After witnessing the doll dance in the trailer, I was reluctant to see M3GAN. Also, for some reason, the film’s release date in India is roughly a week or so after the release date in the United States. So it was the great response to the film that persuaded me to watch it. After seeing it, I was happy with certain things and unsatisfied with others.
WHAT I LIKE
Allison Williams as Gemma and Violet McGraw as Cady gave strong performances. I liked how the characters are presented, particularly Cady. Her emotional state following the tragedy, as well as the way she interacts with others, including M3GAN, offered some of the film’s most intriguing scenes. I enjoyed how Gemma isn’t a complete moron and makes use of the resources available to her.
M3GAN herself is my favourite part of the film M3GAN. Amie Donald delivers a fantastic physical portrayal of M3GAN, as does Jenna Davis, who voices the role. The way the AI doll is depicted creates the impression that she is both genuine and artificial. Once she is introduced, the film gains momentum and she elevates the experience.
What I find strange about the AI doll is that, if the AI goes evil and kills people is taken out, wouldn’t she be more suited for adults as a superior AI assistant rather than for children? If you watch what M3GAN does in the movie, you might wonder why an AI of this level is marketed to children first, rather than adults. I understand that it is manufactured by a toy corporation, but how the doll was presented in the film was inept from a marketing standpoint. Not a criticism of the film, but simply an idea I wanted to share with you.
WHAT I DISLIKE
I didn’t care for the supporting cast, which was either mediocre or poor. The worst of the group is Jack Cassidy as Brandon, the school bully, who was introduced just to be murdered by M3GAN minutes later in the same scene. The only well-executed supporting cast members are Jen Van Epps as Tess and Brian Jordan Alvarez as Gemma’s coworkers. However, you are unlikely to recall any of them after viewing the film because they are all forgettable characters.
The concept of AI turning evil and attacking/killing humans is not new. I, Robot (2004), Terminator, Red Queen from Resident Evil, and Enthiran (Tamil movie) all have a similar idea, and as a result, M3GAN becomes a welcome addition to a common premise but the execution is distinct enough to warrant its presence.
I was bored at the beginning of the film since it takes its time getting to the creation of M3GAN. The film picks up once the AI doll is introduced, however, I felt the runtime whenever M3GAN was not on screen. This led me to believe that shortening the film by 15 to 20 minutes and making it Rated R would have improved the experience.
CONCLUSION
M3GAN is a film that I went into with extremely low expectations and was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. The film is rated PG-13 for violent content and terror, with some strong language and suggestive references. This Horror Sci-fi Thriller movie that leans more towards Sci-fi Thriller is perfect for those looking for a one-time-watch, casual viewing experience.
