The first trailer for Chris Pratt’s sci-fi thriller MERCY has officially arrived, and early reactions suggest it may be fighting for the title of 2025’s most disastrous film, currently trailing the infamously low-rated War of the Worlds.
A Premise That Defies Logic
The film’s setup is remarkably absurd: in a near-future society, individuals accused of crimes are strapped into a chair in a massive auditorium. They are forced to comb through endless surveillance, mobile, and television footage to prove their innocence—all within a 90-minute window. If they fail to provide evidence of their non-guilt before the timer hits zero, they are executed on the spot. It is a concept that echoes the high-octane stupidity of 1980s action cinema, yet it is presented with a complete lack of self-awareness or irony.
The “Mastermind” Trope
The plot follows an LAPD officer, played by Pratt, who finds himself accused of murdering his own wife. In a stroke of “screenwriting genius,” he is also the lead architect behind the very MERCY system now judging him. While one might expect a deep dive into the dangers of authoritarianism, the trailer quickly pivots from a murder mystery to a chaotic spectacle of car chases and exploding cityscapes, suggesting the film is far more interested in explosions than introspection.
Struggling Performances and Stilted Dialogue
Regardless of one’s stance on Chris Pratt—who remains a divisive figure in Hollywood—the trailer offers little in the way of redemption for the cast. Even the typically brilliant Rebecca Ferguson, who portrays an AI, feels stripped of any personality, appearing less sophisticated than the LLMs currently available to the public. The dialogue is equally painful, featuring clunky exchanges like: “I shouldn’t be here! I helped create the MERCY program!” and “Do you honestly think that I killed my wife, or were you just programmed wrong?”
Visuals That Feel All Too Familiar
The aesthetic of MERCY draws uncomfortable parallels to the poorly received War of the Worlds (2025). Between the faux-surveillance camera angles, the low-quality “found footage” aesthetic, and performances that occasionally mirror the stilted delivery of a school play, the film feels like a stylistic repeat of recent failures. Even the visual cues—animated guilt percentages popping up on screen—feel more like a video game interface than cinematic storytelling.
The “Oppenheimer” Connection
Despite the skepticism, the film is being marketed with the weight of prestige, touting the “Academy Award-winning producer of Oppenheimer.” This refers to Charles Roven, who produced both films. Furthermore, the film is directed by Timur Bekmambetov, known for Night Watch and Day Watch, and—perhaps unsurprisingly—he also served as a producer on the disastrous War of the Worlds.
MERCY is scheduled to hit theaters on January 23, 2026. Given the current industry climate, however, many are already predicting a very short theatrical run before it inevitably moves to streaming platforms.
