January has always been said to be something of a low point for films that are released in cinemas – most of them being low on quality, disposable or easily forgotten about. But there is always an opportunity for something to step out, surprise or maybe even surpass expectations. That is what appears to have happened with the sci-fi/horror film Megan or as it has been stylised to look, M3GAN. Which is brought to us by second-time director Gerald Johnstone and the Blumhouse studio, who seem to be the go-to people for quality horror films at the moment.
The main plot of the film focuses on a girl named Cady (Violet McGraw) who loses both parents in an accident and as a result is sent to live with her toy designer aunt Gemma (Allison Williams), who is under pressure to come with up a toy for the company she works for. She’s devoted to her work and has no idea how to help Cady… only for what looks like a solution to arise when she shows Cady M3GAN – a project she has been working on which brings Cady out of her shell and everything seems fine. But soon enough, M3GAN goes beyond what she is meant to do and becomes dangerous to everyone she perceives as a threat to her – and especially to Cady as the two form a unnervingly close attachment to each other.
With a plot like this it’s clear to see what it’s trying to be and where it’s going to go. It’s as much about the dangerous possibilities of highly advanced, unchecked technology as it is about addressing subjects like grief after losing someone close to you. All of that is present and correct, but with this being a horror film there are of course quite a few kills.
The main cast is made up of mostly unknown actors who give what I could happily call adequate performances. McGraw and Williams work fine together. There are a few moments where McGraw comes across as a little unlikeable but it is important to remember that she is a newcomer to acting, playing a character who is meant to be in mourning.
I really shouldn’t have to say it at all, but the real attraction of the film is of course M3GAN herself. She’s been created with a mix of CGI and animatronics and does indeed look very lifelike with the look of a doll that could easily be seen in stock or on display in a shop. Her voice is supplied by Jenna Davis. I don’t know how easy it is to make yourself sound like a convincing robot with very little in the way of feeling, but she manages to pull it off. She may be a big step forward both in the fictional narrative and in robotics as a whole but there are few scenes where New Zealand dancer Amie Donald does her movements, which is the only thing she has that resembles, for lack of a better term, a human touch.
Akela Cooper’s script does have a lot of horror-genre hallmarks in it and there are a few kills, but most of the brutality is either kept offscreen, is implied or shown only briefly. It makes no effort to hide who or what the likely or intended victims of M3GAN will be, whether it’s a bad neighbour and her dog, a bullying teenager or Gemma’s boss David (Ronny Chieng).
One thing I did notice in particular was the slow-burning feel of the film’s first half. M3GAN doesn’t start killing right away, instead a sense of foreboding grows around her. It’s not a matter of if she will go wrong and start killing, it’s when.
While it’s obvious in some places, the script also makes some satirical points which is nothing new for the horror genre. But a line has to be walked with it, make it too vague and people might miss it, make it too obvious and people might roll their eyes. The obvious points are society’s ever-growing dependence on technology, especially in terms of keeping children entertained while the parents work at jobs they despise just so they can buy more and more of it. There’s also the point of consumerism and getting a product out despite safety concerns, caring more about money then potential harm and that while a robot friend might be good, it’s no substitute for a real human or even a parent. Those points are almost too obvious for their own good and sometimes satire can be either loved or hated. That’s not even mentioning the adverts for the film’s main toy company that look so much like the ones that have been onscreen for years.
There is definitely a sense of development for Cady as a character as she becomes dependent on the presence and company of M3GAN and gets irritable and at times violent when they are separated. Which again could be another satirical point that technology like M3GAN is nothing more than a distraction that is keeping her from processing her emotions and the trauma of what happened to her.
The film is said to have a campy mix of humour, horror and satire. I would agree that all of that is true, but I don’t think campy is the word I would use to describe it. I know it’s a well- known cliché but the main police officer in this film seems way too dumb, failing to put together what couldn’t be more obvious when it comes to M3GAN’s kills.
Despite a lot of good ideas and potential at its disposal, the film reaches its climax with a brutal fight between M3GAN and Gemma. There’s little sense of danger or tension as clichés demand that Gemma win and M3GAN is seemingly destroyed for good.
There have been some predictable comparisons with M3GAN and the Child’s Play films. Both are about killer dolls and Child’s Play did try a remake a few years ago with Chucky being more robotic instead of possessed. I really can’t say if the comparisons are really that welcome but I wouldn’t be surprised if such words were likely used as a way to pitch M3GAN to studio executives.
M3GAN seems to have done well at a time when cinemas don’t have much in the way of quality entertainment to offer. But I’ve seen my fair share of January films over the years where some have been good and lived up to their reputation. M3GAN definitely goes in the decent pile of January films for me. It’s garnered strong critical acclaim and obviously made a lot of money. Audiences may wish for a sequel and judging by the standard last shot of many horror films, this one included, that implies the threat isn’t actually dead. A sequel is already on the way with all the main people set to come back. I suspect I will see the sequel when it comes out but as M3GAN is a robot I don’t know if I should be using the word sequel. Maybe reboot would be more appropriate?
