M3GAN 2.0 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

M3GAN 2.0 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Justin Dekker September 22, 2025

From Blumhouse ('Get Out') and Atomic Monster ('The Conjuring' franchise) comes 'M3GAN 2.0', the latest installment in the 'M3GAN' franchise, which arrives on Blu-ray disc courtesy of Universal. Familiar names from the first film abound, including Director Gerard Johnstone, along with cast members Allison Williams (Gemma), Violet McGraw (Cady), Amie Donald as the physical embodiment of M3GAN, and Jenna Davis as M3GAN's voice. Technical merits are impressive, and the release has a slim assortment of brisk on-disc supplemental material. Both the Theatrical and slightly longer Unrated Versions are available at the viewer's discretion. An embossed slipcover and a Digital Code redeemable via Movies Anywhere are also included.

The film opens near the border between Turkey and Iran. A young woman, who is believed to be a tourist, has been taken captive by an armed group. After a bag is placed over her head and a gun is cocked, the scene shifts as a gunshot rings out. Half a world away, at the Defense Innovation Unit in California, a group assembles for a demonstration of "a machine that acts with surgical precision". On the cameras, something unforeseen is happening; the woman who was just executed is contorting out of her bonds and is dispatching her captors with ruthless and inhuman efficiency. The woman, it seems, is the machine. Soon, though, she/it proves that this machine (named "Amelia") isn't necessarily bound by her programming. Meanwhile, as Gemma (Williams) and Cady (McGraw) confront their past and struggle to move on with their lives after the events of the first film when the doll designed to protect the young girl went on something of a murderous rampage. After learning from the FBI that Amelia was constructed from M3GAN's designs, Gemma soon realizes she must fight fire with fire in hopes of neutralizing this new threat and, essentially, saving the world.

It's not often that those at the helm of a sequel to a well-loved and/or successful film see fit to take as bold a step as switching genres. In the modern movie environment, with one watchful eye on profits and the other on the fan base, the more usual course for filmmakers and studios is to simply provide more of what the established audience wants. Considering the first film performed well, raking in almost $182 million in global box office receipts against a budget of a mere $12 million, it was both surprising and refreshing to see Director and Co-writer Gerard Johnstone (along with Akela Cooper, who also co-wrote the first film) purposefully chose not to play it safe and move M3GAN 2.0 out of the realm of PG-13 horror and firmly into the realm of science fiction. Though ads for the new film were omnipresent in theaters, it seems that M3GAN 2.0 was betrayed by fans of the first film who themselves, no doubt, felt betrayed. M3GAN 2.0's dismal $39 million global box office take certainly speaks to that. But audience response notwithstanding, Johnstone was probably correct in his effort to shift the murderous M3GAN into the science fiction genre. Considering the technology involved in her creation and the concerns over AI (among other technologically- related things) in our modern world, it seems a natural fit for her, and one that provides her more room to roam in future sequels, rather than remaining content with the smaller world and ambitions of the first film.

For me, at least, the film worked. Remembering its PG-13 rating and the intended audience, the film doesn't even attempt to get into the more philosophical issues raised by the sci-fi films and novels aimed at a more mature audience. What it does try to do is deliver the same sort of thrills and action generated by the Terminator franchise in its earlier days. With that particular comparison in mind, M3GAN 2.0 is even more commendable, as it was made for a fraction of the cost, it doesn't have an established international box office star getting top billing, and this film sees four women occupying the top spots on the cast list. Evil artificial intelligence (AI), as embodied by Amelia, is the boogeyman here. Viewers who bring knowledge of Skynet (or The Matrix) with them to this film know exactly what's in store for the world if she wins. To drive home the point for less seasoned viewers, Aristotle Athari's Christian shares the modern "fable" of paper clips to young Cady. As the film's cautionary tale goes, if one asked an AI to make as many paper clips as it could, it would ultimately consume every possible resource available to make paper clips until there was literally nothing else left. A frightening notion, and one that's equally as frightening as the real-world concerns over AI's expanding use and role in the modern world, which some worry is growing faster and more broadly than our ability to understand, contain, or control it.

Another bold move is repositioning M3GAN as something different than a clear-cut villain. That role clearly belongs to Amelia. As with any piece of technology, M3GAN's actions are bound by her programming, and William's Gemma is careful not to make the same mistakes she did in the first film, demonstrating her learning. Interestingly, though, M3GAN also demonstrates and explicitly states that she has learned and evolved based on her previous actions and ongoing interactions with humans. M3GAN's evolution, though, does occasionally give the viewer cause for concern over just what percentage of her actions are driven by this programming, and how much is the result of her own choices. This naturally causes her motivations to remain somewhat sketchy, and the film does its best to exploit these moments to keep viewers wary of where her true allegiances may lie. But the potential for her to be a hero is interesting. In horror films, viewers may sometimes root for Pinhead, Jason, or Freddy, but their status never truly changes. While it may be gratifying to see them dispatch objectionable cast members in inventive, bloody, and gruesome ways, they are invariably the villains. The fact that M3GAN could be something more, or at least something else, clears the way for the film franchise to continue to evolve.

