Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are taking a look at the Unrated Edition of M3gan. Naturally, this movie has been out for a little while, in fact, we actually reviewed it back in January so I have just modified that review to cover both versions of the movie. It should be noted that the score received a half point boost for the Unrated release.
M3gan released feeling particularly toothless, something we commented on in the original review. With that in mind, the M3gan Unrated Edition is a welcome arrival, offering more gore and a hell of a lot more cursing. M3gan follows a toy designer, Gemma (Allison Williams), who invents the next big thing in the automated toy world. A lifelike, artificial intelligence, dolly called M3gan. Giving the doll to her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw), to trial, it isn’t long before the doll begins developing a mind of its own and causing havoc.
We explained the ending to this movie so if you need answers, check out our M3gan Ending Explained article. Be warned, it is a big article with a lot of spoilers so only read if you have a few minutes (or half an hour) free and have watched the movie already.
The Unrated Differences?
The first thing you will notice with the unrated edition is a lot more swearing. Obviously it takes awhile to get to the violence here. With M3gan Unrated Edition, the F-bombs come a lot thicker and a lot faster. Gemma’s boss, David, is noteworthy for this. I loved his character in the standard version but his potty mouth makes him all the funnier. Or all the more unlikable as the case may be.
The best part about M3gan’s Unrated Edition are the enhanced kill scenes. One that was already, rather, nasty looking is even nastier in M3gan Unrated. Let’s just say, certain parts of the body shouldn’t stretch in the way they do here. A number of M3gan’s other kills are more graphic, too. One of which was particularly noteworthy for how painful it looked. Another focuses on what is taking place rather than cutting away as it does in the PG-13 version.
It’s mere seconds of added content. Not really anything to write home about but it does give the film some extra bite. Again, I wouldn’t suggest sitting through the movie again unless you were already planning to. The changes are just not that significant. Still, M3gan Unrated Edition is a welcome option for older fans and people who felt M3gan was a bit too tame.
A January Box Office Hit
M3gan has proved to be something of a smash hit for 2023. Bucking a trend of January horror movies being critically panned. It has already posted a box office of over $140 million on a $12 million budget and been very well received by reviews and viewers alike. Based on a story written by James Wan and a screenplay by Akela Cooper. M3gan is another example of Wan’s uncanny ability to develop successful commercial horror. As the creator of the Insidious franchise, Saw and The Conjuring. Wan has something of a Midas touch when it comes to horror for the masses. Produced alongside Jason Blum, M3gan represents another hit for the frequently awful, occasionally great, Blumhouse Productions.
So, before we start, let’s talk about M3gan herself. M3gan, as a toy, is actually rather freaky looking. The uncanny valley nature of the doll makes it difficult to think she would be popular but the things she can do would make her an enormous hit. Designed to look reminiscent of classic movie stars of old. M3gan actually comes across as something that you would read about in a Creepy Pasta. Glass eyed and slightly sinister. It seems clear that the design of the doll is intended to be rather unusual. Later scenes in the movie apparently confirm this.
The way that M3gan moves also bears mention. A mix of animatronics and human acting, M3gan was played by Amie Donald who is clearly a talented physical actor. It is worth pointing out that Amie also choreographed dances. On top of this, she was instrumental in some of the ways M3gan actually moves. A fantastic job and it is this mix of movement styles that adds to M3gan’s overall creepiness.
Another Social Commentary
When choosing a director to helm M3gan. The producers wanted someone who could work effectively with black comedy. Hence Gerard Johnstone, the director of the fantastic Housebound, was brought on board. The move proved to be an inspired one as comedy plays a central theme in the movie. Acting as something of a social commentary on people’s dependence on technology. M3gan pokes fun at a generation of people passing off parenting to digital devices.
Gemma is a character thrust into a parental role. Completely unprepared, she struggles to connect with Cady. It is only through her work as a toy developer that the two find a link. When Cady shows an interest in a toy with previously unheard of levels of interaction. Gemma sets about developing something that will co-opt the role of a parent. Providing love, affection and guidance. M3gan will do everything Gemma feels incapable of doing.
