M3GAN (2023) | Film Review

I have a personal rule that if any doll or toy should enter my home and display even the tiniest hint of demonic demonstrabilities, it’s a quick trip to the fire pit. No questions, no debates. Unfortunately, people in murderous doll movies always seem to forget this advice and eventually find themselves victims of these relentless ankle-biting hell beasts. At least with M3GAN, there is a tinge of justification for how this vicious toaster was allowed to remain in the home to begin with.

M3GAN begins with the death of Cady’s (Violet McGraw) parents. Her Aunt Gemma (Allison Williams) takes Cady in, yet struggles with abandoning her own isolation for the non-stop demands of parenthood. Gemma also happens to be a robotics engineer for Funki Toys, where their current product line is a ludicrously engaging pet designed for kids. Think Furbies for the technical generation. Gemma’s passion project though, is a lifelike doll who not only moves like a child, but one with a constantly evolving artificial intelligence that learns and adapts with every conversation. Needing to test M3GAN thoroughly, and with her niece in desperate need for consoling and friendship, Gemma pairs M3GAN with Cady.

Unfortunately, Gemma never saw RoboCop, so she has no idea these damn things need Prime Directives to keep them from creatively murdering anyone who dares harm her best friend till the end. Nor has she watched Deadly Friend – starring the best Buffy, 80s Kristy Swanson – because then she would already know robots are never your pal once you put the remote down. We quickly learn that you never want to make Cady cry, because M3GAN is ready to croon Titanium right before taking you out in horrific fashion. Gemma eventually does slowly begin to put the pieces together on M3GAN’s growing crime spree, but will she be able to separate her from the only love Cady seems to feel right now?

Directing from a story by horror maestro James Wan and Akela Cooper’s script, Gerard Johnstone knows exactly what kind of movie this is. Let’s face it, we have all seen the killer doll motif before, so the overall plot is simpler than your toddler’s coloring book. What’s more, Johnstone seems to revel in showing you exactly where his camera is headed and still finding ways to keep us entertained. M3GAN’s attacks are witty and maniacal, visceral without overindulging in Chucky-like camp. The film’s PG-13 rating forces a minimalistic approach to gore, yet Johnstone keeps the intensity tight and paints his canvas well with every amplification of M3GAN’s growing power.

While the overall story of M3GAN is as predictable as Tom Brady playing January football, one aspect that stood out was the story’s respectful attention to a child’s grief and the sheer lack of parenting in the modern world. Gemma is as addicted to her devices as Cady is, and her first response is not to foster a meaningful relationship, but instead to allow Cady all the time she needs with her new toy. This obsession with technology is everywhere we look today, and the finger-pointing at today’s parents is as subtle and accurate as a sledgehammer in M3GAN.

M3GAN also focuses on the detrimental effects of this level of IPAD love. The false bond a child can have, the addiction to technology, the need for acceptance and understanding through this twisted vision of social media is a little ham-fisted, sure. But it is also on-point. The deeper the bond increases with Cady, the more complicated it is for Gemma to tear Cady’s only true friend away without destroying her all over again. It is a fascinating character study that would be worth exploring further under less murdery circumstances.

Allison Williams and Violet McGraw are a formidable team as they align against Amie Donald’s physical manifestation and Jenna Davis’s manipulative vocal performance of M3GAN, which when combined with Gerard Johnstone’s taut direction elevates a rather generic construct into a ridiculously entertaining flick that kicks off a promising start to what hopes to be yet another stellar year of horror releases.

But seriously, next time, just kill it with fire.

Listen to Aaron’s full review of M3GAN on this episode of The Hollywood Outsider podcast: