MEGAN 2.0 (2025)

 

Written & Directed By: Gerard Johnstone 

Story By: Gerard Johnstone And Akela Cooper

Based in characters created by: Akela Copper and James Wan

Cinematography: Toby Oliver 

Editor: Jeff McEvoy 

Cast: Alison Williams, Violet McGraw, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Ivana Sakhno, Aristotle Athari, Jemaine Clement, Timm Sharp 

Two years after M3GAN’s rampage, her creator, Gemma, resorts to resurrecting her infamous creation in order to take down Amelia, the military-grade weapon who was built by a defense contractor who stole M3GAN’s underlying tech.

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The first film was more of a campy guilty pleasure so I have no idea why they decided to make this film more of a sci-fi action movie. The least they could’ve done was if it was going to be action make the death or kill scenes maybe be a bit more horrific and violent. 

Watching this film, it’s a pale comparison as they do hear what most equals do it’s bigger. You can definitely tell that there was more money spent that has more of an epic vision but even the camping seems preplanned rather than just coming out of nowhere even worse they don’t even have Megan do her dance. It plays during the credits, but you can tell it’s not like she develops a new dance or even come up with a reason for it.

One of the first things you notice watching the film is Is there enough foreshadowing here? (said ironically) then One can’t decide if this movie is too long as it feels like an epic or if it’s Long enough, you just feel the length. Because it doesn’t fill it effecintely enough.

The film plays the middle field where it feels like an R Rated film but seems to stay in the vicinity of PG-13.

The film stays very convaluted where you wonder sometimes where is this going and does it have to be this complicated, but then again when the threat goes from more personal and domestic to almost worldwide. It can’t be too simple. While the film’s tries to offer the audience more comedy and thrills mixed together then the original. That is what the film’s weakness seems to be. In that it tries fan service and abandons its roots. Rather then staying true to itself and building to bigger badder type of thriller with a higher body count of characters you care about.

Just as it seems the returning supporting characters one gets more sceeen time while the other gets around the same as the first one and whose fate ends up questionable by the end of the movie. As it never makes clear or brings back the character. Making them ultimately disposable. It feels like the film isnsay oman you should be thankful to be here. 

One of the reasons why it might not be as strong. Is that the original screenwriter didn’t write this film. Akela cooper helped with the story but left the major scripting to the franchise’s director. Who didn’t write the first film? 

I was going to do a video about why Megan 2.0 bombed but producer Jason, Bloom of Bloom house pretty much hit the nail right on the head when he said no this isn’t a quote but pretty much the information was they put too much faith into the character and the characters following so that they thought they could do anything they wanted to do with the character and the audience would follow up And it ended up being a case of putting too much on the shoulders of the this little film

Which was originally just a surprise and understandable why they would wanna make a sequel but one of the points I was going to make you wanna put it in the summer when it was a hit in January which usually means there was nothing better out and this was the best that was around And did was hit a power hit like it did, but I think that was because it came out of nowhere and it surprisingly campy and fun for what was supposed to be a horror film

Even though it was more lightweight but requirements of fitting even when I watched it and I liked it, I thought it was lightweight. It could’ve been. I don’t know if it took off, particularly with younger audiences to for that PG-13 rating to really make a difference, but the unrated version which is basically added blood in a little bit more violence Seem to be release the audience

Now the film was successful and had a following yet it seems like they made it into more of an action comedy. The film is a little bit more in the still keeping that camp looking like a blatant copy of terminator too and it way. 

The magic of the original was that this campiness came out of nowhere and what was supposed to be atmosphere at that and for people who didn’t regularly go see her it was perfect because it was her almost like a Mocktail has no liquor, but the delicious taste of cocktail. They’re having fun with necessarily being on all the time, especially if it didn’t start so that was another factor of why the film bombed. 

Also it proves that MEGAN, the movie was more of like a phenomenon. It wasn’t necessarily a cult and it wasn’t popular enough or that the following people were demanding I’m wondering how this does for the Megan spin off they had planned or if that’s been canceled. 

Also didn’t know that This movie was coming out in the summer. where it’s going up against heavy hitters and the trailer didn’t make anybody wanna run to the theater so this is where the day and date or a movie and it being available pretty much like 4 to 6 weeks later actually hurts films like these because even if you are a fan of the first film and maybe had interest in seeing the sequel just wait and watch it on demand streaming as that is the quality and that this film looks like it’s not something you wanna rush out to go see it for movies and theaters like a movie you could wait for. I’m happy I saw on the big screen if I had a theater I definitely could’ve waited for just entertained 

The first one was a fluke that it was a hit in the first place and I can understand it got a small crowd behind it a fascination, so that you knew the sequel would eventually come out, but the man came out and then switching genres even Jason Blum agreed now was a bad idea.

If they were going to do that make sure you had a strong audience that would follow the franchise and characters wherever it went. As obviously the following wasn’t that strong and it even came out at the right time as far as how many years had passed but the wrong season. 

Which pretty much explains it all. 

Grade: C- 

TURISTAS (2006)

Directed By: John Stockwell
Written By: Michael Arlen Ross
Cinematography: Enrique Chediak 
Editor: Jeff McEvoy

Cast: Josh Duhamel, Melissa George, Olivia Wilde, Desmond Askew, Beau Garrett, Max Brown, Lucy Ramos, Andrea Leal, Diego Santiago, Agles Steib 

A group of young backpackers’ vacation turns sour when a bus accident leaves them marooned in a remote Brazilian rural area that holds an ominous secret.


This film is basically HOSTEL in Brazil. Even though the violence is brutal here it still doesn’t feel as bad, dark, or disgusting as HOSTEL does if only because this feels more like a big studio copy of it. As it seems more aimed at a worst-case scenario film, where privileged white young Americans are the victims. 

As this film has bigger names or at least more recognizable names and faces. It offers up just as much nudity also. As the film has a libidinous sexual vibe that disappears as soon as the carnage starts. It still feels a bit explosive but from a big studio 

Whereas in HOSTEL, the company is more sophisticated, it seems day by night and messy. Essentially this film is a traveler’s worst nightmare come to life. One of those urban legends you always hear about. Being seduced and then waking up and your body parts missing. As it begins everything seems magical, beautiful, and fun, and then it’s Like the characters wake up to a bad hangover and it is all a nightmare. 

For all this paradise’s Natural wonders there is a price to be paid. Whereas most of the characters/victims are caucasian tourists. Who you do feel sorry for, but also come off as annoying ugly Americans and foreigners at times. So while they don’t deserve what they get you do feel they should have some comeuppance. At least they aren’t treated like saints even though the stars Josh Duhamel and Olivia Wilde come off as the nicest and most decent.

This was Duhmel’s first starring role based on his shoulders. Though in the advertising he is really downplayed. 

The villain being caucasian also helps show that he is racist and also that he treats all the dark-skinned people who work for him horribly and like slaves. Even as he tries to make them feel like they are in a partnership.

Even though generally as is life the islanders are being taken advantage of by the tourists and the evil surgeon. But that is their way of making a living also is to entertain them to a degree. Which is the true horror. 

The film is entertaining but instantly forgettable. The island paradise and cast are nice to look at but that is about it as the rest of the film is fairly predictable. 

The only general shock to be had is how violent it gets for a mass audience studio film. Though at least It’s not gratuitous though it does feel liek it is trying hard to have an edge 

Grade: C