Normally, a PG-13 horror flick likeM3GANwouldn’t draw that much attention in the first few weeks of the year, yet in 2023 this Blumhouse thriller has managed to capitalize on the growing impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in mainstream media to add something fresh to one of the most exhausted tropes in its genre.
After all, the concepts of AI gone rogue or a cursed toy for children are pretty commonplace in sci-fi andhorrorfilms, respectively, however,M3GANblends the two perfectly by not only posing questions that humans might have to ask themselves in the future, but rather challenging people’s relationship with technology in the present. In that sense, the story crafted by Akela Cooper and James Wan features just the right amount of humor, jump scares and emotional baggage to make it worth watching, even for non-horror fans.
Related:7 Horror Movies To Watch If You Loved M3GAN
What Makes AI Such a Fascinating Topic?
It bears saying that a film likeM3GANcan’t quite hit the heights of some of sci-fi’s greatest gems that have tackled the AI theme before, whether it’d be legendary movies like2001: A Space Odyssey,Blade RunnerandThe Matrix, popcorn blockbusters likeI, Robotor heartwrenching journeys likeHer’s, all these attempt to explore the matter with greater depth. Nevertheless, more than anything, whatM3GANhas going for it is timing as never before in history have those worlds felt so close to reality.
If back in2010, afterAvatarcame out, 3D was everywhere, and in 2021crypto-related buzzwords like NFTs and Metaversebecame a thing, 2022 put the spotlight on terms like machine learning and AI, which nowcome packaged in readily usable products like ChatGPT. Surely, for those keeping up with the latest tech news, none of this is a novelty, but for many others, the introduction of AI art to realize their ideas seems like a very attractive tool because it can be used by anyone, regardless of their technical ability.
In December 2022, Instagram and other social media platforms werebombarded by the AI photo trend, a harmless and effective way of communicating to the masses that at these levels, AI is ready to be deployed for seemingly harmless fun, exactly what M3GANis supposed to be. On the other hand, while it’s easy to imagine advancements in AI doing away with many jobs, one of the long-feared consequences of these innovations,M3GANinvites viewers to take a good hard look at an even darker side.
M3GANimagines how we humans can become so enamored by tech to the point it makes us abandon each other, even children, and the fact that the movie kicks off with Cady having limited screen time is the perfect contrast to the scary tale that’s about to unfold. Any movie that tackles AI’s threats has to frame that danger within a particular narrative, and it turns outM3GANgoes after those who are most vulnerable.
AI And Human Emotion
It’s quite the blow forM3GAN’spremise to turn Cady into an orphan from the get-go, yet it’s that very twist that sets the stage for the effectiveness of the film as a whole, and its level of self-awareness. Allison Williams’ Gemma is a brilliant engineer, though that doesn’t mean she had the knack for marketing and business her boss David has in the movie, who knows fully well that truly revolutionary products need great stories behind them.
Among the many questionable decisions M3GAN’s grown ups make is putting Cady on the forefront of the toy’s promotional efforts, a soulless corporate move against a child that’s clearly in pain, but one guaranteed to make the product’s impact much bigger. Cady is vulnerable, she’s hurting that’s what makes her even more prone to become dependent and obsessed with M3GAN; and, whereas her aunt’s lack of tools to deal with a young girl in need is what causes her to neglect her new responsibilities, M3GAN is to blame for Gemma not even trying.
Even if not on the scale ofEx Machinaor Steven Spielberg’sA.I. Artificial Intelligence,M3GAN’sless ambitious world ensures the distancebetween the film’s scenarios and modern-day parenting is much closer than many of us would feel comfortable with, it’s easy for the movie to make oneself question how much contact should kids have with what’s proven to be very addictive technology.
Make no mistake, the performance put in by the young Violet McGraw is fantastic, it’s her that makes Cady’s pain so believable, but it’s how relatable M3GAN’s control over Gemma and Cady’s life becomes that makes the movie a winner because no matter how creepy they are,ChuckyandAnnabelleare not as real.
M3GAN’sopen endingsuggests there will be a sequel, especially given the film’s success, though reviving the same magic won’t be as easy given AI is still supposed to be under human control.
By the time that sequel comes, the world will have a better idea of what mankind’s relationship with AI looks like or where it’s headed, for now,M3GANis the perfect lessonfor exactly what kind of products shouldn’t get the green light. Sentient AI might never become real, butM3GANis the right movie tosend people down the AI rabbit holeto see how quickly machine learning is moving.
