FILM REVIEW: MERCY (12A) ESP RATING: 3/5

Is the hate justified?

There’s been a noticeable amount of negativity surrounding Mercy since its release. Is the movie genuinely as bad as the reactions suggest, or has it perhaps just arrived at the wrong time?

Starring genuine Hollywood A-lister Chris Pratt (of Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World fame), Mercy is a near-future sci-fi thriller set in a world where artificial intelligence has taken control of the justice system. Pratt plays a detective who suddenly finds himself accused of a serious crime and trapped inside the very system he once trusted, racing against the clock to prove his innocence before the AI process – headed by Mission: Impossible star Rebecca Ferguson – reaches its chilling conclusion.

I’ll be upfront – Mercy is a fairly mediocre film. It’s not terrible, but it’s not especially memorable either. However, I do think some of the backlash has less to do with the film’s quality and more to do with its subject matter.

AI is very much part of everyday life right now, and for many people, that’s a deeply uncomfortable reality. There’s a growing fear that it’s killing creativity, weakening our ability to communicate properly, and steadily taking jobs away from real people. Artists and writers in particular are worried about being replaced by algorithms. Against that backdrop, a film that puts AI front and centre – especially in something as sensitive as justice – may feel less like escapism and more like an unwelcome reminder of very real anxieties. For some viewers, this simply isn’t a subject they want pushed in their face at the moment.

Director Timur Bekmambetov – who has directed well-liked films like Wanted – tells much of the story using a ‘screen life’ approach, with events unfolding through surveillance footage, video calls, and digital interfaces. It’s a style that can be effective when handled well (Missing), and tiresome when handled poorly (2025’s War of the Worlds) – with Mercy falling right in the middle. It doesn’t elevate the format, yet it never becomes too distracting or frustrating either.

Pratt – as always – is reliable and likeable in the lead role, even if the script rarely gives him the chance to do anything surprising. The supporting cast does solid work, and the contrast between human emotion and cold, automated logic is one of the film’s more interesting ideas – though it’s never explored as deeply as it could have been.

Despite what the trailer suggests, Mercy isn’t an action-heavy thriller. It leans more towards suspense, and it’s also fairly predictable. You can often see where the story is heading long before it gets there.

I guess this is the kind of film that, if it happened to start playing on your TV and you were too lazy to get up and grab the remote, you’d happily just sit and watch it through. It’s perfectly acceptable viewing when there’s nothing else competing for your attention – ideal for a rainy Sunday afternoon. Just about passable as a cinematic Friday night ‘popcorn cruncher’.

So this is definitely not as bad as its negative reputation suggests – and deserves a little bit of mercy.

ESP Rating: 3/5

Mike Clarke

Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough & Odeon Luxe Peterborough, Out Now

Cast: Chris Pratt, Rebecca Ferguson, Annabelle Wallis, Kali Reis, Kylie Rogers & Chris Sullivan

Running Time: 1 Hr 40 Mins

Director: Timur Bekmambetov

Film Review Venue: Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough

For all the latest film information & showtimes at Peterborough’s Showcase Cinema De Lux & Odeon Luxe cinemas go to www.showcasecinemas.co.uk and www.odeon.co.uk