The reviews for M3GAN are in and critics agree that the killer doll film is an electrifying time at the movies that introduces a brand-new icon to the horror canon. The film, which was produced by James Wan, stars Allison Williams as a young scientist who develops a lifelike artificial intelligence doll to be a companion for her orphaned niece, only to realize that the AI's directive to protect the girl has resulted in the android M3GAN becoming a bloodthirsty killing machine. In addition to being the first major wide release of the year, M3GAN arrives in theaters in the wake of a massive wave of viral interest on social media thanks to a clip of the killer doll dancing that captured the imagination of people across the globe.
Today, ahead of M3GAN's impending theatrical release, the embargo lifted on reviews of the film, allowing critics' to share their full thoughts. The response to the film has been overwhelmingly positive, with only 1 of the film's 35 reviews on the aggregation service Rotten Tomatoes being reported as Rotten at the time of writing. While they may disagree on whether the film is a blast of refreshing creative spirit or a superficial but fun genre exercise, nearly all of them agree that it's a good time at the movies and M3GAN is already an icon in her own right. Check out select quotes from various critics below:
William Bibbiani, The Wrap:
It’s all so intelligently crafted and thoughtful that “M3GAN” can’t be written off as a lark. Johnstone’s film captures the same alchemical blend of heart, humor and havoc you find only rarely, in crossover classics like “Gremlins,” and it yields more entertainment than most would-be blockbusters.
Matt Donato, IGN:
From M3GAN's titanium skeleton to her almost-human mannerisms, complete with disorienting glitches, she's a rubber-faced horror megastar.
Kate Erbland, IndieWire:
Its creators are so clearly on the same insane wavelength, nimbly blending camp and social satire and actual terror, that “M3GAN” is poised to crack the murder-doll pantheon and stay there forever. Oscars!
Owen Gleiberman, Variety:
“M3GAN” fits into a tradition of demon-doll movies going back to the Karen Black episode of “Trilogy of Terror” (1975) and the “Annabelle” trilogy (also produced by Wan), but it has its own amusing throwaway token relevance. The film’s real satirical target is all of us — or, at least, those who now think of the mirror offered by artificial intelligence as an actual form of interaction.
Leah Greenblatt, Entertainment Weekly:
This is not the morose, carnage-soaked horror of dank basements and clammy night terrors; most of the movie happens in bright daylight, every maniacal head tilt, ungodly hip swivel, and murder-by-gardening-tool calibrated for screams that end not with a gasp but a giggle. M3GAN came to play, and possibly reboot her motherboard for a sequel. Are you not entertained?
Pete Hammond, Deadline:
At its heart, in addition to other cinematic inspirations in the horror genre, M3GAN is a descendant of the classic of them all, Frankenstein, as we see the inventor’s creation unleashed and out of their control. Fun stuff.
Richard Lawson, Vanity Fair:
It’s funny in ways anticipated and not, and there is enough suspense -- or something like suspense -- to balance out the coy winks to the audience.
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter:
M3GAN is fascinating to watch, whether she’s staring out a window with unnerving intent, busting some contortionist moves or simply cocking her head in a sudden tilt that induces both shivers and snickers.
Derek Smith, Slant:
There’s enough sardonic humor to keep the proceedings edgy enough, but it’s hard not to wish that the filmmakers would’ve taken a cue from their eponymous villain and really pushed things past the boundaries of good taste.
Will Blumhouse Continue Their Winter Horror Success Streak with M3GAN?
It has long been an established dictum in the fandom that horror films that are released in the early months, and especially in January, tend to be bottom-of-the-barrel. This theory has been borne out by the poor critical results for films like 2014's Devil's Due, 2016's Underworld: Blood Wars, and 2008's One Missed Call. However, as it's riding a wave of viral promotion and a positive Rotten Tomatoes score (which will most likely become Certified Fresh), M3GAN is poised to be the first hit film of the year, both critically and commercially.
This is part of an ongoing move by Blumhouse to reclaim the winter months as a playground for unique horror projects. This began in earnest with the 2014 release of the spinoff film Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones and was cemented by the 2017 release of Split, which became a massive hit and spawned the 2019 sequel Glass, another January release. Blumhouse also released their generation-defining and Oscar-winning hit Get Out in February, proving their willingness to wade into that previously derided release window.
The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent schedule adjustments it caused have prevented Blumhouse from releasing another January film since 2019 (the company also had to steer clear of the January release of Scream in 2022). However, M3GAN will most likely be their triumphant return to the time slot. In fact, the film is already projected to make a profit in its opening weekend, raking in between $17 and $20 million off its $12 million budget, though it won't be able to claim the No. 1 slot due to Avatar: The Way of Water's box office domination.
Source: Various (see above)
