M3GAN [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray/DVD]

Director: Gerard Johnstone Gerard Johnstone

Overview

On the heels of a heart-wrenching familial loss, a gifted robotics engineer (Allison Williams) makes it her life's work to develop a sophisticated, lifelike artificial intelligence doll (Amie Donald). At first, her invention seems to be the ideal companion for a young girl (Violet McGraw) until the doll begins to develop its own sense of self, with sinister consequences. Gerard Johnstone directs the science fiction horror film. Co-starring Ronny Chieng, Brian Jordan Alvarez, and Arlo Green.

Product Details

Release Date:	03/21/2023
UPC:	0191329221709
Original Release:	2023
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Universal
Language:	English
Sales rank:	4,076

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Allison Williams	Gemma
Violet McGraw	Cady
Amie Donald	M3gan
Jen Van Epps	Tess
Brian Jordan Alvarez	Cole
Jack Cassidy	Brandon
Ronny Chieng	David
Lori Dungey	Celia
Stephane Garneau-Monten	Kurt
Arlo Green	Ryan
Kira Josephson	Ava
Michael Saccente	Greg
Millen Baird	Police Detective
Jenna Davis	M3gan
Natasha Kojic	Sister
Natasha Kojic	Sister (Singing Voice)
Anthony Willis	Composer

Technical Credits

Akela Cooper

James Wan

Gerard Johnstone	Director
Akela Cooper	Screenwriter
James Wan	Screenwriter,Producer
Greg Gilreath	Executive Producer
Adam Hendricks	Executive Producer
Mark David Katchur	Executive Producer
Ryan Turek	Executive Producer
Allison Williams	Executive Producer
Jason Blum	Producer
Michael Clear	Producer
Couper Samuelson	Producer
Judson Scott	Executive Producer
Miranda Rivers	Casting
PK Hooker	Sound/Sound Designer
Terri Taylor	Casting
James Miller	Sound Editor

Editorial Reviews

With a screenplay by Akela Cooper (Malignant ) from a story by James Wan (Aquaman), audiences should expect some disturbing horror from the Gerard Johnstone (Housebound) directed M3GAN. They won't be disappointed, as the film is an unusual and entertaining version of the story of a friend that goes too far. It also asks some interesting questions about the line between robotics and humanity. Gemma (Allison Williams) is a robotics engineer working in a high-pressure toy company laboratory. After a violent automobile accident causes the death of her sister and brother-in-law, she suddenly becomes the caretaker for her niece Cady (Violet McGraw). Due to this, Gemma finds herself caught between her work and learning to be a parent - something for which she is unprepared. A solution is combining the two when Gemma pairs Cady with her latest robotics project, M3GAN (Amie Donald and Jenna Davis). As a failsafe, she makes herself M3GAN's secondary function. Unfortunately, M3GAN evolves as she learns and begins to take her role as Cady's caretaker and friend a bit too literally. Whenever she feels that Cady is threatened, M3GAN takes matters into her own deadly synthetic hands. It isn't long before M3GAN decides that Cady is all that matters, and nothing else will stand in the way of her programming parameters. There is a lot to unpack in Cooper and Wan's script. The overall concept is original and changing with the times, but a lot here is familiar, too. Everyone has seen the caregiver gone awry, the crazed doll, the jealous other woman, and the murderous robot. All of these are here, almost to the point of nodding to what came before. But the writers choose to throw just enough humor into the script to keep the film entertaining, well-paced, and a bit campy. There are instances when the story progression moves a little too quickly, but this only happens occasionally. Between too fast or too plodding, faster is better. Johnstone's direction of the actors is good, and McGraw gives a compelling performance as a little girl lost and then found - clinging to the one thing that gives her comfort in her grief. One of the best aspects of M3GAN is that instead of relying too much on CGI, the doll is physically performed by Donald, wearing incredible prosthetics enhanced slightly by CGI. She uses her dance training and does her own stunts, too, giving a chillingly memorable performance. All this creates a very creepy human
ot-human vibe to the character down to the last disturbing moment. Davis's voice acting for M3GAN is delightfully reminiscent of other computers gone mad - another seemingly intentional nod. M3GAN may remind viewers of other films, but not so much or so often to keep it from being a solidly entertaining movie with a memorable new horror icon. It also has several messages - primarily that AI and an excess of surrogate parenting through technology are forces that shouldn't be toyed with.