M3GAN 2.0 review: There's plenty of violence and hilarious horror in this fun and ferocious sequel

The Sun

4 hours ago

M3GAN 2.0
★★★★☆
IF you watched the first instalment from deranged doll M3GAN, you won't be surprised that the killing machine – who was meant to be out of the toy box for ever – has found a way to return.
Following the success of its highly entertaining predecessor in 2022, we now meet a new android who is older, sleeker and a lot more terrifying.
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Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno) was built from blueprints stolen from Gemma (Allison Williams), who invented the original M3GAN to be a companion to her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw).
Amelia is far more dangerous than the defunct M3GAN though — she's an unbeatable AI weapon created by the military to destroy the enemy. But guess what? Yup, you got it — she quickly breaks ranks and gets a mind that they can no longer control.
And what a bloodthirsty mind it is.
Meanwhile, Cady is still mourning the loss of her robotic pal who went above and beyond to 'protect' her.
So when Amelia starts on the warpath, destroying everything in her way, Gemma reluctantly brings back M3GAN (Amie Donald and Jenna Davis) to try to take her down. The psycho dancing doll has now turned into a bit of a goody compared to the very bad baddy.
There's a chunk of narrative about the threats of artificial intelligence to the human race, lobbying for safer rules around technology.
But back to the doll-on-doll fighting — there's plenty of violence and also hilarious horror.
A laugh-out-loud performance by Jemaine Clement, as tech billionaire Alton, sets a great tone for the comedic pace of this fun and ferocious film.
WATCH The Official Trailer For M3GAN
Created by Gerard Johnstone and Akela Cooper, it's witty and sassy, while taking itself even less seriously than the first movie.
It has a decent amount of sinister charm and the supporting cast is solid, with a well-scripted unlikable boyfriend of Gemma's played by Aristotle Athari.
It's also completely bonkers but entertaining — if 20 minutes too long, especially when the direction it's heading is clear.
Overall, this is a solid sequel that fans of the first film can't help but find a fun ride.
And, it seems that there's still plenty more left to play with here.
F1: THE MOVIE
(12A) 155mins
★★★★☆
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THIS is a film that knows exactly what it wants to be: big, glossy fun with just enough drama and romance to give it some emotional grip.
Brad Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, a grizzled ex-racer pulled back into the world of Formula One for one last shot at legacy and redemption.
Pitt is effortlessly charismatic and grounded and is matched by London-born rising star Damson Idris, who brings swagger and depth as Joshua Pearce (JP), the hotshot newcomer forced to team up – and compete – with Hayes. Their chemistry crackles as it blends tension, humour and heart.
The racing sequences are spectacular – shot with clarity, precision and an astonishing sense of speed. Hans Zimmer's thundering score then adds even more drama.
Yes, the script leans heavily into sports movie tropes, with melodramatic twists and the occasional cheesy one-liner, but it's all delivered with such style you won't mind.
F1 is fast, flashy, and totally self-aware. And for a summer movie? That's more than enough.
★★★☆☆
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THIS small but perfectly formed crime comedy set in the Fens of eastern England keeps things simple and silly while focusing on clueless small-town crooks and a drug deal that happens by mistake.
Written and directed by Richard Bracewell, it centres on Jayce (a standout Ethaniel Davy), freshly out of a young offenders' institution after taking the fall for a crime his best mate Lee (Ramy Ben Fredj) committed.
Jayce wants answers, but what follows is less about revenge and more about muddling through a tangle of petty crime, family dysfunction and the burgeoning of an unexpected friendship.
The plot doesn't aim for complexity and some narrative threads are wafer thin, but Chicken Town finds strength in its unfussy look and cast. Ben Fredj is hilariously daft as Lee, the dim-witted heir to a battery-chicken empire.
Amelie Davies and Graham Fellows bring energy and charm as Paula and Kev. The comedy is light and surprisingly warm, and the criminals are more silly than scary – and it works. Sweet – and genuinely fun in places.