Mercy
Published April 18, 2026
Film info
- Title Mercy
- Director Timur Bekmambetov
- Year 2026
- Run time 1hr 40m
- Genres Science Fiction, Action, Thriller
- Tagline Prove your innocence to an AI judge or face execution
In the near future, a detective stands on trial accused of murdering his wife. He has ninety minutes to prove his innocence to the advanced AI Judge he once championed, before it determines his fate.
Live blog
| Time | Comment |
|---|---|
| 2:53 | Oh sure, AI can totally be trusted with law enforcement. |
| 7:39 | That was the Word with Perd! |
| 14:28 | Rebecca Ferguson does good robot/AI voice. |
| 18:30 | “What human beings experience as love is just a neurobiological function.” |
| 27:24 | I have a specific knife I’m scared of too! |
| 31:06 | The drone bike is mega. |
| 43:27 | “Everything I just told you is just making this worse for me.” |
| 49:56 | It’s a bit like Treasure Hunt, sending her off on a mission. |
| 56:57 | The hand on the door is freaky. |
| 1:05:52 | He broke the AI! |
| 1:14:22 | Curious why his hair and shirt blows when he’s in a sealed room. |
| 1:26:37 | Useful being able to listen and talk at the same time. |
| 1:31:20 | “Human or AI, we al make mistakes. And we learn.” |
Thoughts
I know this film has got some pretty negative reviews, but I really enjoyed it. I think a lot of the negativity around it is tied up in feelings towards AI generally, although I’ll admit the film is not without problems. Having your two leads basically just immobile and staring at each other for 90 minutes isn’t a great start, and having a timer for the film in the corner can be distracting - particularly if you weren’t enjoying it and were just looking at how long left you had to go!
But I did like it. There are plot holes galore, but I liked the idea and getting to the bottom of the mystery was a fun ride. The end was a bit much but still it all worked. I feel like this is what that Ice Cube War of the Worlds should have been. I liked it.
Rating: 3 / 5