“Mercy”
Genre: Sci-fi/Thriller
Rated: (R)
Released: January 23, 2026
Running Time: 1hr 41 minutes
Trigger Warning: Intense violence, graphic content, and Language
Rating: 4/10
Over the course of the past three years, artificial intelligence (AI) has taken the world by storm. At the same time, concerns about the potential dangers of AI have been a major discussion. Director Timur Bekmambetov gives his unique interpretation of what those dangers could be with his most recent film “Mercy.”
Here, the rules of the court are reversed. Instead of innocent until proven guilty, suspects are guilty until proven innocent. Defendants have only a short ninety minutes to prove innocence. If defendants fail to prove their innocence, they are immediately given the death penalty.
The movie follows an LAPD detective named Chris Raven (Chris Pratt), who initially was an advocate for the mercy of the capital court system. Despite this, he finds himself on trial for being a potential suspect for the murder of his wife. The AI judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson) has gathered evidence that makes Raven a primary suspect.
In the short 90 minutes that Raven has, he must prove his innocence by using AI tools to his advantage, as well as finding the person who murdered his wife.
The film has a unique idea at its core, with an AI courtroom being the focus. Bekmambetov brings up many interesting questions regarding the use of AI. Such as what could happen if AI takes over professions such as law enforcement.
Pratt and Ferguson both give strong performances with the material they are given. However, more than 90% of the film’s shots are presented as video and surveillance footage. This is due to the AI judge Maddox loading up evidence of framing Raven as guilty. This style of filming was one of the film’s biggest drawbacks, as many viewers may find it slow and boring. Some may describe the entire film as “Chris Pratt in a chair,” a premise that becomes tedious quickly.
The film also states that both AI and humans are not perfect and are capable of making mistakes. The issue that many viewers have with that statement is the film’s unclear stance. Viewers may be divided over the film’s message, unsure whether it is pro-AI or anti-AI. Given ongoing concerns about the dangers of artificial intelligence, “Mercy” fails to take a clear stance on the issue. Despite its original premise, the film ultimately falls short of its potential as a compelling thriller. Viewers are divided over the film’s message, unsure whether it is pro-AI or anti-AI. Given ongoing concerns of how dangerous AI can be.
Despite the many interesting ideas presented in it, the execution of “Mercy” can leave viewers bored and confused due to the shots being presented as video and surveillance footage.
Since the release of “Mercy” audiences and critics have been outraged because of the movie’s stance on AI as well as the filmmaking decisions that were used during the 90 minute runtime of “Mercy.”
“Mercy” definitely will leave viewers uninterested and confused and that’s why it gets a rating of 4/10.
