So, I’m not really into Horror, per se. On the speculative fiction side of things, I’m much more of Science Fiction and Fantasy person. I dabble in the horror genre, but I don’t really delve super deeply into its offerings (at least not traditionally). I prefer the wonder and excitement of a well told science fiction or fantasy yarn, but don’t really enjoy the terror and dread that horror generally affords. However, I’m trying to expand beyond sf and fantasy, so I’ve been opening up myself to more horror works in the past couple of years. Megan is one of those movies that I thought I’d give a try.
Not Truly a Horror Movie
I think one of the things that I like the most about the movie is that it is not truly a “horror” movie, in the sense that it is not intended to terrify and be horrific all the way through. There is actually quite a bit of the movie that is build up and you can see where the escalation is occurring through bad choice after bad choice. Don’t get me wrong, the movie definitely lives up to its trailer and some truly horrific things do happen, especially if you watch the unrated version (essentially the “R” rated cut not shown in theaters which only got the PG-13 cut). However, the movie is a very clever examination of both grief, a child’s response to grief and loss, parenting, and the dangers of creating AI that borders on the edges of sentience. Yes, there are some horrific and scary elements, but it truly doesn’t all really get going until the third act of the movie.
Few Jump Scares
Okay, I’m going to go ahead and say it — I “hate” jump scares, which is probably a reason that I’m not as interested in horror as I am in SF and Fantasy. And to be clear, there are a couple of jump scares in the movie, but not nearly as many as there have been in more recent movies that I’ve had the misfortune to see. This one has a more of an “escalation” of horror as we watch an unintended “good” idea goes horribly off the rails. I think I enjoyed the movie as much as I did because I wasn’t just bracing for the next jump scare, but I could get really invested and involved in the movie. While I knew (from the trailer) that Megan wasn’t going to be the hero of the movie, she is so compelling as a character, I couldn’t help rooting for her and hoping that she wouldn’t go off the rails, even though I knew without a doubt (trailer) that that was going to be Megan’s ultimate fate. An extremely well done story and screenplay, but also well done acting on the part of ALL the performers including the actors (voice and physical) who embodied Megan.
AI — A Timely Look
I like that the movie integrated AI and the idea of grief and parenting into the mix. The AI component added a lot of wonder into the equation, while the examination of grief and what it means to be a parent added depth to the story and, in my mind, elevated the story far beyond just the ordinary. There were a couple of “bathroom” jokes early in the movie, but unlike my disdain for a movie like, Shaun of the Dead, the movie didn’t rely on them, but used them to put you inside the corporate world of children’s toys–in other words, the movie wasn’t trying to be gross, but to make a pointed commentary, and was smart enough to move on once the joke (point) was made. The inclusion of learning AI means that the movie could smartly ratchet up the tension under the guise of Megan’s “learning,” in some ways mimicking the “deviant” behavior of some of the generative AI in real life in the very early days of media coverage.
If you can’t tell, I liked this one VERY much! I thought that nearly element of the movie was well done — from the smart script, to the incredible acting (sometimes over the top, intentionally so), but by the heartfelt acting of the two leads, and then the two actors (physical and voice) who brought Megan to life. I thought that the commentary on grief and the taking on of parenting by someone suddenly thrust into the role was impressive and I loved this particular iteration of the “AI gone rogue” trope very much! Great movie — well worth my (limited) movie watching time).
Sidney
Sidney
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Thanks for this review. I honestly don’t like horror and mostly because of that jump reaction. But from your review I think I might like this one.
Sorry for the delay — WordPress didn’t notify me of your comment (I’ll need to check my settings).
Yes, I think this is a good movie for those who don’t line jump scares. There are a couple of them, but this one’s more about increasing the tension until everything goes off the rails. I MUCH prefer it when the filmmakers go this route.