Are you tired of the same old killer AI movies? You know, where the robots rise up and destroy the world, or a child’s toy turns out to be evil like Chucky or Annabelle? Then get ready for M3GAN, the movie that gives you all the killer AI action you crave, but with a twist!
Directed by Gerard Johnstone, who made Housebound (which is so good, but no one talks about it), M3GAN stars Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, and Ronny Chieng. The movie follows Gemma, who suddenly becomes the caretaker of her orphaned eight-year-old niece, Katie. Gemma is unsure and unprepared to be a parent, and under intense pressure at work, she decides to pair her Megan prototype with Katie, in an attempt to resolve both problems. A decision that will have unimaginable consequences.
Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Another AI movie? Really?” But hold up, hear me out. This movie is actually good! I know it’s being released during the first weekend in January, which is historically where Hollywood Studios dump their garbage that they want everyone to forget about, but this movie is a real surprise.
Right from the opening scene, a very funny kids toy commercial, the movie lets you know you’re in for some laughs. And if you’ve seen the trailers, you know that inevitably M3GAN is going to do some very bad things, and sometimes in a very funny way. The film explores death and mortality from the eyes of a small girl who is faced immediately with that when her parents are killed and then is taught that by an evil robotic doll. The exploration of how children can become so attached to an electronic item that they lose touch with reality is also an unexpected and interesting theme.
The movie takes time to set up its characters in a believable way, especially the dynamic between Allison Williams’ character and the young girl. She’s not prepared to be a mother, doesn’t know how to be a mother, and doesn’t have a home that’s ready for it. There are collectibles everywhere, dangerous items everywhere, and she has a very busy career. But on top of that, there’s also a killer AI doll on the loose!
Speaking of Megan, I’m not exactly sure how they did it, but the creation of Megan as a character is really impressive. Some actors were puppeteers, but I don’t know how much of that was handled by prosthetics and CGI. It is very seamless, and the film looks more expensive than I think it was. I think Gerard Johnstone did a very, very good job directing this movie.
M3GAN is also pretty funny, especially in the way it explores the corporate world of marketing toys to children. There’s a little bit too much of the corporate side of things, but it’s kind of needed to understand the pressure that Allison Williams has at her job and how that affects her home life.
Now, I don’t want to oversell this movie, but as far as January movies and first movies of the year go, this is easily one of the better ones that I can remember over the past 13 years that I’ve been making videos on this channel. And I also really like the fact that it is a horror comedy because those don’t really get made that much anymore.
In conclusion, if you’re looking for a killer AI movie that’s both funny and explores unexpected themes, then M3GAN is the movie for you. Don’t let the fact that it’s being released in January fool you, this is a genuinely good movie that is worth your time and money. So go see it in theaters and support horror comedies, because we need more of
