M3GAN 2.0-2025
Director Gerard Johnstone
Starring Allison Williams, Violet McGraw
Scott’s Review #1,484
Reviewed July 6, 2025
Grade: C+
Shifting from science fiction/horror to science fiction/action, M3GAN 2.0 (2025) peppers in enough humor and witty quips from its barbie-like central robotic doll named M3GAN (Amie Donald/Jenna Davis) to keep things entertaining.
I expected more horror elements, which are sorely missing to its detriment. This is peculiar since the slasher elements of the first installment are what made it campy fun.
The story ultimately lost me due to erratic storytelling, preposterous moments, and events that were difficult to follow. Throw in some over-the-top acting, and, at best, M3GAN 2.0 delivers a popcorn summer entertainment classification.
M3GAN (2023) is much superior.
The second chapter follows M3GAN being reluctantly rebuilt by its roboticist and creator, Gemma (Allison Williams), to combat a humanoid military robot named AMELIA (Ivanna Sakhno), which was built using M3GAN’s technology and is attempting an AI takeover.
But, is M3GAN being manipulated?
Writer and director Gerard Johnstone swaps the original’s horror software for a more action-leaning approach that doesn’t prove to be an upgrade. Fight sequences and a car chase overtake any creepy moments.
However, he wisely keeps and even increases the number of quips delivered by the fiendish robot, and some are laugh-out-loud delightful with saucy expletives thrown around for good measure.
M3GAN primarily engages in banter with Gemma, easily pointing out her shortcomings while remaining a loyal friend and protector to Cady (Violet McGraw).
These are the fun moments, like when M3GAN admits that Gemma is reasonably attractive enough to lure a man to bed. Her sarcastic and slightly robotic voice worked perfectly, so I longed for more of these scenes.
The character of M3GAN is the main attraction. More mature and with a cute bob-like hairstyle, she is older and wiser but just as sinister. She has presumably progressed from a young adult ‘friend’ to a grown woman capable of superior thought process and calculating strategy.
The writing and motivations of the characters are overcomplicated and confusing.
Four different sets of potential villains are thrown into the complex mix. Christian Bradley, a cybersecurity expert whom Gemma meets on her book tour, Alton Appleton, a corrupt tech billionaire, the U.S. Army, and AMELIA.
It’s challenging to keep track of who the good guys are or who the bad guys are, and this includes the allegiance of M3GAN.
An attempt to highlight the dangers of AI to government and technology is a timely and vital message, and is weakly referenced.
Rather than making it a central part of the film, it is merely glossed over without anything to make that message resonate with the audience.
The hokey plot-driven story and kung-fu-like action sequences unfortunately outshine the more satisfying one-liners delivered by M3GAN.
Much of the acting is either alarmingly cartoonish or altogether wooden, mainly on the part of the villains (former) or young actor McGraw, who makes Cady too pouty and brooding.
Williams, most known for Get Out (2017), adequately carries the film while being upstaged by a robot.
M3GAN 2.0 (2025) is a ho-hum affair that may result in the termination of the young franchise unless Johnstone wises up and reverts to more comedy and more horror in a potential M3GAN 3.0 effort.