It's Nice to Have A Friend

"M3GAN", the latest cautionary tale of rogue artificial intelligence and dangerous playthings, proves to be more than just a one-trick pony of sensational marketing

Late last year, it was reported two of the biggest names in modern horror were in talks to join forces. A prospective joint deal would see virtuoso writer-director James Wan merging his Atomic Monster imprint with Blumhouse Productions, headed by super producer Jason Blum. While this match made in hell hasn't been finalized as of yet, that hasn't stopped these titans of terror from hooking up and bringing the first major horror release of 2023 to theaters worldwide. Directed by Gerard Johnstone and written by Akela Cooper (based on a story conceived by Wan and herself), "M3GAN" is a thoroughly entertaining entry into both the science fiction and killer doll subgenres. While it often treads well-worn territory, Johnstone's direction, Cooper's script and the talents of the cast elevate this B-movie techno-thriller beyond its silliness into a flawed, but fun little horror flick.

Violet McGraw stars a Cady, a young girl who is sent to live with her aunt Gemma (Allison Williams) after an unexpected tragedy. With both struggling to adjust to one another, Gemma (a brilliant roboticist as part of a booming toy company) responds the only way she knows how; with technology. Her solution is to build Cady a companion, one that will help her niece acclimate to her new surroundings and prove to be a valuable investment for her employer all in one fell swoop. The resulting mechanical marvel is M3GAN (Model 3 Generative Android), a life-like, child-sized doll who bonds with Cady immediately. Predictably, M3GAN's overwhelming loyalty to Cady evolves into a homicidal bloodlust.

A superstar before she even hit the silver screen, it appears "M3GAN" was destined to strike gold from the very start. Sparked by its viral marketing campaign and trailers that were met with uproarious delight, moviegoers flocked to see the film to the tune of a $30 million dollar opening weekend and it's currently grossed nearly $100 million against its $12 million dollar budget. This boon was not only due to M3GAN's palpable social media buzz, but also the creative forces behind her. Akela Cooper and James Wan's last collaborative effort was 2021's "Malignant", an unapologetically zany and ridiculously campy piece of horror cinema. The clips of M3GAN gallivanting down hallways conveyed a similar level of chaotic energy and while a lot of tickets were likely sold from that moment alone, the film does have an emotional core and it knows when to take itself seriously. Allison Williams (of "Get Out" fame) continues to be a genre standout and Violet McGraw (who's already appeared in several Mike Flanagan projects) further bolsters her claim as a burgeoning young scream queen. However, M3GAN inevitably steals the show. Using an undisclosed combination of CGI, animatronics and live-action performances, the android's physical portrayal is credited to Amie Donald with Jenna Davis providing the voice. With talks of a sequel, it appears a new queen of terror could be upon us. If that's the case, let's hope any future film maintains this level of quirky charm and perhaps polishes up some of its more generic qualities. B-