Chris Pratt Stars in AI Thriller 'Mercy'

Chris Pratt returns to the sci-fi genre in Mercy, a high-stakes thriller directed by Timur Bekmambetov. Set in a near-future Los Angeles, the film explores the intersection of justice and artificial intelligence.

Pratt plays Chris Raven, an LAPD homicide detective who finds himself on the receiving end of the very system he helped build. With only 90 minutes to prove his innocence, Raven must navigate a digital courtroom where his entire life is evidence against him.

Following his breakout role in Bekmambetov's 2008 film Wanted, Pratt reteams with the director for a departure from his previous comedic work. In Mercy, he portrays a serious detective facing a capital charge.

Pratt explained the character's background: "Chris Raven is a part of this special new Mercy Program that they've designed, essentially using AI to modify their court system, to be more efficient and to face the rise in capital crime in this version of Los Angeles."

Raven had previously championed the system, having successfully prosecuted eight individuals who were found guilty and immediately executed. Now, he finds himself strapped to the execution chair, accused of killing his wife.

"I've never played a serious detective before. And so this was a departure for me, something different for me to try."

The Mercy Program grants the AI judge access to a vast network of surveillance data. The court can access anything within its jurisdiction that has a camera installed, including doorbells, traffic lights, and personal cell phones.

Defendants are also subject to the review of all digital communications. The AI can access text messages, emails, and social media activity to build a case. Pratt noted the scale of the production design:

"All the evidence that's being presented to us [in court] is there at any moment, sometimes up to a thousand screens in front of me of my life, this character's digital life over the past 10 years."

This evidence includes:

• Security footage from various locations
• Private social media pages and posts
• Stored FaceTime calls and text messages
• Communications from friends and family

Raven must act as his own defense counsel while simultaneously investigating the homicide. His alcoholism, violent temper, and strained marriage all serve as potential evidence of guilt.

Mercy is filmed in the Screenlife format, a style pioneered by Bekmambetov in films like Unfriended and Searching. The director views this format as a reflection of modern existence, where life is split between the physical and digital worlds.

Bekmambetov stated that significant life events now occur virtually: "I'm saying, 'I love you, sorry, you're fired,' whatever, it's all happening now in [the] digital world."

Producer Charles Roven described the technical complexity of the production. Unlike previous Screenlife films that might feature one or two screens, Mercy integrates up to 15 screens simultaneously.

"Watching it go from shooting each individual screen to bringing all those screens together in the courtroom and then having the screens come at you was complicated, very complicated."

The film was shot specifically for IMAX and will be released in 3D theaters, creating an augmented reality experience for the audience.

The visual presentation of the Mercy Court is designed to surround the viewer. Bekmambetov promises an experience akin to Augmented Reality, where the digital evidence transcends the traditional movie screen.

He described the effect: "It's more about screens flying in the theater. Literally in the theater, you will see how the screens [are] surrounding you."

Producer Charles Roven emphasized how the 3D format enhances the narrative tension. The technology aims to replicate the protagonist's claustrophobic experience in the execution chair.

"That 3D experience will give you a kind of real-life sense of what Chris [Raven] is experiencing in the chair, because those screens will not just come at you in a 2D way."

The film opens in theaters on January 23, offering audiences a unique blend of thriller storytelling and cutting-edge visual technology.

Mercy represents a convergence of traditional thriller elements and innovative filmmaking techniques. By utilizing the Screenlife format in a 3D environment, the film attempts to immerse the audience in the protagonist's digital reality.

As the release date approaches, the film stands as a significant entry in the sci-fi genre, exploring the ethical implications of AI in the justice system. It challenges viewers to consider how technology mediates truth and punishment.