M3GAN is a 2023 science fiction horror thriller directed by Gerard Gladstone (Housebound), from a screenplay by Akela Cooper (Malignant, The Nun 2) and a story by horror legend James Wan, the man behind the Saw, Insidious, and The Conjuring franchises, and produced by Blumhouse, the production company behind the Halloween films, The Black Phone, and The Invisible Man.

M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a life-like doll programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally. Designed by brilliant toy-company roboticist Gemma (Get Out’s Allison Williams), M3GAN can listen and watch and learn as she becomes a friend and teacher, playmate, and protector, for the child she is bonded to.

When Gemma suddenly becomes the caretaker of her orphaned 8-year-old niece, Cady (Violet McGraw from The Haunting of Hill House), Gemma’s unsure and unprepared to be a parent. Under intense pressure at work, Gemma decides to pair her M3GAN prototype with Cady in an attempt to resolve both problems—a decision that will have unimaginable consequences.

The cast includes Allison Williams (Girls, Get Out), Violet McGraw (The Haunting of Hill House) Ronny Chieng (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Brian Jordan Alvarez (Will & Grace), Jen Van Epps (Cowboy Bebop), Lori Dungey (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, extended edition) and Stephane Garneau-Monten (Straight Forward).

M3GAN made its debut in theaters on January 6th, 2023, courtesy of Universal Pictures.

THE GOOD

When it was first announced that M3GAN was a horror film with the involvement of Jason Blum and Blumhouse, I knew I would be seeing it on day one. When the first trailer was released I was genuinely excited because this looked really good. I couldn’t quite describe the feel initially in terms of whether it would lean more toward horror thriller or more horror comedy, but the premise was intriguing and the overall production value looked pretty damn top-notch. Plus, I was sold on the cast from the jump. So, was M3GAN just yet another run-of-the-mill horror thriller that left me wanting more, or was it able to leave a mark? Keep reading to find out!

Oh, it left a mark alright, this movie was an absolute blast to experience! More than anything else, M3GAN is such a well-rounded film that effectively utilizes elements from a variety of genres. If I had to try and describe the film, I guess I would say it is a horror thriller with a heavy dose of dark comedy, but it also has some unexpected feel-good moments mixed in believe it or not. The pacing is fantastic so I was never bored, and the stage was set pretty early on in terms of the anticipation for what M3GAN would become. I bought into Allison Williams as a genius workaholic engineer from the start, and I also really liked how they put our obsession with technology front and center as well. And to be honest the film somehow managed to be darker and also funnier than I expected, which needless to say took me by surprise in a good way. M3GAN is the perfect protagonist turned antagonist, and she is one heck of a badass not to be messed with. Long story short, similar to my wife, she likes to hold a grudge so best to stay on her good side.

I liked so much about M3GAN, but if I had to try and narrow down what I liked most about it I’d have to say the tone of the film. The premise really could have gone either way, but man they did it right. The writing was great, and believe it or not, balancing comedy and horror/thriller elements really isn’t an easy task. Either you make it clear from the start that things will be a bit ridiculous with the feel of a throwback slasher for example, or you keep the audience guessing. In my opinion, M3GAN accomplished the latter, sprinkling in a comedic tone while staying true to an overall feel that is nothing short of terrifying at its core. I was honestly very impressed by how many times I laughed out loud considering how certain characters meet their demise, but because the tone is so damn effective I didn’t even feel bad about it. That is a big win in my book.

M3GAN expresses herself verbally as well of course, but the scenes where she says nothing are the most intense. This brings me to my next talking point, the technical elements of the film. I was blown away by how amazing M3GAN looked, and just how great of a job they did with her. I did little to no research prior to seeing the film in terms of how they planned to bring her to life on-screen, and the entire time I was in awe of her. Her movements, voice, facial expressions, and mannerisms all came together to create this next best toy in the making turned murderous little psychopath. Trust me when I say you will not sit back and think this film is corny, not for a second. She is unsettling, to say the least. After seeing the film I did some brief research and learned that M3GAN came to fruition using a variety of methods, including VFX, puppetry, and a damn good performance from child actress Amie Donald. The film utilized several puppet versions of M3GAN to successfully accomplish the vibe and tone they were going for in certain scenes, and to say that an insane amount of creativity went into making this film would be a significant understatement, so kudos to everyone who worked on the project.

I knew the cast would be a bright spot for the film and it did not disappoint. Allison Williams is awesome in the lead role, and I have been a fan of hers since the HBO series Girls. Williams has quickly become an actress to watch after she starred in Jordan Peele’s Get Out, and I felt like she once again proved her abilities here as a lead actress. For those of you who don’t know, as a fun fact she is in fact the daughter of NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams. I love me a good young actor when it comes to horror films, and man is Violet McGraw quickly becoming a favorite of mine. The 11-year-old McGraw has a real understanding of acting through emotion, and more than anything else she is believable in her emotionally complex role. I am looking forward to watching her career develop. Jenna Davis was fantastic as the voice of M3GAN, and Amie Donald was great actually playing the dangerous A.I.-empowered doll. I actually really enjoyed Ronny Chieng in his over-the-top role as goofy as he was alongside his pushover assistant played by Stephane Garneau-Monten. Both played a big part in keeping with the underlying comedic tone. Also a well-deserved shoutout to Brian Jordan Alvarez and Jan Van Epps, as the friends/co-workers of Williams’ character.

THE BAD

Full disclosure, I have very few issues with M3GAN, but it may not be for everyone. The film is very violent and often pokes fun at death in order to achieve the creative tone it was going for. It also has some very serious depictions of loss which may be difficult for some viewers. The film is rated PG-13, so the blood and gore are kept at a minimum, but they still get their point across with the violence. Plus, if you have an issue with creepy dolls in any form or fashion you may want to skip this one because believe me when I say you will likely be in for a few sleepless nights. With that being said I don’t personally consider the film to be scary, which isn’t a knock on it because that simply is not what they were going for here.

THE VERDICT

A visceral horror thriller infused with a unique and effective balance of dark humor, M3GAN packs a punch that will undoubtedly keep viewers fully immersed and on the edge of their seats. I admit I was nervous initially in terms of whether or not the film would feel too corny or over-the-top, but I felt like they succeeded in getting the most out of its PG-13 rating while staying true to what they were trying to accomplish. The film is a genuine slap-in-the-face wake-up call in terms of our reliance on technology, and I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I have been much kinder to Alexa since watching the movie. M3GAN was able to keep me entertained from start to finish, and I will continue to trust in just about anything James Wan, Jason Blum, and Blumhouse decide to attach their names to.