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Screen Geek
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Screen Geek
'M3GAN 2.0' Review: A New Skin Doesn't Quite Work This Time
The idea of using a doll as a homicidal horror antagonist in film had been done to death for some time. Chucky has pretty much cornered that market for decades, but Blumhouse Productions and creator Akela Cooper decided to come for the king. Cooper's creation, M3GAN , was a massive hit released in 2022 and warranted the return of an AI doll. M3GAN 2.0 promised to step from the horror element into more of an action thriller and succeeds in some parts. The movie goes hard in the 'silly' factor, yet the new direction almost makes it forgettable. New Zealand director Gerard Johnstone directs M3GAN 2.0 . Johnstone takes up writing duties for the sequel, and we see the return of Allison Williams as Gemma, alongside Violet McGraw as her niece, Cady. This time around, the two are forced to work with M3GAN, voiced by Jenna Davis and played by Amie Donald, to stop the more dangerous robot, AMELIA. AMELIA, played by Ivanna Sakhno, is on the hunt for something that will destroy the country, and it's up to our two humans and one robot to stop her. If the familiarity of the plot of M3GAN 2.0 rings of the Terminator 2: Judgement Day elements, you're not delusional. The script from Johnstone takes parts of the 1991 James Cameron film and gives them a more updated, ridiculous spin. The script works for about 50-60% of the time and adds more humor this time around. Gemma doesn't believe that this somewhat new M3GAN's intentions are good, while Cady falls on the trust side of the fence a little more easily. There are numerous instances where M3GAN has to prove herself repeatedly, which becomes tiresome by the middle of the second act. It detracts from what made the first film work, and that's the chemistry between Cady and M3GAN. It hurt the film at numerous points and didn't allow M3GAN 2.0 to showcase the emotional stakes that some of the plot points promise. Don't get me wrong; I enjoyed some of the parts where M3GAN and the gang were trying to be one step ahead of AMELIA, but it lacked a bit of soul. However, the comedy aspect of the movie wasn't lacking. Several comedic beats work well for M3GAN 2.0. Johnstone's writing allows Davis to take the Deadpool route with her level of snark and comebacks. That notion works well with Williams and McGraw playing their characters as the 'straight men.' It mixes well with some of the action and brings it home with a ridiculous singing number that starts awkwardly funny and turns into all-out hilarious. Unfortunately, some of the foundations that work for M3GAN 2.0 are outweighed by the poor directing choices from Johnstone. The filmmaker has worked on action projects, but this film is a step back from his previous work. There are times in the movie where the action set pieces featuring M3GAN and AMELIA really work. The scenes are well thought out and have an even peace. However, the further they go along, the more frequent the quick cuts become. I started getting lost in what was going on at a certain point, and it even left me a little disoriented. It's as if Johnstone was trying hard to hide the lack of impact or ugliness in the scenes, and it only makes things worse, and it doesn't stop there. M3GAN 2.0 runs at a clip. The pacing is RUSHED and gives the movie that 'forgettable' component. The film is nearly two hours long, which could have allowed the entire story some breathing room. I got the feeling that Johnstone desperately wanted that breathing room by the third act when the pacing takes a hard break and almost gives whiplash. This is the part where the villain of the movie reveals themselves and presents their ultimate plan, which often proves to be confusing, convoluted, and downright unintelligible. I wasn't expecting M3GAN 2.0 to be anything more than a dopey follow-up to a ridiculous horror film that could have failed but didn't. I applaud Johnstone for taking a new route with the characters, diving in hard with the concept, and making nods to other robot film classics, such as T2 and Metropolis (1927). Yet, the movie's script and direction feel rushed and, sadly, give it that 'strike while the iron is hot' quality desperately. I don't know where they can take this franchise further, but they might as well continue leaning harder and start genre hopping. That's probably the only way to keep interest in M3GAN going and potentially attract new audiences. Grade: C
Forbes
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
When Is AI Thriller ‘M3GAN 2.0' Coming To Streaming?
