Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Starring: Chris Pratt, Rebecca Ferguson, Kali Reis, Annabelle Wallis, Chris Sullivan, Kylie Rogers
Run Time: 100 minutes
Mercy, the new film from director Timur Bekmambetov, dives quickly into a futuristic thriller that features Artificial Intelligence as a primary character. In this modern-designed, dystopian future, AI isn't just a tool; it’s a cold, calculating court system that leverages the full connectivity of modern technology to solve and prosecute crimes. In some ways, Mercy feels inspired by Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report, drawing heavily on the crime-prediction trope and touches of future technology, like flying cars, in a mostly contemporary setting. However, where Spielberg’s exceptional film grappled with the morality of free will, Mercy never quite finds that deeper connective tissue to how our world interacts with AI today; instead, it relies on a clumsy detective story and an overabundance of images that float, fly, and scroll chaotically through the frame.
The film follows Detective Chris Raven (Chris Pratt), a champion of the new Artificial Intelligence "Mercy Court" system that is helping to decrease crime in dystopian Los Angeles. The story begins with Raven waking up to find he has been accused of the brutal murder of his wife, Nicole (Annabelle Wallis). He is strapped into an execution chair and given exactly 90 minutes to prove his innocence to Judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson), an emotionless AI entity. Using the city’s technology resources, which include a vast network of surveillance and private data from cell phones, Raven must navigate his own muddled memories and digital footprint to prove his innocence before the countdown concludes with his execution.
Mercy quickly establishes a thrilling atmosphere, plunging the audience into the tension of a futuristic thriller with very little exposition, an effort that helps anchor the crime-solving story at the film's center. The introduction spends its time wisely, getting us familiar with Chris Pratt’s detective character as he is forced to defend himself against a system he once believed in. The centerpiece of the film’s story is the computer-generated Mercy Court system, an AI entity played by Rebecca Ferguson, who is doing more than you’d expect for a cold, zero-personality character like Judge Maddox.
The film quickly runs out of twists as the clock ticks down. The central murder mystery is never particularly complicated, which makes the 90-minute real-time format feel stretched. To bridge the gap, the final act pivots to an outlandish motive that derails the film's pacing. This shift forces action scenes that feel inconsistent with the rest of the movie's established style and tone, moving from a tense procedural to a generic spectacle. Bekmambetov’s use of handheld cameras and multiple screen editing results in pictures that move at a very high speed. The film gives you a lot to look at, but the constant high-motion flickers and rapid zooms can be a literal headache.
Mercy is a high-concept idea that lacks the right story choices and stylistic depth to elevate it. It begins as a gripping exploration of technological overreach but ultimately devolves into a simplistic murder drama that unfolds without much surprise.
Monte’s Rating
2.00 out of 5.00
