MERCY (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)
Mercy has a ticking clock shown throughout the runtime, and it feels less like suspense and more like sitting in a dull class where you’re staring at the clock as each minute drags by like an hour. The film clearly thinks this countdown will tighten the screws. Instead of leaning forward, I sat waiting it out. For a movie about life-or-death urgency, it sure makes you aware of time in the worst possible way.
Film ★☆☆☆☆
Mercy in a near-future Los Angeles where the justice system has been replaced by an AI program hilariously called Mercy, which acts as judge, jury, and executioner.
I prefer Judge Dredd.
Detective Chris Raven (Chris Pratt), one of the system’s original champions, wakes up strapped to a chair and learns he has been accused of murdering his wife, Nicole (Annabelle Wallis). He has ninety minutes to convince Judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson), a digital face with the warmth you’d expect from a loading screen, that he is innocent.
It’s a brutal setup that’s full of possibility. But the movie quickly reduces it to Raven yelling at screens, scrolling through footage, and making frantic calls.
The story keeps piling on people and plot turns that never land. His partner Jaq (Kali Reis) runs around chasing leads, his daughter Britt (Kylie Rogers) watches from a distance, and his AA sponsor Rob (Chris Sullivan) hovers around until he’s important.
The film tosses out clues and twists but it doesn’t matter cause it’s all so obvious and overexplained that the mystery collapses under its own weight.
Instead of piecing things together, I was rolling my eyes, waiting for Chris to catch up to what I had already figured out.
Director Timur Bekmambetov throws everything he has at the screen and somehow ends up with less. Body-cam footage, floating graphics, endless digital clutter. All meant to feel immersive, but feels exhausting.
Chris Pratt is stuck in the center of it all, literally pinned to a chair, delivering a performance that alternates between shouting and sulking. Whatever easy charisma he usually brings is gone. Rebecca Ferguson does what she can, but the role gives her nothing but stiff, robotic lines that flatten her presence. Eventually she gains a heart through all this, which at least had me unintentionally laughing.
Video ★★★☆☆
Encoding: HEVC / H.265 (61.75 Mbps)
Resolution: 4K (2160p)
HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
Aspect Ratio: 2.20:1
Clarity/Detail: Captured with the Sony CineAlta Venice 2 and sourced from high-resolution masters, the image maintains a clean, sharply defined appearance, especially in close-ups where fine facial textures like stubble come through clearly. That said, the heavy reliance on digital interfaces and simulated feeds creates some inconsistency, with certain inserts intentionally appearing softer or more processed.
Depth: Perceived dimensionality is somewhat limited by the film’s confined setting and layered screen-based visuals, which flatten the image more often than not. While the wider 2.20:1 framing helps fill large displays, true spatial separation is frequently subdued by the artificial, composited look.
Black Levels: Shadow handling is stable, with darker areas retaining detail rather than collapsing, though the image rarely pushes into truly deep black territory.
Color Reproduction: The Dolby Vision HDR grade brings some added refinement to primaries and highlight control, but the overall palette remains intentionally muted. Occasional brighter exterior shots and interface elements show more vibrancy, though the film generally avoids bold or striking color design.
Flesh Tones: Skin tones lean slightly desaturated but remain consistent throughout.
Noise/Artifacts: The image remains stable throughout.
Audio ★★★☆☆
Audio Format(s): English: Dolby Atmos; English Dolby TrueHD 7.1; French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; French (Canada) Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio descriptive
Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Dynamics: The track favors controlled energy over constant intensity, but it opens up effectively during action beats and the film’s late escalation. Quieter stretches centered on character interaction contrast nicely with sudden bursts of movement and effects, giving capable systems enough range to feel responsive without overwhelming the mix.
Height: Overhead channels are used for any moment with drones. While not a constant presence, the channels become more active during busier sequences.
Low Frequency Extension: Bass output is measured but purposeful, stepping in during impacts and explosions. The LFE avoids excessive rumble, instead offering tight, controlled low-end support that complements the rest of the sound design.
Surround Sound Presentation: The mix makes strong use of the full soundfield, with effects like drones, alarms, and environmental cues traveling fluidly between channels.
Dialogue Reproduction: Voices are primarily anchored and intelligible, though occasional shifts in clarity reflect intentional choices tied to distance and simulated communication.
Extras ☆☆☆☆☆
This release comes with no extra features.
Summary ★☆☆☆☆
Mercy takes itself so seriously but never earns any of it. There’s no danger. No sense of unease about where things are heading. It’s content with circling big ideas from afar.
Mercy is a hollow mess whose ticking minutes feel twice as long.
