Lisa Johnson Mandell’s M3gan 2.0 review says the sequel doesn’t reach the level of the original, but what sequel ever does? It’s still a good time.

While the original M3gan was a nice mix of three parts horror, two parts comedy, Meg3n 2.0, as the title indicates, is an advanced conglomeration of genres, including sci-fi, robot, AI, comedy, creepy doll, politics, martial arts, coming of age and parenting, with a little horror thrown in on the side. It’s a lot.

But it’s also a lot of fun, despite what horror aficionados say, although I understand their disappointment with the film. In the sequel,  traditional horror has taken a distant backseat to the still existential horror of AI, and it becomes unnecessarily complicated.

It’s two years after genius inventor Gemma (Allison Williams) created the technology for what was supposed to be a simple nanny robot that looks like an innocent doll for her niece, and then had to destroy it when it ran lethally amok.

Now, Gemma and her team discover that their algorithms have leaked out and advanced, and are embodied in a rogue, murderous AI doll that looks human and is seemingly invincible, with an evil plan to destroy all human life and leave the world in the virtual hands of AI.

M3gan 2.0 review — can she save the day or destroy it?

Of course it takes one to know one, so Gemma and her team must reconstruct a stronger, faster M3gan to thwart the renegade one, but who won’t want to destroy human life as well.

Of course there are lots of obligatory details, betrayals, and plot twists along the way, some that substantially bog down the action. Really, everyone is just waiting to see more creepy doll dancing like the original that gave us so many everlasting, ever-laughing memes. It eventually happens, by the way, and there’s also creepy doll singing, which is one of the most delightfully cringy parts of the film.

In essence, director Gerard Johnstone strayed a little too far from the appealing conceits of his original, and packed the sequel a little too full of sci-fi camp. But there is still fun to be mined from it—just not quite as much as its predecessor.

Rated PG-13

1 Hour 59 Minutes

Does this M3gan 2.0 review make you want to creepy doll dance your way to the Cineplex? Get times and tickets at Fandango.com.

Lisa Johnson Mandell’s M3gan 2.0 review says the sequel doesn’t reach the level of the original, but what sequel ever does? It’s still a good time.