Watch out Chucky, there is a new killer doll entering cinema and her name is “M3gan” directed by Gerard Johnstone and starring Allison Williams, Violet McGraw and Amie Donald.
This movie succeeds in everything that other artificial intelligence and doll horror films have failed to achieve in recent years exploring themes surrounding the evolution of tech upon future generations.
The flick centers on the character Cady (McGraw) after being gifted a protype A.I. doll, M3gan, from her aunt, Gemma (Williams), while the doll takes every measure to make sure Cady will never be hurt again.
The movie is an interesting take on toys and artificial intelligence within children’s devices.
The flick questions the dangers that come from children being raised on technology that is actively replacing the role of parents and is damaging to the emotional development within children.
While the film is rated PG-13, it does have interesting deaths that sadly never have a chance to play out often having the camera panning away or cutting to something else beforehand which may be a turn off for audience members accustom to more graphic horror scenes from other films.
However, that does not detract from the danger that M3gan imposes on the characters within the film with her titanium body, voice mimicry and her connections she has with smart devices presenting her as an unkillable killing machine.
This flick has a clear understanding of its goals and what it seeks out to do for its audience with its campy tone surrounding the commercialization of toys and products for kids and the difficulties faced by Silicon Valley engineers and higher-ups.
The effects and makeup for the film were spectacular, especially for M3gan design and graphic scenes; some scenes appear to have fun with the prosthetics and props used during horrific scenes.
Overall, while the film may not fill in the need for blood and gore for some audience members “M3gan” does provide an interesting take on A.I. horror genre that was gladly needed.