LOS ANGELES, January 22, 2026
“Mercy” Faces Rough Reviews Despite Box-Office Expectations
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Chris Pratt’s new sci-fi thriller is projected to unseat “Avatar: Fire and Ash” at the box office, but critics aren’t convinced.
- “Mercy” is tracking for a $10-13 million debut this weekend.
- The film currently holds a 21% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 35 on Metacritic.
- Critics have described the movie as “ludicrous,” “convoluted,” and taking issue with its themes.
- The 100-minute film centers on a detective accused of murder who must prove his innocence to an A.I. judge.
Despite a wave of less-than-stellar reviews, the Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson-led “Mercy” is poised to become the top film at the domestic box office this weekend. Early tracking suggests a debut of $10-13 million, enough to potentially knock “Avatar: Fire and Ash” from its perch. Amazon MGM Studios anticipates even stronger performance with upcoming releases “Project Hail Mary” and “Masters of the Universe.”
What makes a courtroom thriller tick in the age of artificial intelligence? “Mercy” attempts to answer that question, but critics seem largely unimpressed. As of today, the film holds a dismal 21% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 35 on Metacritic, based on 39 reviews.
A Mixed Bag of Reactions
Many reviewers found the film’s premise intriguing but ultimately flawed. Several used strong language to describe their experience, calling the movie “ludicrous,” “preposterous,” and “convoluted.” A recurring criticism centers on the film’s handling of themes related to artificial intelligence and surveillance.
Owen Gleiberman of Variety noted, “The premise of ‘Mercy’ makes it sound like the sort of thin, doctrinaire anti-technology, anti-police-state thriller that Arnold Schwarzenegger would have starred in 40 years ago. But the movie turns out to be a notch or two better than you expect.”
Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian found the film “ingenious and watchable stuff, with cheeky twists, although the final escalation to full-on action mayhem is maybe a step too far towards pure absurdity.” Bradshaw also pointed out the film’s somewhat forgiving portrayal of AI, quoting a line from the movie: “Human or AI – we all make mistakes.”
However, not all reviews were even mildly positive. Wilson Chapman of IndieWire described the work as feeling like “a first draft,” suggesting a lack of polish and a desire to simply get the film released. Jesse Hassenger of The AV Club was even more blunt, stating the film “takes a more bombastic approach with more speculative technology, only to chicken out of using that bombast to do anything other than jostle the audience through a series of contrived absurdities.”
Bob Chipman of Moviebob Central summarized the film as “What If Minority Report But Stupid?” while Peter Howell of Toronto Star called it “lazily written, chaotically directed and played out with all the zest of a convenience-store security video.”
Jeremy Mathai of Slashfilm expressed concern that the film represents a disturbing trend in entertainment, where content is “explicitly tailored for those who no longer care enough to see the difference.” Audrey Fox of Looper argued that “Mercy” pushes “insidious views about AI, law enforcement, and privacy laws under the guise of a brains-off action thriller.”
The Premise
The PG-13 rated, 100-minute film unfolds in a near-future setting. Detective (Chris Pratt) finds himself on trial, accused of murdering his wife. He has 90 minutes to convince an advanced A.I. Judge (Rebecca Ferguson)—whom he previously championed—of his innocence before she delivers her final verdict.
“Mercy” is directed by Timur Bekmambetov (“Wanted”) and opens in theaters Friday.
