M3GAN

Kudos to the design of the central robot doll, which finds exactly the right balance between endearing and ominous, and makes M3GAN into something far more than an easy Chucky rip-off.

M3GAN doesn’t necessarily re-invent the familiar horror trope of the robot gone rogue, but for those in the mood for a well-made, engaging 100-minute ride the movie provides everything you need.

Despite the broad strokes the characters are painted with, it’s easy to engage with them and care for them, and it’s to the credit of the screenwriters that the first half of M3GAN is almost entirely dedicated to character over plot, so once things are getting eerie you are invested enough to gloss over the general predictability of the narrative.

Kudos as well to the design of the central robot doll, which finds exactly the right balance between endearing and ominous, and proves to be far more than an easy Chucky rip-off. In the middle act of the film especially this pays off brilliantly as a counterbalance to the implausibility of large chunks of the plot.

And then there is the denouement, which borders on bat-shit crazy and throws everything but the kitchen sink at the audience. For me it worked though, as I left M3GAN with a pleased smile on my face.

release: 2023

director: Gerard Johnstone

starring: Allison Williams, Jenna Davis, Violet McGraw