What started out as a silly viral sensation turned out to be one of the best horror-comedies in recent years. M3GAN focuses on Cady, who loses her parents in a terrible car accident and is forced to live with her aunt Gemma. The roboticist gives her an artificially intelligent humanoid doll named M3GAN (Model 3 Generative Android), and it helps Cady cope with her traumatic loss. However, M3GAN gains self-awareness and becomes violent towards anyone who tries to harm Cady.
M3GAN isn’t an entirely original film as the plot of a killer AI has been done numerous times. However, the clever twist to blend satire, with it’s important themes really makes the horror-comedy a must-see. It’s no easy feat to mix comedy and horror together since both genres are the antithesis of one another. M3GAN masterfully plays into the stereotypical tropes of killer dolls and expands on the ideology of the sub-genre itself.
The Satirical Elements Provide Spot-On & Hilarious Commentary
The film instantly grabs your attention with its opening that smacks you in the face with an over-the-top toy commercial that you typically see in real life. That moment represents the commentary about technology that’s insightful and funny. A little girl loses her dog, which is a traumatizing experience; instead of sending her to therapy, technology is replaced as a coping mechanism to suppress her feelings. There are points when it does feel that the screenwriter doesn’t trust the audience to organically understand the message because of the exposition throughout the feature.
However, the satirical elements help balance the point that the creators are trying to make. These are easily the most subtle moments within the film that provide helpful insight on its message and twists it in a hilarious manner. The key thing about M3GAN’s satire is that it never overlaps the themes presented within the film. The idea of a killer doll has always been a ridiculous concept that should never be taken seriously. Thankfully, like Child’s Play, M3GAN understands this notion and subverts expectations at several points. As the plot progresses, it does become predictable, but the overlying commentary and satirical elements remain sharp from beginning to end.
The Film’s Message About The Over Reliance On Technology Is Clever
Technology is a massive component in our world today; M3GAN’s message about the dangers of over relying on it gives the film a gravitas that elevates it beyond a standard horror movie. Since modern culture is heavily reliant on technology, it isn’t hard to connect with Gemma and Cady. The former is an intelligent and hard-working roboticist who’s life is absorbed by her work. Gemma means well, but she notably lacks much empathy for Cady in the beginning. Cady’s way of reeling over the loss of her dead parents is being suppressed by technology that keeps the rose colored glasses on the young girl.
M3GAN using this narrative helps shed light on its powerful statement without coming across as too preachy. You’re able to connect with the main characters because of the dimension that the filmmakers gave Gemma, Cady, and even some of the supporting cast. M3GAN is a fun gem that should be watched by every horror enthusiast; it’s by no means a perfect horror movie, but it’s a great one added to the genre’s canon.
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