancer. And recently, the singer known for her songs like Price Tag, Domino, and Bang Bang, among others, revealed how her 'cancer has all gone.' In a post on Instagram, Jessi J shared a picture message to give a health update about her journey to be cancer-free. The British singer revealed she underwent surgery to get cured of cancer and listed the pros and cons of having one. She wrote, 'The first pro I put was… The cancer has all gone. This was a positive affirmation. NOT a fact. I don't have my results yet," further highlighting the overuse of the fingers-crossed emoji. 'I added the emoji in thinking people would understand and a lot didn't. A weird situation. My fault for not being clearer. But for now, I do not have my results after surgery, which was only 6 nights ago. I pray it will be true soon, but the journey of cancer isn't that simple, unfortunately," she wondered while praying for the results to come in her favour. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jessie J (@jessiej) Reflecting on Jessie's diagnosis of the entire cancer battle, it was on June 4 when she opened up about the same for the first time. She revealed that after giving some thought to whether she should share the unfortunate news with her Instagram community, the singer finally decided to open up. 'One, because selfishly, I do not talk about it enough," she said, further explaining, 'I'm not processing it because I'm working so hard. I also know how much sharing in the past has helped me with other people giving me their love and support, and also their own stories." The Do It Like a Dude singer was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in April. She revealed that this had no relation to her then-upcoming song, 'Living My Best Life," and came completely unplanned. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jessie J (@jessiej) Despite the physical struggles, Jessie even performed at the Capital Summertime Ball in Wembley, UK, on June 15, a couple of days before she reportedly underwent mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery. Documenting her surgery and recovery, she shared a carousel of images and videos on Instagram. In the glimpses, she was seen being adorned by her boyfriend, Chanan Colman. Their son, Sky, was also spotted indulging in a heartfelt conversation with his mom, right when she was admitted to the hospital. The singer captioned the post, 'This post is some of the honest lows and highs of the last 48 hours. I will always show the good and hard bits of any journey I go through. Grateful to my doctor / surgeon and all the nurses who cared for me and all my family / friends who came to visit. 🫂 I am home now, to rest and wait for my results." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jessie J (@jessiej) Jessie has been in a relationship with professional basketball player Chanan Colman since 2021. In May 2023, the couple was blessed with their first child, a son, whom they named Sky. First Published: June 28, 2025, 18:43 IST
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
M3GAN 2.0 Trailer Is A 'Gateway Horror' For Kids And Families
M3GAN 2.0 director Gerard Johnstone shared some thoughts about whether this sequel is suitable for a family audience, especially kids. M3GAN surprised everyone in 2023 with its fresh story and exciting action scenes. Now, two years later, M3GAN 2.0 is here with the same bold robot character in a sequel that mixes horror with intense action. In the first film, the killer robot used various weapons to take down her targets. Fans are curious if the new movie focuses more on fight scenes or scary moments. Director Gerard Johnstone has shared some thoughts about whether this sequel is suitable for a family audience, especially kids. Believing that the film can be enjoyed with the whole family, speaking with People, Johnstone said, 'Some of my favourite horror movies, Insidious, Drag Me to Hell, are PG-13, so you can do it. It's like a gateway horror movie for parents to take their kids to. I'm a parent myself, and it sucks when you have to split the family up and figure out getting a babysitter and stuff like that just so you can go out to the movies. It's awesome when a movie can actually reach a wider audience." Johnstone said that to make it PG-13, 'there were a few things that we had to tone down for this. Some things were really hard to let go of and other things it was like, 'Oh, that actually works better when we make that cut.' So it's like a two-edged sword in a way." Director Gerard Johnstone believes that M3GAN 2.0 is suitable for children. But according to The New York Times