Mercy

Mercy is yet another example of a classic ‘Black Mirror’-esque concept.

On this occasion, perhaps Charlie Brooker and the gang could have done a slightly better job but it’s nonetheless a fun way to spend an evening in the cinema.

A sci-fi thriller with an action bent rather than the usual brainless action fodder, this sees Chris Pratt awaken in a ‘mercy court’ unaware of what he’s doing there.

In the future, this court is a 90 minute trial by AI lawyer where, if you can’t prove your innocence, you will be summarily executed.

It’s a strong concept and its ‘real time’ plot is its greatest strength.

Like the ‘computer as the screen’ films Searching and Missing before it, this plays out as a series of video calls, scrolling through phones and viewing videos and keeps you glued to the unfolding revelations.

It’s not all that visually with the pretty dull and colourless mercy room not offering too much pizzazz but Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson as the AI judge do a great job of keeping things moving and interesting.

It gets a little convoluted and perhaps a little unrealistic and it’s probably fair to say it twists maybe one too many times but it’s a pretty solid example of something different in the action genre.

These ‘real time, mainly one room’ thrillers are often great fun and top big crowd viewing whilst inevitably not holding the replay value or ‘cinematic greatness’ on offer elsewhere.

There’s certainly a place for them though and this is a top example of the form.

Ok, maybe it will be criticised for not quite having a true moral or political position given its subject matter and themes and the climactic lines of script are groan-inducing but this is a solid slice of thrilling entertainment nonetheless.

⭐️⭐️⭐️