“Mercy” trailer
Check out the trailer for ‘Mercy,’ produced by Amazon MGM Studios, featuring Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson, and directed by Timur Bekmambetov.
Many of us watch movies to escape reality, right? Whether from the comfort of our couch or in a movie theater, it’s a break from screens and stress. But now, there’s this whole trend of films that, well, take that escape right back to screens—phones and computers, specifically. It seems there’s a term for this, called screen life. I had no clue until recently.
Films like “Unfriended,” “Searching,” “Missing,” and last year’s “War of the Worlds” remake fall into this category. And if you need a reminder, there’s even an episode of “Modern Family” that plays with this idea.
Interestingly, Kazakh-Russian director Timur Bekmambetov is a key figure in this subgenre, and he’s back with a new film titled “Mercy.”
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In “Mercy,” Chris Pratt portrays Detective Chris Raven, who finds himself accused of his wife’s murder. Rather than a standard trial, he’s trapped in a digital courtroom, trying to prove his innocence to a jury made up of an AI judge, Maddox, played by Rebecca Ferguson.
The setting is a near-future Los Angeles, where crime is rampant, and the government has rolled out the Mercy Justice System, credited with curbing criminal activity. Once a supporter of this AI initiative, Raven now faces a dire fate similar to others who didn’t make it out of the same chair where he’s now restrained.
This AI judge has a 97.5% conviction rate for Raven, which he must challenge to get down to 92%—a frustratingly tight timeline of just 90 minutes to avoid execution. With access to a sprawling network of city-wide data, he’s got everything from text messages to surveillance footage at his fingertips. But of course, he also has to deal with personal connections like his daughter and even his LAPD partner, not to mention his fight against a drinking problem—could it be a cliché detective trope?
For much of the film, Pratt is physically restrained, creating a tense situation as he tries to convince an AI with a stubborn track record. It’s like a modern twist on “12 Angry Men,” but instead of jury dynamics, it’s all about navigating the whims of a digital judge. The assertion that “mercy makes no mistakes” lingers throughout.
I should say up front that screen life isn’t my favorite genre so far, and “Mercy” really illustrates why. It keeps everything very basic, visually and narratively, pushing actors to rely heavily on words rather than action. In a world where screens dominate our lives, it feels odd to have movies replicate that experience.
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Bekmambetov is known for his action films, yet he seems to have found a new niche with screen life films. This might be an economical choice for producing, especially when compared to high-budget franchises that Pratt usually stars in. Then again, that’s just a matter of perspective.
While both Pratt and Ferguson do their best, the screenplay by Marco Van Bell feels somewhat lackluster, which might make their roles feel underwhelming. It’s like the effort just wasn’t there—just a playful jab, really.
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verdict:
Despite its timely premise revolving around AI, “Mercy” ends up being a forgettable sci-fi thriller that fits well within the lackluster offerings we often see in January. Even Chris Pratt’s star power can’t save it from feeling like a missed opportunity.
★★ — Skip
“Mercy” is rated PG-13 for violence, gory footage, some strong language, drug content, and teen smoking. Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes. It’s in theaters now.
