A timely sci-fi thriller that explores justice and technology in an AI-driven courtroom
Mercy presents a near-future vision of justice where artificial intelligence plays a central role in determining guilt and innocence.
In the United States, defendants are innocent until proven guilty. Or that is the way our justice system is supposed to work. However, in the year 2029 (only 3 years from now), crime has gotten so bad in Los Angeles that the City is trying to find new ways to deter criminals from committing violent crimes. Their latest technique is to use artificial intelligence to "try" cases. Mercy Capitol Court presumes the defendant is guilty and, using every resource available to the court, the defendant has 90 minutes to prove reasonable doubt or be executed. What happens, though, when one of the Court's biggest proponents finds himself in the hot seat?
LAPD Detective Christopher Raven (Chris Pratt; Jurassic World) wakes up groggy and disoriented and finds himself strapped to a chair in front of Mercy Capitol Court Judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson; Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation). Judge Maddox informs Raven that he is on trial for the death of his wife and that, based on facts, he has a 97.5% chance of being convicted. However, if he can lower his percentage to 92%, his life will be spared. Unfortunately, presented with the evidence, Raven can't remember many of the events of the day leading up to his wife's murder.
The premise of the story isn't as far-fetched as it may seem, considering people rely on AI more and more each day. However, the movie certainly highlights the technology's shortcomings and reinforces the idea that feeling and "gut instincts" aren't a bad thing. And though the film is naturally dialogue-heavy, it still manages to keep the viewer's attention throughout.
Part of the reason that Mercy is as good as it is has to do with the two leads. Pratt and Ferguson have good chemistry, but more so a camaraderie that allows them to work together and trust one another, even though Ferguson is technically AI. Ferguson is excellent as per usual, and her Swedish accent certainly doesn't hurt to listen to throughout the hour and forty-minute film. Pratt, however, is hit or miss. Sometimes his more emotional moments seem a bit forced and not natural. When he is playing the "action hero" role, though, he seems more comfortable despite being strapped down to a chair.
The Dolby Vision, 2160p resolution is a pleasure to watch with special effects looking natural and realistic. The explosion that occurs has the right amount of fire and black smoke to be believable. The reenactments and replays in the darkened hall of the Mercy Capitol Court have depth and richness to them, making these moments especially poignant.
The Dolby Atmos audio isn't quite as strong as the video quality, but it is decent overall. The dialogue sits prominently in the front speakers, which it should, since this film is about 80-85% dialogue. The ambient sounds vary with each AI-generated moment but are solid overall, and the soundtrack lays a low foundation for the action to build upon. If anything, I would have liked to see a more robust soundtrack and a more fleshed-out surround sound feel to the film.
As for the extras that come with this release... There are none. Yes, you heard that correctly, none, zero, zilch, not even a digital code. I have never before encountered a home release without a single extra, so this was not only a shock, but it was also disappointing.
Mercy may be a sci-fi fantasy film for now, but there is a real chance that sometime in the future, this could become our reality. Let's hope it stays fictional for a long time, but in the meantime, we can watch the events unfold in Raven's life sort of as a guide map.
Grade: C