Lest anyone take the film too seriously, humor abounds in M3GAN 2.0. Much of it comes either from or at the expense of Timm Sharp's Colonel Sattler. Though he tries to intimidate, he simply doesn't have the build or the demeanor to accomplish the task, being at least partially undone by his moustache and a suit that isn't expensive enough to carry with it the appropriate amount of menace. Though he's well-intentioned, he always seems a step or two behind. M3GAN also has several opportunities to stretch her comedic legs, offering sarcasm and snappy dialogue that moves her ever closer to being indistinguishable from her human creators by allowing her to develop more of a personality. Most of the comedic relief, though, comes from Jermaine Clement and his tech mogul Alton Appleton, a wealthy man-child with an over-inflated sense of self- importance. The film also works moments into action sequences where shades of Jackie Chan can be found. Other nods are there for viewers to spot as well, even a visual that harkens back to Metropolis, and a tip of the hat to Knight Rider and vintage Cylons.

M3GAN 2.0 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Megan 2.0 looks great on Blu-ray. Filmed digitally, the image is slick, sharp, and presented in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio. Colors are nicely saturated within the film's palette. In the earlier moments of the film, it opts for more drab and earthier, warmer tones, saving the more dazzling displays for later when M3GAN is fully reconstituted, Amelia is a larger threat, and the team infiltrates the AI convention. Here, primaries like blues pop, as do other colors like the disguise worn by M3GAN. Prior to that, the reds that dominate the "Breaking News" graphics that occasionally punctuate the film are the most dramatic displays of bright primaries. Skin tones are healthy and realistic, but can suffer a bit when impacted by lighting choices that either wash them out or darken them. Blacks are deep and inky, and for the most part this is a strength. However, as M2GAN 2.0 is a surprisingly dark film as a whole, there are two particular environments where shadow can consume environmental and character deatils. One is Gemma and Cady's home during a tense scene near the start of the film. The other is when action shifts to the dimly lit and cavernous lair. But onthe whole, this sin't a significant issue. Image depth is pleasing. Fine detail is high, with fabric and facial particulars open for investigation. The evil Amelia looks convincingly human, with appropriate skin tone and texture, though her consistently coolly detached expression recalls Brent Spiner's performance as Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation. M3GAN, once put back in the body that her fans will recognize, looks eerily inhuman. Her skin is too perfect, too smooth, too free of pores, blemishes, or variation in pigmentation. Her features are likewise too sharply defined. Thanks to a sharp transfer, the viewer can see all of these details (or lack thereof) and features, and it adds a constant reminder to M3GAN's true nature and the added danger to Amelia's. Sweaters, denim, and plastic costume elements all present with excellent tactile realism. Environmental and set particulars are also sharply defined, allowing viewers to appreciate the texture of brickwork and mortar, and observe wood grain in cabinetry and flooring. I did not detect any issues with banding or other defects or anomalies.

M3GAN 2.0 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Dolby Atmos track that accompanies M3GAN 2.0 is somewhat understated but effective and somewhat front-focused. While not constantly immersive, it is so frequently. Sometimes, though, it's very slight, more of a suggestion really, offering faint atmospheric sounds and moody background scoring. At other times, such as when M3GAN first blatantly makes her presence known, her voice fills the sound stage and surrounds the viewer, enveloping them in the threat of her return. Deep bass adds heft and realism to gunshots, punches, kicks, and other sounds of fighting and mayhem. Other effects, such as closing doors, footsteps, and the like, also sound more lifelike as a result. Music doesn't often take the forefront, but when it does, it's well-rendered and precise, and aided by a healthy bass presence. Directionality is spot-on, and people, bullets, and debris all move fluidly through the field. Dialogue is clean, intelligible, and properly prioritized. It's a solid track.

M3GAN 2.0 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

M3GAN 2.0 is outfitted with a small selection of on-disc supplemental features as listed below.

• Total Upgrade: Making M3GAN 2.0 (11.19) - Looking to revisit the character and build a bigger world for her to inhabit, the cast and crew discuss the direction of the new film. They address Jermain Clement's (Afton Appleton) penchant for improvisation, the design of the "Lair" set, and costuming.

• Droid DNA (7.39) - This segment provides a look at the puppetry (using up to seven puppeteers simultaneously) and animatronics that bring M3GAN to life, as well as the technology behind the villainous Amelia played by Ivanna Sakhno.

• The Art of Slaying (8.06) - Cast and crew discuss the action pieces in the film, stunt and contortion work, and gory effects.

• Scene Breakdown: Embrace AI Convention (5.04) - The creation of the convention that serves as the set for one of the largest battle sequences in the film is detailed, providing information on set dressing, fight choreography, and managing a host of stunt people and over 200 extras.

M3GAN 2.0 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If viewers are willing to allow the creative team this abrupt left-turn, which they feel is necessary for M3GAN to survive for further adventures, they will find an energetic and engaging sci-fi film populated with characters from a horror film they know (and love). Given the technological world of the film, the gear shift feels almost necessary, as it seems everyone is familiar with M3GAN, so additional films following in the mold of the first would have been implausible from the start. Despite the poor box office showing, I, for one, am hopeful for the next installment in M3GAN's story, and the further evolution of the characters brought to life by the talented cast led by Williams, McGraw, Davis, Donald, and Sakhno. Technical merits are strong, and 'M3GAN 2.0' comes strongly recommended.