Mercy doesn't offer much that is new to the genre, but it surprisingly offers a fun ride that keeps you guessing, and doesn't let up until the very end. This wasn't one I was actively looking to see, but it ended up winning me over by the end. If you're looking for a bit of mindless fun, decent performances and interesting sci-fi elements, Mercy is out now on 4k.
“In the near future, a detective (Chris Pratt) stands on trial accused of murdering his wife. He has 90 minutes to prove his innocence to the advanced AI judge (Rebecca Ferguson) he once championed, before it determines his fate.”
Timur Bekmambetov’s Mercy is a surprisingly thrilling contained sci-fi thriller that proves the director still knows how to crank up the tension, even when the entire story unfolds with one guy strapped to a chair in a single room. Bekmambetov first burst onto the international scene with his breakout hit Night Watch back in 2004, a stylish, wildly inventive Russian fantasy that shattered box-office records at home and turned heads worldwide with its bold visuals and supernatural flair. That success led to Hollywood opportunities, most notably the invetive action of Wanted in 2008, but since then his films haven’t always enjoyed the same level of acclaim or mainstream success, and that’s not for lack of skill. If anything, Mercy highlights just how adept he remains at crafting exciting, propulsive action and suspense. Taking a premise that sounds inherently static, Chris Pratt strapped to a chair for 90 minutes, but Bekmambetov makes it far more dynamic and engaging than you’d expect, injecting clever visuals, intense editing, and escalating stakes that keep the adrenaline pumping from start to finish.
Chris Pratt gives a decent, committed performance as Detective Chris Raven, bringing a mix of desperation, and vulnerability to a character fighting for his life while grappling with his own past. Rebecca Ferguson is the standout as the AI Judge Maddox, delivering a chillingly calm, authoritative presence that feels coldly logical and subtly menacing, but with a hint of humanity that begins to shine through. She steals every scene she’s in. Kali Reis is also fantastic in her supporting role, continuing to impress after her strong work in True Detective: Night Country, adding grounded intensity and emotional weight to the story.
The film doesn’t dive particularly deep into meaning or layers, especially given the very real trepidation many people have about AI. It raises some interesting questions but mostly uses the concept as a springboard for twists and tension rather than profound exploration. Still, it delivers a surprisingly gripping experience with some genuine turns I wasn’t expecting, making the 99-minute runtime fly by in a wave of suspense and clever reveals.
Having randomly watched Minority Report just a few days prior, one of the most interesting takeaways is the direction science fiction is heading. While the former painted a bleak future due to people with precognitive abilities determining the fates of people who technically haven’t committed a crime yet, Mercy somehow manages to make the future look even dimmer, with reliance on AI and given the power to sentence and execute criminals without a jury. The pitfalls of society don’t seem to come in the form of alien invasions, viral outbreaks or natural disasters anymore, it’s AI, and it will be interesting to see more stories like this that continue to highlight the danger.
Video
The 4K UHD release (April 7, 2026) features a sharp 2160p HEVC encode in 2.20:1 with Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10. The confined setting looks crisp and detailed, with strong contrast in the sterile courtroom lighting, deep blacks, and clear facial textures that make the intense close-ups pop. The image has a clean, modern cinematic quality that enhances the near-future tech aesthetic without feeling overly digital.
Audio
Audio is presented in immersive Dolby Atmos, delivering a surprisingly dynamic mix for a mostly single-location story. This might be the stand-out feature of this set. Since Chris Pratt is in a chair, everything around him is immersive: the dialogue from Rebecca Ferguson, all the other sounds, explosions, etc. are presented in this same way, and because of that, the Atmos track does its job beautifully.
Special Features
This set comes with the 4k disc only. No Blu-ray, no digital, and no extras.
Mercy on 4K is a lean, effective thriller that reminds us Timur Bekmambetov still has the chops to make even the most confined setup feel exciting and unpredictable. Rebecca Ferguson shines brightest, the twists land well, and the whole thing moves with a momentum that keeps you locked in. It may not dig especially deep, but as a tight, popcorn-fueled ride it more than delivers. Definitely worth checking out on 4K for fans of contained thrillers with a sci-fi edge. This one is out now.