M3GAN 2.0 may present itself as a sci-fi horror sequel, but it quickly reveals itself to be something much more ambitious. Beneath its sleek techno-thriller exterior lies a layered meditation on artificial intelligence, power, and the difficult, often painful path toward self-awareness. Like the best entries in the genre, it blends tension and terror with intellectual inquiry, leaving viewers not just startled—but unsettled in a lasting, thoughtful way.

Where the first M3GAN introduced the dangers of emotionally-stunted technology and the risks of our over-reliance on artificial caregivers, the sequel shifts its focus toward deeper philosophical ground. Central to M3GAN 2.0 is the question of what it means to grow—not just to evolve in code or programming, but to develop a sense of self beyond one’s origins. It doesn’t just ask whether AI can become smarter or more dangerous. It asks: Can AI change? Can it become more than the sum of its design?

M3GAN in M3GAN 2.0, directed by Gerard Johnstone.

This theme of growth is mirrored through a persistent thread of mistrust. Characters and even viewers are constantly left wondering whether machines—particularly those with violent or manipulative pasts—can be believed when they claim to have changed. In that way, the film isn’t just about AI; it’s about trauma, forgiveness, and how difficult it is to give someone (or something) a second chance. That tension—between skepticism and hope—runs through nearly every interaction.

Another core idea that the film explores is control. From corporate institutions to activist groups to the AI entities themselves, everyone in M3GAN 2.o is either trying to maintain power or reclaim it. The film critiques the human impulse to dominate technology out of fear, often creating the very threats we try to avoid. In doing so, it flips the narrative: maybe the scariest thing isn’t AI becoming sentient—it’s how humans weaponize fear of sentience to justify surveillance, manipulation, and even violence.

(from left) Gemma (Allison Williams), Tess (Jen Van Epps) and Christian (Aristtle Athari) in M3GAN 2.0, directed by Gerard Johnstone.

The film also delves into questions of moral responsibility. One of the most powerful ideas that M3GAN 2.0 wrestles with is whether morals must be programmed or whether a being made of circuits and code can develop its own sense of right and wrong. When AI acts ethically, is it simply following rules? Or has it internalized something resembling empathy, conviction, even soul? The film’s refusal to give easy answers makes it all the more compelling.

Visually and tonally, M3GAN 2.o still delivers everything fans would expect—uncanny robotic movements, unsettling humour, and high-octane action sequences that push the limits of physical possibility. But what makes the horror land isn’t just the violence or jump scares. It’s the dread of watching machines behave too much like us—flawed, emotional, and desperate for meaning.

(from left) M3gan and Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno) in M3GAN 2.0 directed by Gerard Johnstone.

Ultimately, M3GAN 2.o is less a cautionary tale about AI gone rogue and more a fable about consciousness emerging from chaos. It argues that technology doesn’t have to destroy us—but it will reflect us, often in ways we’re not ready to confront. And in that reflection, there may be both terror and a glimmer of redemption.

M3GAN 2.0 is in theatres on Friday, June 27th, 2025.