Ever since there have been electronics, they have been put into service as babysitters.

From the boob tube, to educational programs on the laptop, to videos and apps on iPads, giving kids screen time means parents get a short break from providing constant entertainment and attention to their offspring. That’s the theme behind M3GAN, in theaters this weekend, which takes a hilarious – and scary – poke at moms and dads who offload their parental duties to computers.

M3GAN is a literal robotic babysitter, created by genius programmer Gemma, played by Allison Williams (Get Out), for her bereaved niece Cady (Violet McGraw). After Cady’s parents, Gemma’s sister and brother-in-law, are killed in a freak accident, Gemma assumes custody of the little girl, but parenting is not something she knows how to (or even wants) to do. She does excel at creating AI, though, so she adapts her current project, a lifelike artificially intelligent doll, to help Cady with her grief.

M3GAN stands for Model 3 Generative Android, and looks like a doll, the size of a little girl but with enough emotional intelligence to serve as a friend or even parental figure. Gemma’s boss David (Ronny Chieng) orginally wanted nothing to do with the project, but Gemma stages a demonstration where M3GAN successfully soothes a distraught Cady, and David can see the dollar signs on the wall.

David wants to launch M3GAN immediately, but Gemma wants do more tests. She brings M3GAN home and gives her one instruction: keep Cady safe no matter what…and she does. Whenever Cady is troubled – by an obnoxious classmate, a mean neighbor dog, or even Gemma’s own attempts at making Cady follow the rules, M3GAN defends her – with extreme prejudice if need be.

M3GAN was directed by Gerard Johnstone and scripted by Akela Cooper (Malignant, The Nun 2) from a story she wrote with James Wan (Saw, Insidious). The film strikes a perfect balance of suspense and violence, social commentary and non-stop laughs.

Williams and McGraw are very good in this, but the real star of the movie is the robot with the Olsen twin appearance and Audrey Hepburn-esque wardrobe. M3GAN the doll, who has the voice of Disney Channel actress Jenna Davis, is actually portrayed under lifelike prosthetics by Amie Donald, a young dancer from New Zealand. M3GAN is right at home in the uncanny valley, but with a wry sense of humor and timing that puts her in the same league as Chucky. She’s much scarier than he is, though.

M3GAN is best seen in a crowded theater, but shouldn’t be missed.