Movie Review # 577: M3GAN (2023)

Well, everyone, we shall finally move into one of the first films to be released as of around the beginning of this year. It is a thriller that involves a roboticist, and her niece, and ends up having a fairly creative storyline. Starring Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Amie Donald, the movie is called M3GAN.

Plot: After a young child named Cady (Violet McGraw) loses her parents to a car crash, she goes to live with her aunt Gemma (Allison Williams), who happens to be a roboticist. One day, Gemma makes a female robot doll named M3GAN (Model 3 Generative Android) to help Cady cope with the loss of her parents. Now, the question remains, will M3GAN prove more helpful, or helpful to Cady’s grieving process, and her socialization skills?

Okay, first off, after seeing the trailer for this film, part of me felt reluctant to see this film after having a not so great experience with movies like Black Phone, or even The Menu. But especially the former film. However, because this film was labeled a thriller, and not a horror film, I decided to go ahead, and give this film a shot. And now, for the review! Guys, I will admit that this film is definitely much more bearable than films like the other two films that I mentioned just a moment ago. I mean the first half of the movie is more pleasant to watch, and the relationship between Gemma, and her daughter, Cady, is definitely well handled. Oh, and with the way that Cady behaves sometimes, be it positively, or negatively, you have at least a little bit of an understanding of where she’s coming from. And yeah, how can you not like at least some of the action, and suspense that occurs in this film from time to time? Not to mention that the messages about learning to interact with REAL people being more important when it comes to developing good social skills being a very good message too.

However, in spite of some of these good elements being present in this film, M3GAN is definitely not that great. First of all, there are moments when Cady can be a little too bratty at times. Okay, I understand that difficult circumstances can cause people to lash out their negative emotions on others around them, especially nowadays. That being said, a good question to ask is this, “Is it okay to be a jerk, or a “b” to others just because you’re hurting, or something along those lines?” Quite frankly, I don’t think that’s the best course of action. But if some of you out there feel differently, then let’s have a FRIENDLY discussion about it. Anyway, the film also goes over the top with the violence, and gore, particularly in the second half of the film, and near the end. Well, even around some of the first half, it does that. As you’re watching those portions of the movie, it makes you wonder if some of those scenes were even necessary, you know?

And that’s my review for M3GAN. The film does have a fairly creative premise, and does incorporate some good lessons here and there, I’ll give the film that much credit. However, because of the second half , and some of the first half docking the film down with some of the unnecessary violence, Cady bribing a little over the top bratty at times, and things like that, this movie is not that great. In all honesty, I don’t think that I’ll be seeing future films like the upcoming Cocaine Bear, and films like those that are most likely in this same type of league. I would say save your money for future films like Ant-Man: Quantumania (if that one is any good), 80 For Brady, or something like those. Again, M3GAN was sort of well thought out, but could’ve been executed in a better way.

Final Grade: C