Allison Williams in "M3GAN 2.0." M3GAN 2.0, a sequel to the 2022 hit M3GAN starring Allison Williams, is now in theaters. When will the artificial intelligence thriller be available to watch at home? Rated PG-13, M3GAN 2.0 opens in theaters nationwide on Friday. The official summary for the film reads, '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 (Williams) has become a high-profile author and advocate for government oversight of AI. "Meanwhile, Gemma's niece Cady (Violet McGraw), 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 defense contractor to create a military-grade weapon known as Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno), the ultimate killer infiltration spy. "But as Amelia's self-awareness increases, she becomes decidedly less interested in taking orders from humans. Or in keeping them around. With the future of human existence on the line, Gemma realizes that the only option is to resurrect M3GAN (Amie Donald, voiced by Jenna Davis) and give her a few upgrades, making her faster, stronger, and more lethal. As their paths collide, the original AI icon is about to meet her match.' The first place M3GAN 2.0, which is being released by Universal Pictures, will appear in the home video marketplace will be on digital streaming via premium video on demand. Generally, Universal Pictures releases arrive on PVOD anywhere between 18 to 30 days after they premiere in theaters, but there are exceptions. For example, Universal's horror thriller Wolf Man opened in theaters on Jan. 17 and arrived on PVOD 18 days later, on Feb. 4. More recently, the crime thriller Drop opened in theaters on April 11 and debuted on PVOD on April 29. Another Universal release, the blockbuster musical Wicked, opened in theaters on Nov. 22, 2024, and arrived on PVOD about five weeks later on Dec. 31. As such, M3GAN 2.0could arrive on PVOD as soon as July 15. However, since M3GAN 2.0 is a high-profile release for Universal, the studio may wait a bit longer to release it. If M3GAN 2.0 follows the same five-week release pattern as Wicked, then viewers can expect the film to arrive on PVOD on July 29. It's possible, though, to see the film arriving on PVOD on July 22. Which Streaming Service Will Get 'M3GAN 2.0' First? Since M3GAN 2.0 is a Universal Pictures release, it will first stream on Peacock, which is NBC Universal's streaming platform. Typically it takes Universal Pictures releases anywhere between three to four months from the time the studio's films premiere in theaters to the time they arrive on Peacock. For example, Wolf Man debuted on Peacock on April 18, just over three months after the film's theatrical release. However, Wicked arrived on Peacock on March 21, just shy of four months after the film opened in theaters. As such, viewers can expect to arrive anytime between Sept. 26 and Oct. 31, since Peacock releases their new films on streaming on Fridays. Directed by Gerard Johnstone and also starring Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Aristotle Athari, Timm Sharp and Jemaine Clement, M3GAN 2.0 is now in theaters.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
M3GAN 2.0 review: There's plenty of violence and hilarious horror in this fun and ferocious sequel
M3GAN 2.0 ★★★★☆ IF you watched the first instalment from deranged doll M3GAN, you won't be surprised that the killing machine – who was meant to be out of the toy box for ever – has found a way to return. Following the success of its highly entertaining predecessor in 2022, we now meet a new android who is older, sleeker and a lot more terrifying. 4 4 Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno) was built from blueprints stolen from Gemma (Allison Williams), who invented the original M3GAN to be a companion to her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw). Amelia is far more dangerous than the defunct M3GAN though — she's an unbeatable AI weapon created by the military to destroy the enemy. But guess what? Yup, you got it — she quickly breaks ranks and gets a mind that they can no longer control. And what a bloodthirsty mind it is. Meanwhile, Cady is still mourning the loss of her robotic pal who went above and beyond to 'protect' her. So when Amelia starts on the warpath, destroying everything in her way, Gemma reluctantly brings back M3GAN (Amie Donald and Jenna Davis) to try to take her down. The psycho dancing doll has now turned into a bit of a goody compared to the very bad baddy. There's a chunk of narrative about the threats of artificial intelligence to the human race, lobbying for safer rules around technology. But back to the doll-on-doll fighting — there's plenty of violence and also hilarious horror. A laugh-out-loud performance by Jemaine Clement, as tech