M3GAN (2022)

Critic No. 312

Director: Gerard Johnstone

Written by: Akela Cooper, James Wan

Produced by: Blumhouse Productions, Atomic Monster Productions, Divide/Conquer

Casts: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Amie Donald

Music: Anthony Willis

Language: English

Genre: Sci-Fi, Horror

SYNOPSIS: 

A robotics engineer, Gemma (Allison Williams) builds a life-like doll, M3GAN, that begins to take on a life of its own.

REVIEW:

In this tech driven world now, it’s every parent’s buy their child a self-aware A.I. companion that comes equipped with empathy, weird silicone skin, eyes like surveillance cameras and hands that can either hug like a sister or grip like a vice? A doll for the generation of social media and internet-saturated culture, M3GAN is the toy to replace all toys - responsive to a child's immediate needs, an instant playmate that's always around and one that can come up with infinite ways to entertain. 

M3GAN is almost a social commentary on what horrific consequences that this technology can potentially create if full autonomy is given to them. Though the film has a peculiar campy treatment to it, the film has some genuinely frightening jump scares that jolts you (thanks to the perfectly timed sound design and score), partly thanks to the Chucky combined with Exorcist-like creature design. There is so much tech information and jargon used during the set up but cleverly pays off when the battle between Gemma and M3GAN intensifies. 

The film also dives into psychological theory as well on how children, especially, can get attached to something so closely after a trauma which is very relevant to the current times. Allison Williams (‘Get Out’ fame) is so comfortable in her role and anchors the entire film with her powerful performance. Violet McGraw does fit her role as the traumatic child and steals the show in the final act. Kudos to Amie Donald as well essaying the titular role. 

Though the film might not be as scary as Blumhouse Productions’ films, it throws in its fair share of surprises and brings us through a fairly unpredictable journey. The genre mix of comedy and horror might be a little abrupt at work only in parts. But with the team prepping their work for the sequel, M3GAN definitely is a promising world of horror for the current generation  that I hope has much more fun stored for us in the future installments.  

VERDICT:

M3GAN, is a thrilling, fun ride of sci-fi horror that packs in both satirical comedy and straight out scary jump scares laced with a couple of hit and miss genre shifting surprises. 

CELLULOID METER- 3.5/5: