Mercy — A High‑Tech Pressure Cooker With Chris Pratt Holding Court
Mercy – Movie Review
Rated: PG-13
Directed by: Timur Bekmambetov
Written by: Marco van Belle
Produced by: Charles Roven, p.g.a., Robert Amidon p.g.a., Timur Bekmambetov, p.g.a., Majd Nassif, p.g.a
Executive Producers: Mark Moran, Todd Williams
Cast: Chris Pratt, Rebecca Ferguson, Kali Reis, Annabelle Wallis, Chris Sullivan, Kylie Rogers
Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Suspense, Drama
In the near future, a detective (Chris Pratt) stands on trial accused of murdering his wife. He has 90 minutes to prove his innocence to the advanced A.I. Judge (Rebecca Ferguson) he once championed, before it determines his fate.
Mercy – Movie Review
The theater for this screener was packed, press rows filled, and the energy in the room made one thing clear: Chris Pratt hasn’t lost an ounce of his draw. Watching this in IMAX was a treat, and from the very first moment the film wastes no time putting detective Chris Raven, played by Pratt, directly in the hot seat—literally. He’s strapped into a possible execution chair, facing judgment from an A.I. system he helped create. As the premise unfolded and Pratt remained locked in place, I couldn’t help but think of Denzel Washington in The Bone Collector, commanding the entire film from a bed. Denzel is in a league of his own, but Pratt deserves real credit here. Spending nearly the entire movie seated and still holding the audience’s attention is not easy, yet he manages to keep the room locked in.
We learn quickly why Raven is on trial. He’s being tried for the murder of his wife. He’s up against an A.I. judge, jury, and executioner with ninety minutes to prove his innocence before the system’s guilty‑probability rating crosses the fatal threshold. The program—designed to be factual, emotionless, and free of bias—was originally created by Raven to clean up a crime‑ridden Los Angeles. Now he’s trapped inside the very machine he built. It’s a fascinating setup, especially in a time when A.I. is rapidly evolving. Think Judge Dredd, but stripped down to a cold, clinical justice algorithm. Pratt shifts convincingly between grieving husband and detective fighting for his life, and the audience felt that progression right along with him.
Rebecca Ferguson, portraying the A.I. presence overseeing the trial, has a deceptively difficult task. She spends most of the film delivering lines without emotion, expression, or physicality, yet she still manages to make the character unsettling and compelling. Matching Pratt’s intensity while remaining completely still is no small feat, and she pulls it off beautifully.
The supporting cast adds real texture. Kali Reis, as Raven’s partner Jaqueline, brings emotional grounding and a sense of loyalty that makes every one of her scenes feel like a lifeline. Chris Sullivan, playing Raven’s friend Rob Nelson, continues to prove he can inhabit any character with ease. He has that rare ability to feel instantly familiar, like someone you’ve known your whole life. His performance is subtle, strong, and perfectly suited for the role.
Throughout the film, the countdown clock becomes its own source of tension. I found myself checking the time right along with Raven, hoping he wasn’t running out of seconds. The action sequences aren’t groundbreaking, but they’re well‑executed and keep the pacing sharp enough to satisfy anyone craving movement. In fact, the entire film has a rhythm that feels intentional—fast, shifting, and constantly evolving without ever becoming confusing. Timur Bekmambetov’s (Director) direction keeps everything flowing with a clear sense of cause and effect, never forcing the pace and never letting it drag.
One can imagine this as a high‑tech Batman detective story—Bruce Wayne trapped in a chair, forced to solve his own case with nothing but intellect and surveillance feeds. The comparison fits surprisingly well.
At a runtime of 1 hour and 47 minutes, the film never overstays its welcome. A few twists are predictable, but they still land, and the overall experience stays engaging from start to finish. Beyond the entertainment, the movie leaves you with a real question to chew on: would an A.I. justice system be more fair than a jury of twelve humans with biases and emotions? Is pure data more trustworthy than people? Or is removing humanity from justice the most dangerous idea of all? It’s a debate worth having.
Mercy is a roller‑coaster thriller that keeps you locked in, delivers on its concept, and never stops being fun.
-Jay Katz