review, the PG-13 rated film includes quite a bit of cartoon-like yet intense violence, along with some strong language. As per the official synopsis, 'Two years after M3GAN, a marvel of artificial intelligence, went rogue and embarked on a murderous (and impeccably choreographed) rampage and was subsequently destroyed, M3GAN's creator Gemma has become a high-profile author and advocate for government oversight of A.I. Meanwhile, Gemma's niece Cady, now 14, has become a teenager, rebelling against Gemma's overprotective rules. Unbeknownst to them, the underlying tech for M3GAN has been stolen and misused by a powerful defence contractor to create a military-grade weapon known as Amelia, the ultimate killer infiltration spy." As Amelia starts to think more for herself, she no longer wants to follow human commands. She even begins to question if humans should exist at all. This puts everyone in danger. To stop her, Gemma decides that the only solution is to bring back M3GAN and improve her skills. As both advanced AI robots come face to face, the original robot now has a real challenge ahead. M3GAN 2.0 features Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Amie Donald, Jenna Davis, Ivanna Sakhno, Aristotle Athari, Timm Sharp and Jemaine Clement. First Published:
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
BTS reunion at 'RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR' concert! J-Hope energizes ARMY, RM rushes from airport, V turns heads in tank top
The stage lights blazed, the crowd roared, as on June 28 in Goyang, South Korea, BTS' Kim Seokjin - affectionately known as 'Worldwide Handsome" - stepped into the spotlight to launch his long-awaited solo tour, RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR. It was more than just a concert - it was a moment ARMY had been counting down to for months. As the first of BTS' vocal line to headline a solo tour, expectations were sky-high. But no one was prepared for what came next: a surprise BTS reunion that turned the night into an unforgettable chapter in the group's legacy. To the delight of fans, Jin didn't just perform his solo tracks - he also lit up the stage with iconic BTS hits like Dynamite, Butter, Spring Day and Mikrokosmos, sending the crowd into a frenzy of nostalgia and emotion. from dynamite to butter back to back i was shaking my ass until he sang mikrokosmos and spring day. i'm crying so bad my bangtan i love you forever ❤️🩹 BTS members reunite at Jin's concert J-Hope was the first to arrive, instantly lighting up the venue with his trademark energy. Dressed casually but full of charisma, he hyped up ARMY the moment he appeared, waving, smiling, and setting the tone for an unforgettable night. J-HOPE AT JIN's CONCERT !! RM followed not long after - straight from the airport. Fans were stunned to see him enter the venue just moments after landing, with many joking that he must have run directly from the plane to the concert. Despite the rush, his calm presence added a grounding warmth to the night. Welcome home namjoon!! 💙💙💙 V arrived last and made a powerful impression. Since completing his military service, he's embraced a bulked-up look - and he didn't hold back, rocking a sleeveless tank top that showed off his physique. The crowd erupted, and social media lit up instantly at the sight of him. Taehyung arriving at Jin's concert With three members in attendance, fans were hoping for a surprise stage featuring Jin and V's duet It's Definitely You, the beloved OST from the drama Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth. ARMY goes wild The crowd at the venue didn't miss a moment - fans quickly shared videos and photos online, capturing the members' arrival and reactions. Some even speculated that all the members' parents were present, hinting at just how special this concert was for the group. LOOK NAMJOON, HOBI AND TAEHYUNG VIBING TO SUPER TUNA😭😭 NAMJOON JUST ARRIVED AT SOUTH KOREA FEW HOURS AGO AND HE IS NOW AT JIN CONCERT !! 😭 JUNGKOOK JIN is doing karaoke without you "BTS take your seats, BTS TAKE YOUR SEATS"Jin : About RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR Jin launched his solo tour with two back-to-back shows in Goyang on June 28 and 29, marking the beginning of a global journey that will take him across Asia, North America, Europe, and Japan. In the United States, he is set to perform two nights each in Anaheim, Dallas, Tampa, and Newark. The tour is scheduled to conclude in August 2025, with its grand finale taking place in London and Amsterdam. For all the latest K-drama, K-pop, and Hallyuwood updates, keep following our coverage here.
