Mercy
January 21st, 2026
MOVIE: MERCY
STARRING: CHRIS PRATT, REBECCA FERGUSON, KALI REIS, ANNABELLE WALLIS
DIRECTED BY: TIMUR BEKMAMBETOV
AMovieGuy.com’s RATING: 1 STAR (Out of 4)
RATED: PG-13
RUN TIME: 100 MINUTES
In January, we usually get January-type movies, which typically means not good. With that in mind, allow me to introduce Timur Bekmambetov’s Mercy, a film that tries to be cutting-edge and speak to the current moment, but instead plays like an ill-timed propaganda video and an advertisement for AI as humanity’s inevitable future. Beyond those not-so-subtle problems, Mercy is simultaneously preposterous, stiff, never thrilling, and a prime example of lazy filmmaking. Give yourself some mercy and don’t waste your time on this junk.
Mercy is set in a “not-so-distant future” Los Angeles, where society is in chaos: homeless tent cities flood the streets, crime is rampant, and police rely heavily on advanced technology. To combat rising crime rates, the world has created the Mercy Court- an AI-run judicial system that accelerates trials by operating under a “guilty until proven innocent” model. Detective Chris Raven (Chris Pratt) is a supporter of this system- until he finds himself on trial before AI Judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson) for the murder of his wife, Nicole (Annabelle Wallis). With the evidence stacked against him, Chris is given ninety minutes to prove his innocence, or he will be executed on the spot.
On paper, Mercy has the potential to be an intriguing exploration of AI’s role in justice, questioning whether such technology could prevent criminals from walking free- or ensure the innocent are protected. Unfortunately, director Timur Bekmambetov and writer Marco van Belle have no interest in those deeper conversations. Instead, they’re obsessed with flashy gadgets and screens. Mercy feels designed for an ADD viewer, with a constant barrage of video calls, social media posts, reels, drone footage, and found-footage sequences. There’s no substance here- just noise.
The biggest issue is that Mercy barely feels like a movie at all. Ferguson’s Judge Maddox exists entirely on a massive screen, never sharing physical space with Pratt, making it painfully obvious the two actors likely never filmed together. As for Pratt, the film does him no favors. He spends the entire runtime grunting, grimacing, and looking uncomfortable. His performance lacks authenticity; he never inhabits a character, instead delivering lines as himself. Any actor could have done this- and perhaps done it better.
To pile onto its many missteps, Mercy features a painfully predictable plot, with the identity of the real killer obvious from a mile away. It’s also one of the most ill-timed releases imaginable. Given the current state of the country- what’s happening in Minnesota and the very real harm caused by ICE agents tearing apart communities- the film’s themes feel deeply tone-deaf. Or perhaps I’m giving it too much credit by assuming it’s saying anything at all.
Thankfully, only Chris Pratt is strapped to a chair. The rest of us can get up and leave. I strongly suggest you do exactly that.
1 STAR
MERCY IS PLAYING IN THEATERS EVERYWHERE THIS FRIDAY, JANUARY 23RD, 2026.
Written by: Leo Brady
