A review of Mercy

Under the guise of a futuristic techno-SciFi thriller, this film's internal debate is whether artificial intelligence (AI) is good or bad, whether it is infallible or 'only human'.

- By PHILIP CU UNJIENG

That sums up my thoughts after watching Mercy, a movie starring Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson, which became the first film to beat Avatar: The Way of Water at the US box office, a feat it achieved over the Jan. 23 weekend.

Mercy is now showing in local cinemas. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov, with a screenplay by Marco Van Belle, it's set in 2029 Los Angeles and could be called a courtroom suspense film if one factors in that the court is presided over by an AI judge. It's also filmed in real time, as the defendant has 90 minutes to prove his/her innocence, or he/she is executed - corresponding to the running time of the film. Welcome to the Mercy Capital Court, and to Robojudge.