Every decade has its horror icons. From Leatherface to Michael to Freddy to Ghostface, a charismatic killer with a memorable look is a winning formula for many slashers. One of the more recent additions to the pantheon is M3GAN, the killer robot first introduced in the 2022 film of the same name. Three years after she danced her way into our hearts, M3GAN is back for vengeance in M3GAN 2.0. But her second act isn’t as bloodthirsty as you might’ve expected.
Starring Allison Williams and Violet McGraw, M3GAN 2.0 picks up in the aftermath of the first M3GAN, with Gemma (Williams) having shot to infamy as the creator of a killer, AI-powered toy. Gemma has sworn off all things technology and is now dating anti AI-lobbyist Christian (Aristotle Athari). However, she reluctantly rebuilds M3GAN after her niece Cady (McGraw) convinces her it’s the only way to stop AMELIA (Ivanna Sakhno), a rogue robot built by the US military.
Between an opening action setpiece at the Iranian border, a subplot featuring a covert weapons trade between the United States and Saudi Arabia, and a protagonist struggling to warn over-indulgent billionaires about the dangers of AI, M3GAN 2.0 has a remarkable number of ties to current events. But while the plot may be eerily prescient, the film itself is predictable and bloated. It relies on tired tropes to string together a story that feels distinctly divorced from its predecessor.
M3GAN was a campy (if slightly toothless) PG-13 slasher with a flair for black comedy. M3GAN 2.0 has shifted gears, reimagining the formerly killer doll as the unlikely heroine of her own globetrotting action/spy-comedy. Gone are convoluted kill sequences and creative contortionism, swapped instead for M3GAN showing off expert hand-to-hand combat skills against AMELIA.
Positioning M3GAN as a hero (or, at least, an anti-hero) gives director-screenwriter Gerard Johnstone ample opportunity for action set pieces full of bulletproof robots. But the shift in tone robs the M3GAN franchise of any former teeth, rendering it a slow, uninspiring action adventure as opposed to a true continuation of the spirit of the original.
M3GAN 2.0 also suffers from a severe lack of M3GAN. This is because so much of the film hinges around Cady persuading Gemma to attempt to rebuild the killer doll. Therefore, the first hour of the film is desperately lacking in her sharp wit and singular sense of humor. Cady herself also takes a backseat in M3GAN 2.0, afforded less agency than she had in Akela Cooper’s first film. She’s essentially a pawn to keep M3GAN and Gemma working together.
Then there’s the Gemma of it all. Her prickliness in the first film is a byproduct of her obsession with technology and inability to connect with those around her. However, Gemma’s lack of charisma plagues M3GAN 2.0, which positions her (not Cady or M3GAN) as the protagonist.
Though Williams’ performance is serviceable (she’s at her best in moments of bizarre, dry humor) Gemma isn’t all that interesting of a character. And her new love interest is similarly predictable for his eventual role in the finale. Gemma and Christian’s chemistry (or lack thereof) is symptomatic of the script’s overall disinterest in developing characters beyond plot relevance.
Gemma’s lab sidekicks Cole (Brian Jordan Alvarez) and Tess (Jen Van Epps) are similarly one-note ensemble players. They exist solely to deliver exposition and help patch M3GAN up whenever she needs a new body. But even M3GAN herself quips at one point that she’s not quite sure what exactly they *do* around here.

Between Cole, Gemma, Christian, Tess, and AMELIA (a more grown-up, humorless version of M3GAN), the adults in M3GAN 2.0 are largely responsible for longest, most uninteresting chunks of the film. Thankfully, Jermaine Clements’ eccentric billionaire Alton Appleton is a much-needed (and criminally underused) injection of energy.
But when M3GAN is finally back online, the film instantly picks up. Whether it’s her uncanny valley-esque design, strange vocal modulation, or guffaw-inducing quips (often jabs at Gemma’s expense) Jenna Davis’ rebel robot is as scene-stealing as ever. Though saddled with a non-lethal inhibitor chip, M3GAN’s wit is still as sharp as ever. In its best moments, the script wanders into the realm of camp.
Whether it’s a running gag about Steven Segal or a pointed instruction to take a melatonin, M3GAN 2.0’s most effective moments of humor and heart come when M3GAN, Gemma, and Cady are working in conjunction and playing off of each other. The core trio at the heart of the film remains compelling. But the framework around them is under-baked, uninspired action-adventure fare that feels out of place in a Blumhouse film.

If you’re heading to M3GAN 2.0 hoping for scares (or even mildly frights), you’ll leave disappointed. Although M3GAN breaks plenty of bones, her violent acrobatics only hit heavily-armed goons as opposed to unsuspecting children and animals. At an hour and 59 minutes, M3GAN 2.0 is nearly 20 minutes longer than the original. Sadly, it has half as much personality. But the titular robot continues to prove a winning protagonist, even if she’s been haphazardly pasted into a different genre.
While M3GAN 2.0 delivers a few memorable laughs (and one truly surreal musical sequence) a could-be horror icon of M3GAN’s caliber deserves a better upgrade than this muted, action-heavy sequel.
M3GAN 2.0 will dance into theatersOpens in a new tab on June 27.