M3GAN 2.0 – The Bitch is Back… And the New Model Doesn’t Disappoint!

M3GAN 2.0 is directed by Gerard Johnstone. The film stars Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Amie Donald, Jenna Davis, Ivanna Sakhno, Aristotle Athari, Timm Sharp, and Jemaine Clement. It’s a sequel to the 2023 film M3GAN.

Two years have passed since the disaster involving M3GAN going haywire and embarking on a murderous rampage. A new android utilizing similar technology called AMELIA has surfaced, going rogue and putting the world and its infrastructure at risk. Gemma, the creator of M3GAN, has moved on with her life, becoming an outspoken critic against AI and technology, through still struggling to be a mother figure to her niece Cady. While her body was destroyed, M3GAN’s consciousness has survived, prompting a reluctant Gemma and her crew to build her a new body so she can eliminate the new threat.

When I went to a screening of the original M3GAN back in 2023, I went in expecting a second-rate CHILD’S PLAY knock-off. I expected something that had been hold over for the January “dumping ground” reserved for movies studios lack faith in that they don’t want to release during the December blockbuster season. I’d never been more wrong about a movie; the original M3GAN was murderous, hilarious, intentionally campy, and a surprisingly poignant commentary on how people overuse AI and technology. Universal and Blumhouse definitely had a winner on their hands, and it was one of my favorite movies of 2023. While I wasn’t sure how they’d go about bringing back the title character, this is one movie monster I certainly fell in love with.

So… a little over two years since the release of the (surprisingly good) first M3GAN, how does M3GAN 2.0 measure up? Picture everything you liked about the first movie, dialed up to 11, and throw in some more action. The bitch is back, and she’s more entertaining than ever. M3GAN 2.0 is a resounding success because it not only manages to avoid rehashing the template of the original film; it gives its murderous heroine something of a redemption arc, yet does this without wiping away the rough edges that made her one of horror’s greatest creations of recent memory.

There are not enough great things to be said about the title character. M3GAN one again is voiced by Jenna Davis and physically portrayed by Amie Donald. Whether she’s an entity existing in cyberspace or utilizing a new body, she’s got a witty quip for any situation and isn’t afraid to speak her mind… or do basically anything. Going from villain to anti-hero of sorts, you never know what this mechanical young lady is going to do next, and she’s got a bottomless bag of one-liners for any situation. I saw this movie in a crowded screening with an enthusiastic audience, and basically any time she spoke, the audience was laughing and cheering. And rightfully so. In Universal’s House of Horrors, M3GAN deserves a place on their Mount Rushmore alongside Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, and The Wolf Man.

M3GAN 2.0 also scores big points for not being a blatant rehash of its predecessor. The first film brilliantly showed the bond between young Cady and her android companion, yet that bond was quickly twisted into murderous overprotection of sorts. The jump from M3GAN to M3GAN 2.0 is like the jump from ALIEN to ALIENS, or THE TERMINATOR to TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY. It cranks up everything about the first movie that worked, but isn’t afraid to go in slightly different directions when needed to keep things fresh. Many of the human characters from the first film return, including Gemma and Cady who give the movie some much-needed humanity and levity. A few new human faces appear, including an FBI agent played by Timm Sharp and Aristotle Athari as a love interest for Gemma, though there’s no denying this is M3GAN’s movie first and foremost. It even manages to get in a few surprise plot twists that are sure to entertain audiences.

The movie manages to go into slightly new territory without losing sight of what made its predecessor so entertaining and appealing. We as a society constantly overuse AI and technology. It’s basically impossible not to. Movies and stories about this going awry are nothing new, but M3GAN (both the original and the sequel) does it with style and just the right amount of camp. M3GAN brings the pain and the one-liners in her battle against AMELIA, but still manages to find time for a dance number and even a song. I’m not making this up. M3GAN 2.0 must be seen to be believed.

Shortcomings in M3GAN 2.0 are fortunately limited. The film could’ve done a bit more with Cole and Tess (Gemma’s coworkers) who unfortunately don’t get much to do, and at times, the film does feel its scope is reaching a bit too high and far, whereas by comparison the first movie was largely relegated to a household, and never really reached beyond a single city. The running time is slightly longer than it needs to be; it does drag in a few spots including its inevitable third-act climax. It’s also slightly hampered by its PG-13 rating, but given that the first movie got an unrated cut on home video, maybe the sequel will get that same treatment. There are certain relationships and characters that could’ve used some more development, but I’m pleased to say M3GAN’s second big screen outing as every bit as entertaining as her debut. Maybe even more so.

Lightning strikes twice for M3GAN. M3GAN 2.0 is a winner, and may be the most fun I’ve had at the movies in 2025 so far. I’m looking forward to seeing this character in films for years to come… bring on M3GAN 3.0! Our favorite murderous female android’s latest outing comes highly recommended!