‘M3GAN’ Slays, Literally and Emotionally

At first glance, M3GAN might seem like just another entry in the well-worn evil doll genre. But hit play and it quickly becomes clear that this isn’t a typical movie. By the time M3GAN belts out a semi-soulless rendition of “Titanium” with the full force of her tiny animatronic lungs, you’re not just watching—you’re obsessed, bitch! She’s your new icon. 

Believe it or not, M3GAN has layers. That surprising depth is part of its mass appeal. Underneath the chaos and camp, the themes of family trauma, belonging, and picking up the pieces of your broken heart especially have resonated with queer communities. M3GAN also plays deeply about our collective curiosity and growing anxiety around AI technologies. Exploring this tension through art feels timely and uncanny. 

And still, if you’re just there for a glossy-murderbot-on-the-loose popcorn flick, M3GAN delivers on that front too. Much like the title robot, M3GAN is self-aware, funny, and has a wicked sense of timing. In some ways it feels like a spiritual sequel and robotic age update to Mary Shelley’s classic, genre-defining Frankenstein, as robotics engineer Gemma (Allison Williams, once again nailing it in the horror genre) reckons with the consequences of her monstrous, grief-fueled creation. Although the formula is tried and true, the execution (ha) works beautifully. 

With its combination of sci-fi and horror comedy, M3GAN is more watchable (and rewatchable) than your average summer blockbusters. Despite being a noted movie franchise hater, I was hyped to see the M3GAN 2.0 sequel trailer. With a June 27 release date, it makes sense that M3GAN 2.0 will be a Cancer—emotional, intuitive, and just a little unhinged.