Chris Pratt Faces AI Judgment in Mercy, Earning Rare Low Score
Chris Pratt stars as a detective racing against time to clear his name before an AI judge in Mercy. The film has landed one of Pratt’s lowest Rotten Tomatoes ratings in over a decade.
In the high-stakes thriller Mercy, Chris Pratt steps into the role of Chris Raven, a detective fighting to prove he didn’t kill his wife. With just 90 minutes on the clock, Raven must convince an artificial intelligence judge of his innocence or face the death penalty. The film, directed by Timur Bekmambetov, throws Raven into a digital courtroom where every piece of evidence and witness testimony is streamed from Los Angeles’ all-encompassing “municipal cloud.” Every citizen is required to back up their devices to this system, and the data appears on a screen before the judge.
Pratt admits the experience was unlike anything he’s tackled before.
“It was definitely a challenge, and something I hadn’t done before,”
he shares. The unique setup meant that most of the trial’s drama unfolded through screens and digital feeds, adding a layer of tension and isolation to Raven’s ordeal.
Locked Down and Under Pressure
Throughout the trial, Raven is physically restrained—his wrists and ankles bound, locked into a chair as the proceedings unfold. Pratt explains that these restrictions were more than just props.
“It was a big challenge. But then restricting yourself by having your hands and feet locked and being stuck in a chair all day, it was a challenge,”
he says. To make the performance as authentic as possible, Pratt even requested the restraints be locked for real, so he could struggle against them on camera.
“And also, you know, if I was sweating and it was itching my face, I couldn’t scratch it. I thought those restrictions might lend themselves to a better performance.”
This physical confinement, combined with the digital nature of the trial, creates a claustrophobic atmosphere that pushes both the character and the actor to their limits.
Mercy’s Reception and Release
Mercy hit theaters on January 23, drawing attention not just for its futuristic premise but also for its reception. Despite Pratt’s intense performance and the film’s timely themes, it has received one of the actor’s lowest Rotten Tomatoes scores in more than ten years. The movie ’s blend of technology, suspense, and moral ambiguity has sparked conversation among fans and critics alike.
For those interested in what’s next on the big screen, Mercy stands out as a bold experiment in storytelling, merging digital-age anxieties with classic thriller elements.