Review: MERCY Is a Tense, Surprisingly Effective Sci-Fi AI Thriller That Kept Me Hooked
I recently had the chance to catch an early screening of Mercy, and going in, my expectations were honestly pretty low. I was not sure if this was going to click or fall apart under its own concept.
Instead, I walked away feeling genuinely entertained and a little impressed. It is not a movie that completely reinvents sci-fi thrillers, but it delivers a tight, engaging ride with strong performances and a concept that keeps your brain busy the entire time.
The story drops us into a near-future, and it’s set in Los Angeles where the justice system has fully handed the keys over to artificial intelligence. Chris Pratt plays a detective accused of murdering his wife, and his trial is anything but traditional.
He is strapped into a chair and given ninety minutes to prove his innocence to an AI judge that acts as judge, jury, and executioner. The twist here is that guilt is the default setting. You are guilty until you can prove otherwise, which immediately cranks up the tension and gives the movie a great sense of urgency.
What really surprised me was how effective the movie is while keeping Pratt’s character almost entirely confined to one room. On paper, that sounds limiting, but the film uses technology, digital records, cameras, emails, and surveillance footage to constantly push the story forward.
Watching him scramble through his digital life to uncover the truth is stressful, but in an engagin and fun way. He is panicked, desperate, and completely overwhelmed, and Pratt sells every second of that mental breakdown.
The AI judge is voiced and embodied by Rebecca Ferguson, and she brings a cold, unsettling presence to the role. Her performance gives the AI a sense of authority that is intimidating. There is something uncomfortable about watching an emotionless system calmly explain why someone deserves to die while the clock keeps ticking. Ferguson is great in this role!
The movie clearly plays in the same uneasy sandbox as Minority Report, but it puts its own spin on the idea by grounding everything in modern technology and digital footprints. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov, the film leans into intensity and momentum rather than flashy world building.
The pacing is solid, the twists are well placed, and a couple of story turns genuinely caught me off guard. Also, I saw the movie in 3D, which actually enhanced the experience of watching the movie. They use the 3D element to immerse audiences in the story, and it works for this movie.
Is it perfect? Not at all. The film didn’t completely blow me away, and I’m not convinced it’s going to connect with everyone or light up the box office. Still, it does exactly what it sets out to do. It keeps you invested, keeps the pressure on, and never lets the tension drop.
I enjoyed the ride! Mercy may not look like a must-see at first glance, but as soon as it starts, it pulls you in and refuses to let go. It’s a smart and fun sci-fi thrillers that plays with technology, morality, and the terrifying idea of AI deciding our fate, and I think it’s worth checking out!