Amazon MGM and director Timur Bekmambetov deliver Mercy, a high-concept thriller starring Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson. Set in a near-future Los Angeles, the film envisions a judicial system entirely run by AI, where suspects are presumed guilty until proven innocent. Despite a gripping premise, the execution leaves much to be desired, earning only 1.5 out of 4 stars.

Pratt plays Chris Raven, a detective who wakes restrained in an electric chair, facing an IMAX-sized AI judge, Judge Maddox, portrayed by Ferguson. He has 90 minutes to prove his innocence in his wife’s murder, navigating memory gaps, digital evidence, and an unforgiving AI system.

The film relies heavily on screens: FaceTime calls, ring cam footage, and bodycams, giving it a claustrophobic feel. Kali Reis plays Jaq, a fellow LAPD agent helping remotely, but her role is largely confined to digital interfaces, highlighting the film’s isolationist approach.

Critics note that casting Ferguson as a real actor for an AI judge is a missed opportunity. Rather than exploring a fully digital AI persona, her performance feels muted, undermining tension. Subplots, including Raven’s alcoholism and his past support of the AI judicial system, are underdeveloped, leaving the story convoluted.

While the countdown clock premise is meant to heighten suspense, it paradoxically reminds viewers of the film’s pacing issues. Fans of futuristic legal thrillers might find it reminiscent of Minority Report, though Mercy lacks its intellectual depth.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (1.5/4)
PG-13 – for drug content, bloody images, some strong language, teen smoking, and violence.