Chris Pratt sitting in a chair, talking to AI for 90 minutes: Probably not anyone’s first idea of a good movie, and while “Mercy” certainly isn’t a good movie, it’s not for the reason you may think. 

“Mercy” follows the protagonist Chris Raven (Chris Pratt), a detective living in a semi-dystopian world, accused of murdering his wife (Annabelle Wallis). He is strapped to a chair and put on a “mercy” trial, a court conducted by a personified AI Judge named Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson) who determines whether Chris lives or not based on guilt percentage generated by the said AI. Chris has 90 minutes to prove his innocence, having unrestricted access to evidence before his time runs out. 

The film has a unique way of telling Chris’s story, his first appearance is waking up to his mercy trial. From there, every video, every call, every social media post from the past he views, reveals more about him, as well as the other people in his life. The concept of starting at a climax, then embedding details about Chris and his family and friends around as the movie goes on, was a very cleverly executed concept, and the building of evidence made “Mercy” never get boring.

While an action thriller, the film also tries to grasp at a bigger message about the future of AI. Emphasis on tries. It attempts to question AI playing bigger roles in our society, although the point trying to to made falls flat when the AI starts to break out of its programming, where it suddenly starts to show empathy for the chair struck protagonist,  which is nice for Chris; however, when criticizing AI for not being human, having the AI have human characteristics ultimately ruins what’s trying to be said. Also, If viewers moved past the judicial homicide and guilty-until-proven-innocent spiel, then AI would perhaps be ideal. Wouldn’t you want a trial based purely on factual evidence, opposed to the differing and biased opinions of others that occur in today’s court system?

If you’re looking for a mystery thriller, trying a different way of story telling, then “Mercy” will certainly keep you strapped to your seat like an intense AI death trial; however, if you’re looking for a meaningful message, you might as well forget the 90 minutes and accept your fate. 

3/5 paws