billionaire Alton, sets a great tone for the comedic pace of this fun and ferocious film. WATCH The Official Trailer For M3GAN Created by Gerard Johnstone and Akela Cooper, it's witty and sassy, while taking itself even less seriously than the first movie. It has a decent amount of sinister charm and the supporting cast is solid, with a well-scripted unlikable boyfriend of Gemma's played by Aristotle Athari. It's also completely bonkers but entertaining — if 20 minutes too long, especially when the direction it's heading is clear. Overall, this is a solid sequel that fans of the first film can't help but find a fun ride. And, it seems that there's still plenty more left to play with here. F1: THE MOVIE (12A) 155mins ★★★★☆ 4 THIS is a film that knows exactly what it wants to be: big, glossy fun with just enough drama and romance to give it some emotional grip. Brad Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, a grizzled ex-racer pulled back into the world of Formula One for one last shot at legacy and redemption. Pitt is effortlessly charismatic and grounded and is matched by London-born rising star Damson Idris, who brings swagger and depth as Joshua Pearce (JP), the hotshot newcomer forced to team up – and compete – with Hayes. Their chemistry crackles as it blends tension, humour and heart. The racing sequences are spectacular – shot with clarity, precision and an astonishing sense of speed. Hans Zimmer's thundering score then adds even more drama. Yes, the script leans heavily into sports movie tropes, with melodramatic twists and the occasional cheesy one-liner, but it's all delivered with such style you won't mind. F1 is fast, flashy, and totally self-aware. And for a summer movie? That's more than enough. ★★★☆☆ 4 THIS small but perfectly formed crime comedy set in the Fens of eastern England keeps things simple and silly while focusing on clueless small-town crooks and a drug deal that happens by mistake. Written and directed by Richard Bracewell, it centres on Jayce (a standout Ethaniel Davy), freshly out of a young offenders' institution after taking the fall for a crime his best mate Lee (Ramy Ben Fredj) committed. Jayce wants answers, but what follows is less about revenge and more about muddling through a tangle of petty crime, family dysfunction and the burgeoning of an unexpected friendship. The plot doesn't aim for complexity and some narrative threads are wafer thin, but Chicken Town finds strength in its unfussy look and cast. Ben Fredj is hilariously daft as Lee, the dim-witted heir to a battery-chicken empire. Amelie Davies and Graham Fellows bring energy and charm as Paula and Kev. The comedy is light and surprisingly warm, and the criminals are more silly than scary – and it works. Sweet – and genuinely fun in places.
San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Review: ‘M3gan 2.0' is clever about AI, but its tired plot wastes a smart premise
The least that can be said for 'M3GAN 2.0' is that it concerns itself with real things. Though it's more or less a comedy — as well as a cyber thriller and an action film — it's grounded in something serious: the threat posed by artificial intelligence. The movie doesn't sugarcoat the situation. It stipulates that every technological advance since the beginning of time has been used for military purposes and then postulates what would happen when AI gets more advanced and more weaponized. It also reminds us, in vivid terms, of what we already know — that we, as a species, are 'catastrophically unprepared' for this and that capitalism won't save us. Indeed, this time the profit motive may be leading all of us off the proverbial cliff. Further, almost in passing, it shows some of the dangerous seductions of AI such as a disabled man who can suddenly walk or a tech billionaire who becomes more productive thanks to a chip in his brain. Ever since the industrial revolution, every generation has needlessly worried that, in the future, technology will fundamentally change what it means to be human. But it's hard not to see how that concern will be proved valid, once people start lining up to become cyborgs. So all this is to say that 'M3GAN 2.0' is too smart and on target to be dismissed, and it's even more worthy of respect because it offers no obvious solution. It imagines a very-near future in which all the choices will be bad. (It would be interesting to see how this film is regarded in 50 years, assuming the AI overlords allow people to see it.) But as a movie? As a work of entertainment? Eh, it's OK. It has a good opening, and then falls off. It never completely falls apart, but it's a close call. Think 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day' meets the 'Venom' series. In the first film, 'M3GAN,' the