I'm Surprised Everyone’s So Meh On M3GAN 2.0, Because I Kinda Loved It. Here's Why

So I have some opinions about M3GAN 2.0 that some people might not agree with – and honestly, it's the fact that most people are so-so on the new movie.

If you know me, you know I'm a massive fan of horror. While I'm looking forward to any new movie releasing in 2025, horror has always been and will always be a priority for me because I love it so much.

However, M3GAN 2.0 wasn't a traditional horror movie, which may have contributed to its poor box office performance. However, this genre shift actually suits the franchise, and I'll get into why.

The First Film, In General, Was Campy Horror

I recall that when the first M3GAN movie was released, it was hailed as a campy, fun horror romp that everyone could enjoy. The fact that it was PG-13 also helped, as many more people could see it. And it ended up doing relatively well, with a 180 million dollar pull.

I was not the biggest fan of the first movie. While the M3GAN unrated cut is available and offers some more entertaining kills, there are still aspects of the film that just didn't sit right with me for a while. I wanted more gore and craziness because the what M3GAN becomes later in the film is genuinely terrifying.

Even so, aside from my reaction to the movie, the film was a success. And when I found out that M3GAN was going to transition into more of an action film rather than a horror film for the sequel, I was curious. So I decided to check it out, and I have to admit – I ended up liking it a lot more.

The Second Movie Really Didn't Take Itself Too Seriously, Which Made It Fun

What makes M3GAN 2.0 a more enjoyable experience for me, as a moviegoer, is that it didn't take itself too seriously. At all.

And I know what most will say – that the whole point of the first film is that it was campy and leaned into comedic bits a lot more to deliver scares. And I get that. However, I think that when I went to see M3GAN, I was so focused on the movie being more of a meme than anything else that any time it attempted to be scary, I wasn't terrified.

The second film, however, is a different story. The main issue is that there's another AI robot on the loose, and M3GAN is deployed to stop it because the robot is essentially her coding. It's a whole sci-fi action film with flickers of horror. And due to that, it's a funnier and more enjoyable film.

Adding the fact that M3GAN somehow becomes this robot hero, yet still retains the attitude and sass that made her so fun in the first place, makes her a delightful character. And I actually liked how, in the sequel, they went a little further into how her programming works and why she is the way with Cady, instead of just "Oh, murder doll because she has a bond with Cady and it's in her programming." It's an interesting take that I wasn't expecting.

It Was Nice For The Story To Include Other Characters Aside From Cady And Gemma

Something else I liked more about this film, this time around, is that M3GAN 2.0 actually introduced a lot of funny side characters. Well, more like re-introduced, but you get the picture.

It's fun to see Cady and Gemma. Both Violet McGraw and Allison Williams are great actresses, and they have good chemistry. It's nice to see Cady grow up a little more. But there's only so much you can do over and over to explore the relationship between an aunt and her niece-turned-daughter.

And while they remain the main characters of the movie, it's not the defining plot point or the defining character. If anything, I really enjoyed Cole, played by Brian Jordan Alvarez.

He was in the first film as a co-worker of Gemma's, but we barely got any screen time with him, at least not to the capacity this time around. In this movie, he had some hysterical moments that genuinely had me clutching my stomach laughing so hard. The same goes for Tess, played by Jen Van Epps, who also contributed to this sort of trio energy with Gemma, making them more enjoyable to watch.

It's the side-characters that did it for me this time around.

Plus, Somehow, M3GAN Was Funnier In This One, Sorry Not Sorry

And honestly, I really liked M3GAN more this time in terms of comedy. The first film is fine, but again, it leans too much into horror and probably should have held a lot more comedy. It was never going to become the best horror film out there, but it could have been one of the best horror comedies if given the chance.

However, M3GAN in the sequel is that much more sassy, and it's something that I seriously love. It's mainly her line delivery, courtesy of Jenna Davis, who somehow captures so much personality in just a robot voice. It wasn't possible.

But now that they leaned a bit away from horror and more into sci-fi/action, M3GAN is really able to be as funny as she could be, and offers some surprisingly hilarious moments that make her stand out from the last film. There was a whole scene of her singing to Gemma that went on way too long, but was so funny that I was clutching my side. It's one scene I will never forget from this film.

Overall, I Really Enjoyed It, And I Think Others Will Too, As Long As They Know What They're Getting Into Once It's On Streaming

M3GAN 2.0 deserves more love than it has gotten.

If M3GAN 2.0 had become rated R and leaned more into horror, it would have worked well. However, if they're going in this direction, it's a relative winner that's funny, campy, and has enough action scenes to keep you engaged.

Is it the next Terminator 2: Judgment Day? No, not in any way, shape, or form. However, what it does well is take this genre and turn it on its head in a humorous way.

The movie doesn't take itself seriously, and that's the good part. And if people know that before they dive into the film, I could see it having a second life online.

I'm not sure if M3GAN 3.0 would ever happen, considering the box office results for the second movie, but if it decides to do something like this again, I'm all in.