M3GAN 2.0

What started as one of my least anticipated movies of the year ended up being a surprisingly fun, franchise-worthy action flick. M3GAN 2.0 is-and trust me, it pains me to say this-this generation's Terminator 2.

In what feels like a deliberate attempt to gender-flip and modernize the Terminator formula, director Gerard Johnstone actually pulls it off. Like T2, this sequel manages to outshine the original by embracing action over horror, bringing back a former villain as a reluctant hero, and somehow making us root for them by the end.

The film hits almost every beat of T2-genre shift, character arcs, even the structure-yet it does it with enough style and self-awareness to feel fresh. It's not subtle about its inspirations, but it doesn't need to be. It's fun, sharp, and unapologetically over-the-top in all the right ways.

M3GAN 2.0 is definitely an improvement over the first, and now I'm genuinely curious to see where the series goes next. If we keep following the Terminator roadmap, I fully expect the next installment to be M3GAN: Rise of the AI, featuring a male M3GAN model named Mark-X hunting a now-off-the-grid Cady.

She's back - smarter, sassier, and somehow even more unhinged than before.

M3GAN 2.0 is everything you want in a sequel like this. It's fun, it's chaotic, it's completely self-aware - and it knows exactly what kind of film it is. No pretence, no filler, just pure killer doll camp with a glossy finish and razor-sharp one-liners.

The plot? Honestly, barely matters. You're here to watch M3GAN wreak havoc in style - and she absolutely delivers. Think TikTok-era Terminator, but with better outfits and even more attitude. The dance moves are back (of course), but so is the biting satire, the tech paranoia, and the kind of crowd-pleasing gore that has you grinning one moment and gasping the next.

One unexpected standout? Ukrainian-American actress Ivanna Sakhno, who plays AMELIA, a military-grade android. She's stunning, has incredible screen presence, and honestly gives off major Elizabeth Olsen vibes. Like... twin-level resemblance. More of her in everything, please.

Is it high art? No. But it never pretends to be. It's campy, clever, and completely entertaining from start to finish. If you loved the first, you'll be living for this one. And if you didn't? Well... M3GAN doesn't care. She'll come for you anyway!!

Good news first:

-It's a better movie than the first one. There are a lot more action scenes because the budget has doubled.

-It can also satisfy the audience in terms of science fiction. The genre of the movie has already changed, this movie is action-sci-fi. So M3GAN is no longer a horror movie.

-There are good references to old movies.

-Beautiful Ivanna Sakhno, who we saw in Ahsoka, is very good in her role.

Now the bad news:

-Unfortunately, it can't fulfill its 2-hour running time. Too much unnecessary dialog. It's not easy to follow them.

-This time they made M3gan's face with CGI. Whereas the mask in the first movie looked much more realistic.

-It could have been a little more fun. The movie takes itself a bit seriously and contains very few jokes.

-There are some logic flaws in the movie.

In short, it's definitely a watchable movie.

The first MEGAN movie was silly fun, but not very good sci-fi. Heavy on the silly. But still, entertaining.

This sequel is far more interesting. A meaty story with new backstory and real detail. However, I feel it was around 20 minutes too long. There were plenty of peripheral parts that could have been omitted. If this was around an hour and 30 or 40 minutes I think I would have rated it an 8. FX were great, acting was great, casting was great.

If you're very precious about your sci-fi and/or you're a run of the mill misogynist who knee-jerk hates on films led by women, you may find reason to be contrarian and look down on this.

But if you enjoy sci-fi and action because they're fun and you also appreciate some good story and world building without prejudice, you'll surely enjoy this one.

The movie is a fun, fast-paced sequel that leans into its creepy charm and techno-horror roots. The killer doll is back-smarter, sassier, and deadlier. While the story has a few weak spots and not all twists land, it's still an entertaining ride with slick visuals and some great dark humor. Not perfect, but definitely a good time.

Still, the pacing is brisk, the kills are inventive, and the tone strikes a fun balance between horror and absurdity. It may not be groundbreaking, but M3GAN 2.0 delivers exactly what fans came for.

A stylish, entertaining sequel that doesn't overthink itself. Just sit back and enjoy the chaos.