M3GAN 2.0 Review (2025)

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M3GAN is back in M3GAN 2.0

M3GAN 2.0 is directed by Gerard Johnstone, and the cast includes Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Amie Donald, Jenna Davis, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Ivanna Sakhno, Aristotle Athari, Timm Sharp, Jemaine Clement.

My Thoughts on M3GAN 2.0

I will be honest, and say I wasn't much of a fan of M3GAN when it released in 2023, and it wasn't a film I vibed with well, so I wasn't expecting much with M3GAN 2.0, but I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would

The film picks up following Gemma, who is played once again by Allison Williams, as she attempts to rebuild her life after the chaos caused by the murderous doll she inadvertently created. Gemma has transitioned into a successful author and is now raising her niece, Cady. 

Cady has now evolved beyond the innocent child archetype, as she’s a twelve-year-old burdened by trauma and a hardened attitude. 

Into this fractured dynamic arrives Christian, a new character who seems to offer stability. He’s charming, thoughtful, and ostensibly disinterested in AI, but of course, in stories like this, appearances can be deceiving. 

The film introduces us to Amelia, a new android designed to assist humans rather than harm them. Her arrival raises questions about the potential and peril of artificial intelligence, and sets the stage for the inevitable confrontation with M3GAN, who makes a return to protect Gemma and Cady. 


M3GAN 2.0 marks a clear tonal shift from its predecessor, which worked well for me actually, mostly. Rather than the same tone as the first film, it now embraces the kinetic energy of an action thriller.

The film throws itself headfirst into high-octane sequences filled with parkour-inspired combat and chase scenes, providing moments of visual spectacle that will surprise with their ambition and execution.

Yet this focus on action means the subtlety and tension that people like about the first film are largely sacrificed. The humor is hit or miss, and is one of those when it works, it works well, and when it doesn't, it feels forced.

I would have liked to have seen more character development though. Gemma’s arc boils down to wrestling with the consequences of reviving a dangerous creation, a dilemma that feels recycled, and Cady, meanwhile, shifts from a vulnerable child to more of a sidekick role, but the script doesn’t quite know how to utilize her.

The new antagonist, Amelia, despite a dramatic backstory, just remains a somewhat forgettable presence, which diminishes the stakes of the central conflict. But despite this, the film certainly has some fun moments, even if it does struggle with tonal consistency. 

M3GAN 2.0 though is a film that chooses to embrace boldness over refinement. It is unabashedly over-the-top and sometimes absurd, but it also offers a sharp, if scattered, commentary on society’s relationship with technology and the allure of artificial companions. 

It takes a departure from the original’s tone, and into the realm of spectacle, which may divide audiences but as I said, it worked for me.

It’s a flawed and uneven experience but I was never bored.