Is M3GAN A Horror Movie? Well, It’s Certainly Jaw-Dropping

The trailer to M3GAN has caused a lot of stir, curiosity, and confusion about what viewing experience M3GAN is aiming to create. If you’ve not yet seen the trailer, it features a mechanical, almost human doll, busting out some surprisingly fluid-for-a-machine Tik Tok dance moves. It’s jarring but mostly hilarious which was exactly the creator’s intent.

Because of the conflicting emotions that the trailer elicits, it raises the question: Is M3GAN a horror movie like the parody Scary Movie or is it a real horror movie like Chucky?

Armed with my sister for emotional support, I headed to the theatre for an early screening to find out. Turns out that exactly what the trailer presents is the same energy you’re going to get throughout the film.

Is M3GAN A Horror Movie?

When 9-year-old Cady fatally loses both of her parents in a car crash, she's assigned to live with her Aunt Gemma, a roboticist in the process of developing M3GAN (an acronym for "Model 3 Generative Android"). In an effort to provide Cady companionship during this lonely, tragic time of her life, Gemma enlists M3GAN, a life-like robot doll, to pair with Cady and become her friend. As M3GAN begins machine learning, she increasingly takes her duty to protect Cady from emotional and physical harm deathly serious.

So, is M3GAN A Horror Movie?

Technically, by Encyclopedia Britannica’s definition, M3GAN is a horror movie since it incorporates physical violence and psychological terror into the narrative. M3GAN is present in deformed, disturbed, and psychotic ways throughout the film. However, there are no demonic elements in the film, nothing pertaining to spirituality, ghosts, or witches. The only thing to fear is technology.

Although M3GAN is technically a horror film, I’d actually lean more towards thriller with it simply because it gets your heart rate up and slowly builds suspense over time without giving you anything to lose sleep over. The element that sets it apart from a thriller film and into the horror genre is the fact that yes, people are murdered in creative ways. However, it’s not too graphic as M3GAN still sits comfortably at a PG-13 rating.

There are a few moments that are intended to be jump scares but they weren’t always successful in making me jump. However, my jaw dropped at the extent to which M3GAN would go over moderate inconveniences. There is no middle ground between life and death for her.

Why M3GAN Isn’t Your Average Horror Film

M3GAN has elements of horror and thriller but strangely enough, it’s also quite comedic in a very dark yet tasteful way. It doesn’t have the outlandish vies for laughter that films like Scary Movie call for, but rather bizarre moments where you can’t help but laugh at how random or emotionally incongruent M3GAN’s behaviors are.

You’ll be surprised by M3GAN’s wide range of performance abilities. And she’ll break out in dance or song at any moment, especially when it’s most inappropriate. My sister and I were in shambles at M3GAN’s unintentional, “bulletproof,” comedic timing.

Despite the horror and humor, M3GAN was still able to maintain a genuine depth and consideration for Cady’s traumatic circumstance. They addressed how human connection cannot be replaced by technology and really showed a meaningful progression in Gemma and Cady’s relationship.

Is M3GAN good?

Now you know to expect a slightly horrific, bizarrely hilarious, and somewhat heartfelt movie, but is it any good? Does this odd mixture of naive, childlike doll yet heartless killer work?

Without hesitation, absolutely.

The film M3GAN is the perfect way to cinematically kick off the year with a clean focused plotline, top-notch acting by the whole cast (most especially Allison Williams as Gemma and Violet McGraw as Cady), and thoughtful pacing.

There’s not much anything to dislike about this film. It’s consistently engaging, has a fresh take on the horror narrative, and has wonderfully fleshed-out characters. Everything that it promises in the trailer, it delivers, and then some!

In Conclusion…

Overall, M3GAN is a spectacular movie. The only reason it’s not a 10 in my book is because it didn’t have that extra “wow” factor for me personally. My sister, on the other hand, gives this movie a solid 10/10.

M3GAN may keep you up at night from laughing at some of the bizarre moments but nothing too horrible to give you nightmares. Also, the ending leaves a door open for a potential M3GAN 2 which I am already dancing about.

Rating 8/10

What did you think of M3GAN? Did you find it horrifying? Let me know in the comments below!

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Peace, love, and lots of popcorn,

IMO