Mercy is a sci-fi thriller with an intriguing premise, but its novelty eventually grows dull, leaving us ready for the movie to reach its inevitable conclusion. Just think of it as a cross between The Fugitive and Minority Report, only with all of the intelligence and suspense of those movies surgically removed.
Chris Pratt stars as Chris Raven, an LAPD detective accused of murdering his wife under what’s known as the Mercy Court, where the accused has 90 minutes to establish their innocence for a crime or be executed. Rebecca Ferguson costars as Maddox, an AI Judge presiding over his case.
Chris is strapped to a chair while evidence convicting him is displayed on a computer screen. He has to request that files be opened and contact others who are connected to the case, such as his partner (Kali Reis), who is investigating the case, as well as his daughter (Kylie Rogers), who either is too busy or too uninterested in talking with him while he’s fighting for his life.
The movie makes some attempt at commentary on the notion of crime, and at first, the structure is intriguing: Will Chris be able to prove his innocence? However, along the way, the movie gets lost in the woods, going off on so many tangents that shift from crime drama to soap opera.
By the end of its predictable conclusion, it gives up on its setup and settles into a routine action sequence that does little for the story, and it’s definitely not thrilling or exciting to look at.
Pratt and Ferguson have proven they’ve done better and have been better. This script wastes their talents, suggesting this was merely a paycheck role.
Mercy throws itself on the mercy (no pun intended) of my court, but I found it guilty for its convoluted structure and its squandered freshness.
Grade: C-
(Rated PG-13 for violence, bloody images, some strong language, drug content and teen smoking.)
Reviewer’s Note: I saw this movie at the Historic Strand in Jesup
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