Review: Mercy – a sci-fi with Chris Pratt

Mercy is a near-future dystopian thriller starring Chris Pratt as Detective Christopher Raven. The premise is stark: Raven begins the film strapped to an execution chair, facing an Artificial Intelligence judge. This digital magistrate has decided he is guilty of murdering his wife. If she is not persuaded otherwise before the clock runs out, the chair, an entity independent of the judge’s mercy, will execute him.

It is a tense, claustrophobic setup that blends elements of Minority Report with the memory-loss intrigue of Memento. I caught this at a mystery screening, and while it wasn’t the film many were expecting, it offers a grim look at a tech-governed future that feels uncomfortably close to home.

A Question of Guilt

This is very much a movie of two parts. Initially, the audience is left in the dark regarding Detective Raven’s innocence. He was drunk and suffered a head injury before being dragged to this trial, leaving him with significant memory gaps. The film leans heavily into this ambiguity.

Pratt’s character is not immediately likeable. There are sneers, cynicism, and violent outbursts that suggest a man perfectly capable of domestic violence. At times, even Raven seems to believe he might be guilty. It is a credit to the acting that, for the first half, I was quite convinced the whole film would be an exploration as to whether he actually did it.

Because of the nature of the mystery screening, many people bought tickets without knowing what they were seeing. It was evident that for several young couples hoping for a light date movie, the heavy themes of spousal murder and unpleasant domestic history were too much; walkouts happened throughout. It’s a 12A.

The Digital Gavel

The film is set in a very near future in which an AI judge acts as judge, jury, and executioner. We are told this system is “never wrong” – a massive ask for audience suspension of disbelief, given the current state of technology. The judge has access to everything: cloud data from personal phones, traffic cameras, and surveillance footage from across the city.

Through the trial, we get glimpses of the wider world. Raven’s colleagues are dispatched on missions by the AI to verify alibis or find evidence. This builds a picture of a fractured America where police refuse to enter certain “no-go” zones, and the population is in open revolt.

The police portrayal is gritty, featuring officers who punch first and ask questions later. It suggests a society where authorities game the system for a perceived “greater good” at the expense of civil liberty and inclusion. It hits a little close to home, echoing current UK discourse around streamlining trials and policing.

Overall

Mercy is a “C+” experience. The runtime is a tight 1 hour 40 minutes, which feels appropriately short; the story doesn’t overstay its welcome. While the plot is somewhat predictable, I was confident I knew where it was going, the acting is strong enough to hold attention.

It isn’t a film that will surprise you, but I didn’t feel the need to join the walkouts. Expect to see this on streaming services very soon. If you are bored and want a dystopian procedural, it serves its purpose.