New to Theaters: “M3GAN”

Roboticist Gemma is a master at her technical craft, but the workaholic boasts little understanding outside her day-to-day job responsibilities as a toy creator. When Gemma becomes the guardian of her deceased sister’s child Cady, she introduces her long-developing passion project, M3GAN, to help take on a parental role. The life-like doll becomes a devoted friend to Cady, but the uncontrollable technology eventually unveils a sinister side in “M3GAN.”

In the same vein as the Child’s Play series, “M3GAN” turns the family-friendly image of zeitgeist toys on their head in a devilish horror-comedy. The timeless approach from director Gerard Johnstone and screenwriter Akela Cooper scores dazzling results with “M3GAN” – a razor-sharp satire shrouded in unnerving horrors and a ferocious comedic bite.

There’s a reason “M3GAN” cultivated social media phenomenon status before even hitting theaters. The eerie character draws a transfixing presence on screen, coming to life as a distorted representation of a prim and proper adolescent girl. While serving as a loyal companion to Cady, M3GAN gradually sheds her pleasant image as she unveils a sardonic darkness in her binary worldview. Actress Amie Donald and voice-over performer Jenna Davis form a cohesive team in portraying the character’s vicious edge – fearlessly sinking their teeth into the material’s horror-comedy bend. The expressive performances pair well with Cooper’s acidic dialogue exchanges, helping to form a fearsome horror foe who can’t help but compel viewers.

Cooper displays vivacious bite throughout her screenplay. “M3GAN” deftly defines itself through modern society’s growing dependence on smart devices, framing its observations specifically within technology’s expansive role as a consuming fixture for children. As M3GAN takes on emotional caregiver responsibilities, Cooper cleverly paints a pointed satire on the thoughtless trust we impart in technology despite its artificial condition and undeniable ties to corporate interests. Her articulate insights and spirited jabs at our tech-reliant society extenuate the film’s strengths as a horror film defined by timely sentiments.

The endearing campiness of “M3GAN” is thankfully balanced by its well-defined characterization. Despite being family members, Gemma and Cady share a relationship marred by mutual detachment. Cooper never oversells their makeshift family dynamic through sentimental flourishes, with the inclusion of M3GAN ultimately creating an alienating wedge between the already-fractured pair. Stars Allison Williams and Violet McGraw deliver textured performances as they explore the characters’ complex relationship onscreen. Even if the film eventually settles for straightforward conclusions, both performers form a necessary dramatic core that grounds the chaos at hand.

Director Gerard Johnstone’s skilled touch behind the camera also serves as a crucial driving force. He adeptly balances a tone divided between moments of sinister horror and comedic mayhem, walking a rigid tonal high-wire act while never missing a beat in the process. The only letdown in “M3GAN” comes from the film’s embrace of a somewhat sanitized PG-13 rating, which mitigates some of the believable menace behind M3GAN’s violent murder streak. Still, I give Johnstone credit for making the most out of the stylistic restrictions. He often conveys a palpable sense of unease as the android character quietly lurks amidst the shadows.

When operating at its creative apex, “M3GAN” delivers a roaring crowd pleaser in the horror-comedy space. The film extracts a killer good time from its vibrant approach to a time-honored concept.

Also in Theaters: “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”

Famed pop star Whitney Houston receives the Hollywood biopic treatment in “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.” It’s no secret that biopics are well entrenched within the Hollywood zeitgeist, often serving as a familiar staple during award season and as a welcomed pulse of activity for adult-driven dramas on the big screen.

Through the genre’s increased popularization, biopics now feature far more complicated connotations. For every worthwhile feature that critically and artistically examines their real-life subject (“Steve Jobs,” “Straight Outta Compton” and “Elvis”), there are several slapped-together copycats that only exist to profit off the legacy of a renowned figure (“All Eyez on Me” and “Jersey Boys”).
Unfortunately, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” spirals down the latter trend. This story of an effervescent pop star’s rise and fall through fame is reduced to a vapid Wikipedia entry devoid of meaning and perspective.

The cynical studio shallowness is apparent from the film’s onset. Oscar-nominated screenwriter Anthony McCarten has enjoyed a prosperous career as a reliable purveyor of biopic narratives (“The Darkest Hour,” “Theory of Everything,” and “Bohemian Rhapsody”). However, the showering of award recognition and financial success cannot masquerade the inherent emptiness of his work.

Similar to his other Oscar-bait efforts, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” is as factory-assembled as a screenplay can get. The film reads as a formless series of bullet-point milestones that are cheaply tied together through various musical performances. McCarten’s slapdash focus rarely pays much attention to the intriguing wrinkles of Whitney Houston’s life, such as her fractured family or complex romantic relationships. Instead, the singer and her distinctive history are ensnared within a generic Hollywood rise-and-fall story that forgoes any meaningful introspection.

Director Kasi Lemmons’s efforts are similarly undernourished. The “Harriet” director occasionally displays her penchant for tender, character-driven moments, although her skillset is eventually lost in the shuffle amidst her favoring of studio-centric efficiency. Lemmons drives the scattershot narrative forward without being able to develop essential textures on screen, settling far too often on meaningless montages and showy set pieces. Even for a music biopic, the endless onslaught of concert scenes comes off as a crutch needed to stabilize a dilapidated narrative.

There is something inherently grotesque about lackadaisical biopics like “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.” The film would not exist without the approval from Houston’s estate but having to garner that support comes at the cost of artistic freedoms. So much of the final product here feels sanitized to support hidden agendas, whether it’s the shallow view of her toxic relationship with Bobby Brown or her ongoing struggles with drug usage. The blurred realities of the movie act as a perverse reframing of her identity and come off in genuinely poor taste. “I Wanna Dance with Somebody’s” failures are even more apparent when compared to the 2018 documentary “Whitney,” which displayed far more nuance in its authentic reflections on the singer’s soaring highs and sobering lows.

The great shame in “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” lies in the flickers of promise buried beneath its entirely bloated 144-minute runtime. Star Naomi Ackie goes beyond the typical physical transformation of biopic performances to extract an achingly genuine portrayal of Whitney Houston. She and co-stars Stanley Tucci as her caring agent and Nafessa Williams as her loyal confidant Robyn share a genuine rapport onscreen, yet none of the performances have room to breathe across an entirely rudimentary feature.

“I Wanna Dance with Somebody” showcases the worst contrivances of the biopic genre. It’s an impersonal slog that never comes close to conveying the depth of its fascinating subject.