@northcoast said:

In closing, M3GAN was more of a popcorn "Saturday afternoon" entertainment than anything else; on that front, it might succeed, but it is nothing more. A wasted opportunity, in my opinion.

It is a SF horror popcorn movie with a PG-13 rating and achieved its goal of trending in the social media with the viral 'M3GAN memes'.

As you've mentioned, M3GAN is not a cursed or possessed doll, but a doll with AI: an android, or in this case a gynoid. Nothing new either. There are movies and television shows about androids and this time it's more horror than science fiction.

What can you learn from it? Here is an explanation:

The Real Meaning Of M3GAN’s Ending

M3GAN is a thorough examination on the dangers of AI technology and how too much of an attachment to technology — phones, tablets, computers — can be detrimental to one’s growth. Crucially, the horror film suggests that there is no replacement for human connection, especially one between a parent figure and a child. M3GAN helped Cady through her grieving process, but the AI was merely distracting her from feeling all the complicated emotions that came with grief. M3GAN was ultimately hindering Cady’s growth, and attempting to replace human connection with technology wasn’t healthy.

M3GAN provides commentary on the state of technological advancements and society’s overreliance on them. The horror film argues that too much screen time and the increasing dependence on technology, including phones and virtual assistants, leads to a sense of detachment from reality itself. M3GAN points to the importance of people maintaining an emotional connection and how it can never be replaced, regardless of how advanced AI can get. M3GAN also showcases the grieving process and how it can be different for everyone, but that the attachment to an inanimate object or person as a way to avoid certain feelings or replace a parent figure isn’t a good thing, though it does happen.

For the general audience this might be a little too deep. They just want to see a fun horror movie and do the memes.

... How soon will M3gan become reality? Robot ethicists weigh in

... A clinical psychologist says 'M3gan' is a 'cautionary tale' of how susceptible children are to forming unhealthy attachments to their screens

Check out this nifty short from a few years back. Make sure you don't look at the comments first because of spoilers. https://youtu.be/BSYAPKgcgj0

Thank you for sharing the video, znexyish.

I seriously think there was more thought put into that little short-- with some great acting --than there was in the feature-length M3GAN movie.