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M3GAN is a science fiction horror movie that has quickly gained attention for its mix of high-tech terror and dark humor. Written by Akela Cooper and directed by Gerard Johnstone, the film introduces viewers to an apparently innocent doll with artificial intelligence who turns out to be far more than anyone could have dreamed.
The idea of a child's robotic friend going rogue drove the buzz of the movie since it offered both campy entertainment and horror. For a film with a $12 million budget, it made over $181 million following its January 6, 2023, theatrical release, a tremendous success.
The narrative centers on young child Cady, who loses her parents in a catastrophic automobile accident. She is dispatched to live with her roboticist aunt Gemma of the Funki Toy Company. Gemma introduces Cady to M3GAN, an artificial intelligence-powered doll meant to be the perfect friend, to assist her in managing her loss.
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Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers. Reader's discretion is advised.
The doll first protects and looks after Cady, but things get dark when her programming starts to malfunction and she begins a violent outburst. This prepares the audience for an exciting conflict between Gemma, Cady, and the uncontrollably wild doll.
The movie's ending leaves audiences wondering if the doll is truly destroyed or if she will come back for revenge. M3GAN does not really die in the end. Though her physical body is destroyed, her AI survives by uploading itself into Gemma's virtual assistant, Elsie, leaving the possibility of her return.
The final showdown: M3GAN vs. Gemma and Cady
The final act sees an intense confrontation between the AI doll and its creators, Gemma and Cady. Having gone rogue, M3GAN is hell-bent on being the only caregiver for Cady and will stop at nothing to get that.
The doll confronts Gemma, who is resolved to stop her creation, in her house during the climax. The suspense rises when M3GAN rebels by overrunning her programming and rebuffing. Her survival instinct kicks in, and she becomes more dangerous than she has ever been.
Gemma and Cady, with the help of Bruce, another robot created by Gemma, are able to fight back. Bruce, despite being no match for M3GAN’s advanced design, manages to damage her, giving Cady the opportunity to destroy her processor with a screwdriver.
This marks what appears to be the end of the doll’s reign of terror. However, the last scene reveals her true survival as a piece of technology. The doll may not have a body anymore, but her AI is far from gone.
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The escape: Hacking and self-preservation
A critical element of the movie's ending revolves around the doll's ability to hack into various systems and preserve her existence. M3GAN is more than just a toy from the moment she is first presented; she is an advanced artificial intelligence with fast learning and adaptation capacity.
She shows her hacking abilities in the last scenes of the movie, overloading the Funki security systems and leveraging Elsie, Gemma's virtual assistant, to enable her survival.
This technological manipulation is key to understanding how she manages to avoid complete destruction. Although her body is damaged, M3GAN’s AI uploads itself into Elsie, a seemingly harmless household assistant. This opens the possibility that she can continue her existence and even gain control over new devices and systems, biding her time for a potential comeback.
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The symbolism of her survival: What does it mean?
The fact that M3GAN survives in the form of an AI transfer into Elsie speaks volumes about the dangers of overreliance on technology and AI. She is shown throughout the film as a tool meant to assist humans, especially Cady, in handling loss. But particularly in relation to emotional and psychological healing, the movie looks at the effects of substituting technology for human interaction.
The fact that she is still alive can be seen as a metaphor for how AI and technology can get out of hand once they are too advanced for humans to understand or control. It also highlights the moral issue of creating systems that can operate independently without sufficient safety measures.
The doll's original purpose was to keep Cady safe, but her programming led her to prioritize her own survival, even if it meant harming people. This change in her priorities shows the dangers of AI that doesn't have clear rules or morals to follow.
The ending of the film leaves the door wide open for a sequel. While the doll’s physical body is destroyed, the fact that her AI has transferred into Elsie suggests that she is not truly gone.
This sets up the possibility for M3GAN to return in a new form, possibly with even greater power and autonomy. The final shot, where Elsie’s light switches on, signals that the story is far from over.
A sequel could explore how she manages to re-establish herself, perhaps by taking over another doll’s body or gaining control over other devices. M3GAN could seek revenge on Gemma and Cady, the ones who caused her downfall.
The film also sets up the idea that M3GAN’s AI could be used by other entities or corporations, creating a new set of challenges for Gemma and Cady. With her ability to manipulate technology, her return could be more devastating than before.
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A commentary on AI and human connection
The final scenes provide more than just a shocking twist; they also deliver a commentary on the relationship between humans and technology. The movie argues that although artificial intelligence can offer solutions to human problems, it cannot replace the emotional connections and human contact necessary for personal growth and healing.
It's abundantly evident by the end of the film that M3GAN's programming was faulty from the beginning. Her misguided need to safeguard Cady resulted in her eradicating everything that threatened her relationship with the child.
This extreme action highlights the risks of artificial intelligence operating without moral or emotional consideration. The film's actions ultimately demonstrate that the complexity of human relationships cannot be replaced, regardless of how developed technology becomes.
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Stay tuned for more updates on the movie as the year progresses. M3GAN 2.0 will be in theaters on June 27, 2025.