It is satirical and feels very apt given the current climate. I have mentioned in the past that horror’s need to act as social commentary is frustrating. I don’t understand how a genre dedicated to scaring people became so socially up tight. Horror movies feel like the wrong place to point out the complexities of the human condition. Still, in this case, it doesn’t detract too much from the enjoyment. M3gan is a movie that will raise a smile on a number of occasions. Be it through witty observations or straight up 80’s style horror quips.
Horror for Gen Z
M3gan has apparently taken the TikTok world by storm. Scenes featuring her dancing are all over the net. The meme-worthiness of the character has lead to her becoming a viral sensation. This is very deliberate on the part of the production team. M3gan is very much aimed at a young crowd. This is clear from the get go. If you have ever owned a Furby, things here will feel familiar. If you have watched The Simpsons, you will also recognise references. The younger members of Gen Z are the target here, though. The group that will copy the dances, share the videos and cosplay the character.
This comes at the cost of the scares and gore. Although addressed somewhat by the release of the gorier M3gan Unrated Edition. Marketing a movie towards 13-18 year olds means this is a horror without teeth. Though M3gan features some moments of mild tension. There are no scares and little is done with the character to make her threatening. M3gan has all of the attitude of Chucky with little of the blood lust. With that in mind, this is not a movie for all horror fans. Still it is action packed, often very witty, and simply a whole lot of fun. This is a movie that is light enough to be enjoyed by anyone, even if it can make you feel a bit old at times.
Decent Acting
Acting here is generally decent. Allison Williams, as Gemma, is fine for the most part. I felt as though she really lacked the ability to convey emotion, though. Scenes where she was talking to Cady often lacked gravity. This is particularly true when Cady is upset over her parent’s death. She handled comedic moments well, though, and is likeable.
Violet McGraw does great as Cady. Her interactions with M3gan are entirely convincing. She is very believable when talking about her character’s feelings too. A stellar performance for such a young actor. Side characters are all competent but not really worthy of note.
Jenna Davis provided the voice for M3gan and was entirely fitting in the role. She clearly totally understood the way the character was intended to come across. It is very reminiscent of the type of voice you would hear on Saturday morning Kid’s TV. Special mention has to go to Amie Donald for her physical performance as M3gan. As mentioned above, she performed stunts, choreographed dances and is generally wonderful.
Somewhat Toothless
M3gan is not without its faults. It is a typical horror trope but the characters here are pretty dumb. Many of the set ups to scares require serious leaps of logic. There are plenty of head scratching moments. This is common with movies like this but bears mention. The movie is entirely predictable, as well. There are no surprises. You will see everything coming from a mile off which is somewhat disappointing.
The 102 minute runtime is a little bit too long, especially given the movie’s intended audience. It also drags quite a bit in the middle. The family drama and social commentary aspects come at the cost of added dialogue. Much of which feels fairly redundant. Especially when you just want to get to the freaky robot girl going crazy.
Above all of these issues, the horror aspect is fairly non-existent. This is not an easy recommend for people who value kill count and gore. M3gan was severely cut down to hit the PG-13 rating. Much like The Invitation, M3gan suffers for this. M3gan Unrated Edition does help a little in this department. The added gore and brutality helps but accounts for less than a minute of content. It’s really not quite enough to overcome the lack of violence fans might expect. As it stands, this is a movie with few scares but enough action to stay interesting.
Should You Watch M3gan?
M3gan is a fun science fiction horror movie that doesn’t demand too much from viewers and is definitely worth a watch. Marketed and presented as something of an introduction to horror for teens. It has a serious focus on comedy and performs with its tongue firmly in its cheek. This campy 80’s style horror feels surprisingly fresh in 2023. It’s nice to have a character that’s simply menacing; the movie is easy to watch and will garner a few laughs. M3gan is a fun villain and the movie represents a great attempt at Child’s Play for the Zoomer generation.
