The movie Mercy, starring Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson, explores high-level anticipation after an AI-created judge tells a detective that he has 90 minutes to prove his innocence, whilst he stands trial for the murder of his wife. If he fails to prove this, he will be executed after the time limit.
WARNING - potential spoilers
Plot
Set in Los Angeles, an increase in crime cases across the country is assessed by an AI-powered court named the Mercy Capital Court. The judge, also AI-powered, Maddox, gives the defendants 90 minutes to prove their innocence by utilising available resources such as text messages and video recordings. She is presented with defendant Christopher Raven (Chris), a detective in the Los Angeles Police Department. He's currently on trial for the murder of his wife, Nicole. Interestingly, his probability of guilt must be below 92% to avoid execution, but things don't start off too well.
Initially, all the evidence points to Chris, and he struggles to fall below the 92% threshold. He was captured as the last person entering the family home before his wife was killed, along with blood stains on his clothes.
He later learns what his wife was hiding from him and hunts through video footage of a work barbecue they hosted to better identify Nicole's work colleagues. Also, he discovers that her work emails show reports of missing chemicals. While searching for evidence, Chris recounts how his alcohol addiction eventually led to his aggression towards Nicole.
Chris suspects one of Nicole's co-workers, Holt Charles, who has discussed the chemical disappearance with Robert Nelson. Chris suspects that Holt may have killed Nicole. He contacts Rob, but instead Holt answers and places the chemical disappearance on Rob. Chris's daughter, Britt, is a social media fanatic, and after reviewing her posts, he finds a stranger who has been hiding in their basement. His neighbour's CCTV footage also reveals Rob exiting the trunk of their car.
Jacqueline Diallo, Chris's partner in the police force, is sent to Rob's house to search for clues. However, the SWAT team find detailed plans for the crafting of a bomb in his shed.
Fast forward, and Rob has kidnapped Britt and is heading to Mercy Court in a truck full of explosives to seek revenge for his brother's execution, David Webb. The bomb fails to detonate after crashing into the building, causing a network glitch. However, Maddox also experiences a glitch, but is rebooted in time and frees Chris before the trial ends. Jacqueline and Rob are taken away after we learn how she was involved in David's case, ultimately proving that the AI court works.
Rebecca Ferguson - Credit: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios
Analysis
One word I would use to describe the film is tense. I was left wondering whether Chris would successfully lower his probability of guilt below 92%, all with sweaty hands!
Chris Pratt captured the true emotion of his character in the movie. He was committed to proving his innocence even whilst strapped tightly to an explosive chair with a timer ticking away in his ears.
The equipment used in the movie: guns, explosives, hover-cars, drones, doorbell cameras and phones highlighted the extent to which technological advancements can capture a human's every move. They were also extremely detailed, with strong sound effects you would expect from something like a gun.
At first, I thought the movie would be quite repetitive in the sense that it would just show Chris strapped to a chair, battling between various screens. However, the cuts between the courtroom and character flashbacks added depth and understanding to the storyline.
A perfect watch for those seeking a movie full of anticipation and thrill.
Comments
Add a comment