"Traditionally a dumping ground for films studios have no belief in, the first month of the year occasionally offers up films that stand out, whether due to memeability, genuine quality, or sheer rancid awfulness. And then there's something like "Mercy," which isn't so much a bad film as it is a film that barely feels like it even exists, a vapid sci-fi thriller that's competent and forgettable enough that, 20 years ago, it could have had a long life as scheduling filler on basic cable."
"In other words, it's the exact kind of movie that's perfect to release in January, when general audiences are reluctant to face cold weather for a movie date, and cinephiles are more concerned with catching the late releases and award contenders they missed from the year before. In any other month, a thriller where Chris Pratt sits in a chair for 90 minutes would get largely overlooked."
Mercy is a vapid, forgettable sci‑fi thriller positioned as a January release that feels designed for scheduling filler rather than lasting impact. The film centers on a near‑future Los Angeles (2029) notable mainly for the Mercy system, a virtual court presided over by AI Judge Maddox, portrayed by Rebecca Ferguson. Chris Pratt occupies a passive lead role that often amounts to sitting in a chair for most of the runtime. Timur Bekmambetov directs, employing familiar screenlife aesthetics without evoking strong atmosphere or narrative urgency. The film shows occasional worldbuilding details but lacks memorable characters, emotional stakes, or inventive execution.
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