M3GAN. Gerald Johnstone. 2022.
When young Violet McGraws bickering parents are killed in a tragic car accident she is adopted by her somewhat distant and estranged aunt Gemma. Gemma is a robotics engineer designing interactive toys and she is on the verge of an incredible leap forward in both robotics and AI. The result is the Model 3 Generation Android or M3gan. A four foot tall lifelike android capable of bonding with its child owner and learning to be the ultimate friend. Well how could this possibly go wrong?
I think anyone could work out where this is going and the film does so competently enough, however despite the hype that's all this film is, competent. There's potential here with M3GAN's creepy design, the body of child with a weirdly older face, both realistic but given the obviously super advanced tech oddly not as realistic as it could be. Acting is decent enough but stupid decisions and plot contrivance abound. It's fascinating how Gemma's team have been struggling to perfect M3GAN in a fully fitted advanced lab but when the plot fits Gemma finishes knocking her together in the garage at home. Given the intended purpose of M3GAN why the hell is it capable of almost superhuman strength and acrobatic capabilities? Would it not have been wise to make it on the weaker side, just in case...
And finally, for the love of God, why not fix the hole in the damn fence.
M3GANs a watchable enough time waster but nothing special, certainly not the scare-fest the trailer promised. I can't see me ever returning to it.
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