eponymous AI doll was the menace. But this time, as in the second 'Terminator,' the former villain is now fighting on the side of humanity. The current threat is Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno), an advanced AI machine that was developed by the U.S. military. Amelia has gone rogue, and her goal is to find her way to a motherlode of AI knowledge. Once she gets plugged into that, she will have the ability to destroy the world. Have you already guessed where this is going? You have a rampaging, humanoid evil AI entity, and nothing can stop it, except for — maybe, if we're lucky — another rampaging, humanoid AI entity, working for the side of good. This is essentially the story of 'Venom: Let There Be Carnage' and about a dozen other superhero movies, with a climax involving two non-human entities battling it out for the future of the universe. It's ironic that a movie so adventurous in its thinking should prove so imitative and pedestrian in its plotting, but that's what we have in 'M3GAN 2.0.' Still, it has the benefit of being funny, although it gradually loses most of its humor in the second half. There are sight gags, wisecracks and unexpected pop culture allusions. (A reference to the Kate Bush song, 'This Woman's Work,' is particularly funny.) It's a weird combination. 'M3GAN 2.0' leaves you bored, but also leaves you thinking.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
M3GAN 2.0, review: A riotous return for the viral psychotic doll
When the decision was made to produce a follow-up to M3GAN – the popular 2023 horror about an artificially intelligent doll that turns evil – writer-director Gerard Johnson faced what might be called the 'Jurassic Park problem'. In a sequel to a film in which a fun invention ends up causing the violent deaths of multiple innocent parties, how do you get one of the survivors to say with a straight face: 'Right then, guys, who's up for building another one?' This uproarious (if not especially scary) sequel has the measure of the task at hand's silliness, and leans into it with infectious glee. However you thought a M3GAN sequel might begin, it probably wasn't with a helicopter shot of a desert compound and the caption: 'Somewhere near the Turkey-Iran border' – yet here we are, in a highly topical war zone, where an even nimbler and more murderous M3GAN successor, known as Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno), is in the process of becoming a headache for the US secret services. The only way to bring this new rogue AI under control, it transpires, is to boot up the old one in all her prim, pussy-bowed glory – and hope that this time she decides to take humanity's side. No one could argue that the original M3GAN carried itself like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: highlights included its title character singing Sia's Titanium and sashaying through a dance that subsequently went viral on TikTok. But this second chapter is so driven by antics – and wisely so – that it barely qualifies as horror at all. Tonally, the genre it most recalls, in fact, is a very specific one: films from the Eighties and Nineties, which you'd swear had originally been aimed at children but discover on rewatching that they're completely unsuitable for anyone below their mid-teens; think Gremlins, Kindergarten Cop, and so on. There is relatively little here in the way of honest fright. Rather, as M3GAN's human creator Gemma (Allison Williams) becomes increasingly embroiled in her comeback, there are glamorous parties to infiltrate, concept cars to hijack – AI self-drivers, naturally – and heists to pull off, with the aid of chloroformed handkerchiefs. M3GAN herself, played again by 14-year-old dancer Amie Donald and voiced by Jenna Davis, is less spooky possessed doll than sassy robo-mascot, with dialogue that couldn't have been cattier if it had come from a Whiskas tin. In her temporary exoskeletal form, she reminds you of Johnny Five in the Short Circuit films – there's a lovely, tactile judder to her movements as she trundles around her lair – while Amelia's quadrupedal scuttle has a stop-motion feel that adds to the film's comic bite. So too does Flight of the Conchords' Jemaine Clement, who pops up as a smug, sleazebag tech bro, and comedian Aristotle Athari, who delivers a subtly berkish variant. And while Johnson's screenplay makes great play of the topicality of the AI debate, it adds – by design, I think – absolutely nothing of value to the discussion at all. Will clips of M3GAN 2.0 appear in AI documentaries 50 years from now, as an example of what we poor saps worried was on the horizon? Almost inevitably. But for now, its loopy verve is reassuringly human. 15 cert, 120 min. In cinemas from Friday June 27
