Carl Roberts 
“While Mercy is a fast-paced and enjoyable romp, warning of the dangers of AI, the lack of real interaction between the leads becomes tiresome.”
We are all aware of AI and the dangers it could potentially bring to our lives. It seems every day that we hear some story or another about the subject, whether good or bad. If the premise of the new movie, Mercy, is to be believed, we could be facing an even bigger threat than we realise. The film stars Chris Pratt as Det. Chris Raven, a cop accused of murdering his wife. Rebecca Ferguson plays Judge Maddox, an AI who will be Raven’s judge, jury and executioner. He has ninety minutes to prove his innocence. The premise is good, the acting is enjoyable, and the film is a good rollercoaster ride for the emotions. But why is the film only good, and not great?
THE STORY
In 2029 Los Angeles, a detective stands on trial accused of murdering his wife. He has 90 minutes to prove his innocence to the advanced AI judge he once championed, before it determines his fate.
THOUGHTS
The main problem the film has is the lack of real interaction between the two leads. Yes, they face each other throughout the film, but in reality, they don’t physically meet or exist in the film together. And that is always a problem. Throw in some distinctly average CGI effects at times, and the film becomes an above-average against-the-clock thriller that, although entertaining, expects the audience to take huge leaps of faith. Some of the film reminds us, on occasion, of found-footage movies or ones like Searching, Run, and Missing. Much of the action is seen via a camera, a mobile phone, or a computer screen. While this approach does work, it takes the human element out of the film, something we need to rely on to tell the tale.
On the plus side, however, the film is tight, well-paced, and genuinely keeps us on the edge of our seats. The evidence against Raven continues to mount as he tries to provide evidence proving his innocence. The film keeps twisting and turning, delivering plot twists and threads that keep us on our toes. This means we are never sure of Raven’s guilt or innocence until, twenty minutes from the end, all is promptly revealed. While this does provide a taut, heart-pounding climax to the film, it takes the suspense out of it. I would rather have been guessing up until the last minute instead of being handed the answer. Although the film does well in its journey to get there.
CGI AND GREEN SCREEN INTERACTIONS
The pairing of Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson should work brilliantly. If they genuinely managed to act together physically, the film would most likely soar. Sadly, this isn’t to be, with their interactions being based solely on CGI and green-screen. We can see that both actors were filmed separately, and then their footage was spliced together. While this approach works for the most part, we can’t help feeling the film would have been much better if they had actually acted alongside each other.
CHRIS PRATT
Chris Pratt does what he does best in the film, giving us an enjoyable and winning performance as Raven. His emotions rage from sorrow, remorse, anger, despair and realisation as the story unravels itself. At times, his character is completely unlikable, being an ex-alcoholic who has once again fallen off the wagon. His verbal abuse of his wife (an underused Annabelle Wallis) leaves us with a bad taste in our mouths. But does that make him a killer? The fun is watching him squirm as the evidence mounts up before being discarded, only to mount up again, making him look more guilty as every minute ticks by.
Along the way, Raven discovers some uncomfortable truths that shake him to his core. Was his wife really feeling that way about him, leading her to possibly stray? Why does his daughter (Kylie Rogers as Britt Raven) have a second, secret phone that he doesn’t know about? And since when did she start experimenting with drugs? Can he support his partner, Jacqueline “JAQ” Diallo (Kali Reis), when she says that if she can’t find evidence to clear him, she won’t contest his execution? Pratt goes through every emotion here, making us like him one moment, hating him the next. It is an enjoyable performance from the actor.
REBECCA FERGUSON
Rebecca Ferguson as Judge Maddox is equally as enjoyable and entertaining. Her acting ability is never questioned in any role she undertakes, and the same goes here. However, she is limited in what she can do, playing an AI Judge. While she is incredible in the role, we don’t get the kind of performance we would usually expect.
Instead of the hard-as-nails action heroine, kicking ass, portraying a royal from the Middle Ages, or even as a villain in a horror movie, we get a stoic, unemotional performance from her. That she does it so well is a testament to her acting prowess. But for the most part, her role is one-dimensional, cold, and unfeeling. Of course, she isn’t playing a real person, just the face of an AI created to judge the accused and see them executed. In a strange, almost ironic way, her performance is robotic. But it is perfect for the narrative.
VERDICT
While Mercy is a fast-paced, enjoyable romp that warns of the dangers of AI, the lack of real interaction between the leads becomes tiresome. Sadly, this seems to mirror the lives of many people today. Instead of human interaction, the touch and feel of being in the presence of a real person, many retreat into AI-created worlds.
The film doesn’t shy away from these details, asking whether allowing AI to be judge, jury, and executioner is ever going to be right. In my opinion, no, it should NEVER be allowed to function that way. This is the moral argument the film throws up, one that it does a great job of. Several characters in the film speak of the AI never being wrong, to it being right 100% of the time. But is it? Can it ever be? Of course not. Would you put your fate and your life into the robotic hands of AI? No, neither would I.
A TOPICAL SUBJECT
Director Timur Bekmambetov, a dab hand at movies like this, does a terrific job with the script he has. The action scenes are all on point, it is shot in an effective way, and it never becomes boring at any time. Marco van Belle’s writing gives us a taut, twisting, and riveting thriller that is both topical and seemingly far-fetched. But that’s the problem, it isn’t as far-fetched as we would like to believe. As we reach the end of the film, we should feel safe as we leave the cinema. But we don’t. We get the feeling that something very similar to this could be just around the corner. And that is a scary thought we carry with us as we go home.
MORAL DILEMMAS INSTEAD OF MEMORABLE MOVIE
Sadly, despite the moral choices and dilemmas the film gives us, some of the CGI effects leave a lot to be desired. At times, it takes us out of the film and its topical storytelling, leaving us scrambling to get ourselves back into the narrative. Add in the almost non-existent physical interactions between many members of the cast, and we feel slightly empty as we leave the cinema. It almost feels like we have been inside a video game for the past two hours instead of sitting in a movie theater, watching what so easily could and should have been a real belter of a film.
These issues drag the film down. Instead, we let the moral dilemmas cloud our judgment, rather than remembering the film’s other qualities. But it does make for a decent night at the movies, and a good popcorn movie. You won’t be begging for Mercy as the film ends. Just for some decent human interaction and contact.
Mercy opens in cinemas on January 23rd.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
