Chris Pratt’s “baffling” and “dumb” sci-fi thriller Mercy lands brutal Rotten Tomatoes rating

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The sci-fi thriller Mercy hits theaters tomorrow, and early reviews suggest the title fits the suspenseful story. Chris Pratt stars as a detective accused of his wife’s murder, and he has to convince an artificial intelligence judge (Rebecca Ferguson) of his innocence.

The new movie Mercy is currently receiving very negative reviews, with a 18% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 44 reviews released yesterday. While this score could change as more reviews come in over the next couple of days, it’s off to a rough start.

Here’s a collection of early reviews so you can decide if you’d like to see Mercy in theaters this weekend.

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The Independent

This film borrows heavily from the dark, futuristic style of classic police dystopia movies like Minority Report, RoboCop, and Blade Runner, but strangely presents these terrifying ideas as if they’re perfectly acceptable.

IGN

Mercy is a frustrating sci-fi thriller that wastes a good idea. The film, which largely takes place on screens, traps Chris Pratt (and the audience) in a tense situation, but ultimately fails to deliver on its promise of exploring the risks of combining the legal system with artificial intelligence.

HeyUGuys

Mercy isn’t terrible, but it’s remarkably shallow. It tries to look like a great science fiction movie, but it misses what makes the genre truly special.

The Guardian

The film is clever and entertaining, with some fun surprises. However, the climax, which becomes very over-the-top and action-packed, might push things a little too far into silliness.

Variety

Okay, so when I first heard about Mercy, it sounded like one of those old-school action movies Arnold Schwarzenegger used to be in – you know, the kind where they’re fighting against a super-powerful, tech-gone-wrong government. Honestly, I thought it would be pretty basic. But it actually surprised me – it’s way better than I expected, a couple of levels up from what I initially figured.

The Daily Beast

“Designed in every way to make one bleary eyed, it’s the new year’s dreariest, and goofiest, film.”

IndieWire

The entire production felt unfinished, like a rough first attempt. The acting lacked energy, and while the crew did adequate work, it wasn’t particularly impressive, giving the impression everyone just wanted to finish and move on to the next project.

Mercy is released in cinemas on 23 January.

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2026-01-22 14:49