Mercy (2026)

Tagline: Prove your innocence to an AI judge or face execution.

Overview: In the near future, a detective stands on trial accused of murdering his wife. He has ninety minutes to prove his innocence to the advanced AI Judge he once championed, before it determines his fate.

Release Date: 2026-01-20

Runtime: 99

Genres: Science Fiction, Action, Thriller

Language: EN

Company: Atlas Entertainment, Amazon MGM Studios, Bazelevs

Status: Released

About Mercy

Writer: Marco van Belle

Director: Timur Bekmambetov

Producer: Timur Bekmambetov, Charles Roven, Majd Nassif, Robert Amidon

Vote Average: 7.078

Vote Count: 822

Country: United States of America

Trailer

Cast

Screenshots

Ratings

7.078/10 based on 822 votes.

Review

Sometimes even the most ardent cinephiles need to take a break from serious movie watching with a big, dopey action-adventure thriller that has about as much meaningful substance as a supersized bucket of over-buttered popcorn has in nutritional value. And that hankering is nicely satisfied here by the latest release from director Timur Bekmambetov, a guilty pleasure offering that plays like an AI-driven knock-off of “Minority Report” (2002) set in a crime-ridden version of Los Angeles of the near future. To counter a spike in acts of violence, the City of Angels has established a new judicial system known as the Mercy Court, a legal forum in which artificial intelligence jurists conduct proceedings based on the principle of swift justice, playing the often-maligned (but, here, warmly welcomed) combined roles of judge, jury and executioner. Defendants have 90 minutes to overcome the de facto presumption of their guilt (a reversal of the time-honored precept of innocent until proven guilty), a failure at which can readily result in the immediate administration of a death sentence. During their trials, defendants have unfettered access to a wealth of computer-based legal resources and wide-ranging surveillance records to prove their innocence, but judges take a hard-line “just the facts” approach to their analyses and rulings, leaving little room for legal latitude. And, with the clock ticking, any attempts at making one’s case must, of necessity, proceed quickly. In this story, the veracity of the system gets put to the test in a big way when Det. Chris Raven (Chris Pratt), a strong proponent who pushed for the adoption of the Mercy Court, is tried for the grisly murder of his wife, Nicole (Annabelle Wallis), a crime that he insists he didn’t commit but that he also can’t remember. The presiding jurist in his case, Judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson), perfunctorily carries out her duties in line with the rigid limitations of her programming, an approach that leaves the often-frustrated officer grasping at straws to prove his innocence as his time quickly runs out. The result is the unfolding of a complicated scenario peppered with blind alleys, misdirections and surprise revelations, some of which admittedly may seem wholly implausible and suitably over the top. But, then, this is also the kind of thriller that inherently calls on viewers to suspend logic as the wild and woolly plot plays out, one that features its share of rapid-fire action and some of the best vehicular chase scenes since “Speed” (1994). Granted, “Mercy” is far from groundbreaking cinema, and one shouldn’t expect that upon entering the theater. Nevertheless, it’s a fun, mindless midwinter thrill ride that throws in another cautionary tale about the perils of questionable technology and an out-of-control police state to provide a dash of contemporary relevance. In any event, when it comes to this one, set your sights low and don’t take it too seriously, but, by all means, have a good time and enjoy the ride.

FAQs

Q: Who directed Mercy?
A: Timur Bekmambetov.

Q: What genre is Mercy?
A: Science Fiction, Action, Thriller.

Q: When was Mercy released?
A: 2026-01-20.

Q: Who wrote Mercy?
A: Marco van Belle.