Move Over, Chucky– Here Comes “M3GAN”

It’s all in the face.

Or, when it comes to the robotic doll at the heart of “M3GAN,” the face integrated with our growing anxiousness with Expert system.

The thriller baby cribs from both “Child’s Play” and “Terminator” for fresh chills and, yes, some laughs. Do not look now, however we might be at the dawn of yet another scary franchise.

Allison Williams plays Gemma, a robotics engineer on the cusp of an advancement. Her model doll, called M3GAN, might change the toy market. Just her callous manager (a one-note however reliable Ronny Chieng) will not offer her the opportunity.

So she makes the task individual.

Gemma presents M3GAN to her embraced child Cady (Violet McGraw), who lost her moms and dads in the movie’s beginning. Gemma believes a robotic pal might assist Cady process her massive sorrow and, naturally, show it’s the next Teddy Ruxpin … on steroids.

Just M3GAN shows too excellent to be real.

The kid and robotic bond, however along the method we understand M3GAN’s determination to safeguard Cady at all expenses includes a body count.

“M3GAN” owes plenty to the titular robotic, a weird ‘bot that touches on our primal fear of toys springing to life. Think “Child’ s Play,” “Magic,” “Poltergeist” and other reliable surprises.

This threat is various, though.

We now count on Alexa to turn our home lights on and test Siri on the current headings. A.I. could make artists obsolete, and who understands what developments will get here in the coming years?

“M3GAN” unnerves us prior to opening her mouth.

When she does, however, and it’s clear her A.I. roots have ominous intents, the movie shakes past its drowsy very first act.

Even much better?

Director Gerard Johnstone (the outstanding “Housebound“) understands the product requires a periodic light touch. Black humor leavens more than a couple of scenes, and it’s managed with unexpected skill.

Williams uses a strong anchor for product that, by style, should go off the rails in the ending. Her efforts at parenting aren’t best, another deft touch in a category movie that does not require that level of devotion.

The movie’s capability to check out sorrow, and synthetic ways of dealing with it, is another reward.

The rest falls on M3GAN, an accomplishment of style and execution. She’s unusually stunning like a lot of dolls, however there’s something adult in her attitude that includes a wintry layer of issue.

What has Gemma let loose?

The movie covers in a crush of bloodshed and action, however it’s provided with a populist shock sure to awaken audiences. Disallowing a ticket office disaster, this isn’t the last time M3GAN will grace motion picture screens.

HiT or Miss: “M3GAN” is a wise, strongly wicked tale of our easy to understand worry of A.I., provided with a Kewpie Doll’s smile.