Told through a series of screens and surveillance videos, “Mercy” starts out with a cool concept that ends in a flurry of drivel.
This is the kind of film that has been executed in far smarter films, such as “Missing” and “Unfriended,” which are mysteries that keep the viewer guessing with the use of clever digital resources. The ancestor of this film is the far superior “Minority Report,” the Tom Cruise movie in which crime can be predicted before it happens.
The story begins in a dystopian not-so-distant Los Angeles future of 2029, where defendants aretried i the Mercy Caital Court powered by artificial intelligence. Chris Pratt plays LAPD Detective Christ Raven, a proponent of the system. That is, until he wakes up with a terrific hangover in the defendant’s seat and discovers he has about 90 minutes to prove himself innocent of his wife’s murder.
‘Mercy’ (IMDb)
The AI Judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson) walks Chris through the program while, panic-stricken, he begs for … well, mercy. If he can’t move the Guilty Meter, an estimate of whether he is guilty, below 92 percent he jut may be executed right then and there, strapped into a chair he may not leave alive.
I liked that the movie unfolds pretty much in real time. The audience takes the desperate ride with Chris as he tries – with the help of digital information – to recall what happened the night before. Also, Pratt – always an energetic presence – does what he can to maintain a serious tone.
Despite his bets efforts, the interesting premise dwindles down into silly situations and laughable exchanges for a less-than-quality movie that’s may not be the worst of the year, but certainly will be forgotten by the end of it.
2 stars
Rated: PG-13 for foul language and violence.
Running time: One hour and 39 minutes.
Watch the trailer here.
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