"Mercy": A New Take on Sci-Fi Thrillers

Mercy (Timur Bekmambetov, 2026) is a film that has received many mixed reviews from the public since it came out. The story evolves around a man, Chris Raven (Chris Pratt), and an artificial intelligence made judge, Judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson). The audience is left in the same confusion as Chris, wondering what happened to him that led to his being in court. Most of the film is seen from inside the courtroom, where Chris and the judge are trapped, and the judge is convinced he is guilty. Chris Raven, a renowned detective, is being charged with the murder of his wife, Nicole Raven (Annabelle Wallis). Chris, insistent he did not do it, must convict Judge Maddox of his innocence. If Chris fails... he dies.

While watching this film, I found the concept really unique. It was a first-of-its-kind movie with a literal AI judge commanding a court room. The cinematography throughout was really well done, especially in making the viewers feel trapped. We are mainly shown Chris tied to a chair, with only 90 minutes to prove his innocence. The judge is there as well, but knowing she is not a real person makes her not as impactful until later on. We only see brief shots from the outside as Chris makes a call in hopes of finding more evidence.

One thing that stood out to me in this movie was the acting. Chris Pratt, Rebecca Ferguson, and everyone else did a fantastic job. Witnessing the genuine confusion, stress, and anger (specifically from Pratt) was beautifully done. It was something that immersed me in the movie, making me worry about whether he would be killed. The entire time, the audience is questioning whether or not the main character may have actually committed this murder, seeing as all the evidence pointed towards him. Pratt's acting was truly on another level during this film. I have not been so invested in a movie in a long time – an impressive feat given that the film is largely set in one room.

This newer style of thriller truly is something I would love to see more of. AI is a broad topic, especially today as we move into a more and more uncertain future. I feel like making more movies about it and its possibilities will allow more people to see the pros and cons of such a system. The movie really had me on the edge of my seat the entire time; this is a thriller that truly did its job, keeping the audience immersed in its setting and plot the whole way through.

Overall, I would recommend this movie to everyone. There are some minor plot holes here and there, but still, the story and acting keep you entertained. This film did a phenomenal job, especially with cinematography and acting. The CGI portions were a little poorly done; however, I feel it did not impact the quality of the film. This is a suspense-filled movie anyone could watch, even for a little thrill for a solo movie night!