Sci-fi trial thriller ‘Mercy’ offers none of it to helplessly bombarded viewers

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The new action thriller, “Mercy,” heavily promotes its Imax filming, but this feels pointless since the movie mostly shows a dark, close-up view of Chris Pratt tied to a chair. The film blends elements of “Judge Dredd” and “Searching,” and follows a Los Angeles detective (Pratt) who must clear his name in a murder case. He has only 90 minutes to do so, facing trial by an AI system called Mercy, overseen by Judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson).

Directed by Timur Bekmambetov and written by Marco van Belle, “Mercy” is a surprisingly traditional film. It supports both the police and the use of artificial intelligence. The movie portrays a city quickly becoming heavily monitored and controlled like a military zone, where robots act as the entire legal system – deciding guilt and carrying out punishments. However, the film suggests this approach has reduced crime, at least within a specific, troubled area of the city – the Hollywood “Red Zone.”

Detective Chris Raven, a pioneer in using the Mercy system for criminal investigations, finds himself accused of murdering his wife. He’s discovered unconscious at a bar and immediately entered into the Mercy system, where he has 90 minutes to prove his innocence. If he fails to reduce his guilt score below 92%, he faces execution. Raven has access to all available surveillance – police footage, doorbell cameras, and social media – and can reach out to allies like his partner Jaq, his daughter Britt, and his sponsor Rob, hoping they can help him solve the case and clear his name.

The filmmakers clearly aimed for a more cinematic look, because simply watching Pratt and Ferguson talk separately, even in IMAX, isn’t very engaging. Director Bekmambetov, the cinematographer, and a team of editors combined shaky footage and the hands-free interface to create a visually chaotic style—like rapidly browsing the internet—that can be quite unsettling. It’s best not to sit too close; the fast cuts between bodycam and phone footage on a large screen can easily cause a headache. (Though, you could also describe it as visually intense.)

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The movie, clocking in at just over 90 minutes, reaches its climax when our resourceful detective – who’s been using both his instincts and some unsettling AI technology – is finally freed. The story then shifts into an all-out assault on the corporation known as Mercy. The final scenes, filmed on location in downtown Los Angeles and captured with bodycam and drone footage, are visually impressive. However, they aren’t enough to overcome the film’s overall drab and unpleasant visual style.

I just finished watching “Mercy,” and its central argument really stuck with me: it’s not about the AI itself, but the people using it that truly matter. The film points out we’re all flawed, and that gut instinct – something a robot can’t replicate – is crucial. It unfolds like a modern fable, following a cop and an AI as they investigate a mystery, and ultimately feels like a disturbing endorsement of increased surveillance. Honestly, the idea of giving law enforcement this kind of power felt far more unsettling than any of the shaky camera work or the mystery itself.

It’s concerning how much energy these AI experiments are likely using. The show focuses on minor issues like drug dealers, but it ignores bigger problems. For example, a city relying on AI would need massive amounts of power and water for the data centers running it – how could Los Angeles even supply enough water? These more important questions aren’t addressed in “Mercy.”

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2026-01-24 01:31