Mercy

I really enjoy the concept, it actually reminds me of the awful but iconic Ice Cube's War of the Worlds, the big difference is that Mercy has a much stronger cast and executes the concept far better, i genuinely liked both Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson performances, it's the same basic setup, where most of the story unfolds online and revolves around a single character, but here it feels more focused and controlled. The central conflict works for me, and i liked the twists and turns along the way, Mercy is a harmless but seriously fun film about a man trying to prove his innocence over the course of about 90 minutes, it's basically War of the Worlds style of storytelling, but one that actually works, while it's not a masterclass in filmmaking or exceptionally written, it's good enough for me to appreciate the effort, both in the performances and in the plot itself. It's simple, but it works for me, i get why some people didn't connect with the concept, but I did, i was pulled into the story, the situation, and the characters, especially Rebecca Ferguson, she's great and very convincing in embodying an AI, overall, i had a good time with Mercy, i know a lot of people didn't, and that's fine, everyone can have their own opinion, i stand by mine, i can't betray my own experience, and for me, it was a positive one.

Sometimes even the most ardent cinephiles need to take a break from serious movie watching with a big, dopey action-adventure thriller that has about as much meaningful substance as a supersized bucket of over-buttered popcorn has in nutritional value. And that hankering is nicely satisfied here by the latest release from director Timur Bekmambetov, a guilty pleasure offering that plays like an AI-driven knock-off of “Minority Report” (2002) set in a crime-ridden version of Los Angeles of the near future. To counter a spike in acts of violence, the City of Angels has established a new judicial system known as the Mercy Court, a legal forum in which artificial intelligence jurists conduct proceedings based on the principle of swift justice, playing the often-maligned (but, here, warmly welcomed) combined roles of judge, jury and executioner. Defendants have 90 minutes to overcome the de facto presumption of their guilt (a reversal of the time-honored precept of innocent until proven guilty), a failure at which can readily result in the immediate administration of a death sentence. During their trials, defendants have unfettered access to a wealth of computer-based legal resources and wide-ranging surveillance records to prove their innocence, but judges take a hard-line “just the facts” approach to their analyses and rulings, leaving little room for legal latitude. And, with the clock ticking, any attempts at making one’s case must, of necessity, proceed quickly. In this story, the veracity of the system gets put to the test in a big way when Det. Chris Raven (Chris Pratt), a strong proponent who pushed for the adoption of the Mercy Court, is tried for the grisly murder of his wife, Nicole (Annabelle Wallis), a crime that he insists he didn’t commit but that he also can’t remember. The presiding jurist in his case, Judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson), perfunctorily carries out her duties in line with the rigid limitations of her programming, an approach that leaves the often-frustrated officer grasping at straws to prove his innocence as his time quickly runs out. The result is the unfolding of a complicated scenario peppered with blind alleys, misdirections and surprise revelations, some of which admittedly may seem wholly implausible and suitably over the top. But, then, this is also the kind of thriller that inherently calls on viewers to suspend logic as the wild and woolly plot plays out, one that features its share of rapid-fire action and some of the best vehicular chase scenes since “Speed” (1994). Granted, “Mercy” is far from groundbreaking cinema, and one shouldn’t expect that upon entering the theater. Nevertheless, it’s a fun, mindless midwinter thrill ride that throws in another cautionary tale about the perils of questionable technology and an out-of-control police state to provide a dash of contemporary relevance. In any event, when it comes to this one, set your sights low and don’t take it too seriously, but, by all means, have a good time and enjoy the ride.

(Mauro Lanari) Bekmambetov persists with the desktop movie, directing the worst entry in this genre to date. He confines himself and us within the Aristotelian unities of time, place, and largely action: it's the world from the perspective of Amazon that produces the film, featuring disembodied humans who interact with virtual reality through their devices about 95% of the time. Pratt is immobilized, Ferguson is relegated to close-ups, the supporting cast is odious, and the story unfolds in one of those uncivilized countries where the death penalty is still in force. Stereotypes and chaos come included in the delivery package.

My favorite part was when Chris Pratt casually says that every day he regrets not using police brutality. Seen through a mystery pre-screening via AMC Screen Unseen.

太捞了。 难受的是被绑在椅子上100分钟不能动的克里斯帕拉特吗？不是，真正难受的是被绑在电影院椅子上的观众。 得亏是在电脑上看的，都不敢想我要是花50去IMAX看个这得多难受。 Amazon MGM现在真就是只会拍网大了，我看下个月的《洛杉矶劫案》和《挽救计划》也得先看评分再决定要不要去影院了。