Mercy aint an annual watch, but…
As you already know, your humble Average Dude is an unashamed optimist. I try to find the good in people, in life and especially in the movies I give my time to. With one exception*, I have been able to find at least one positive in everything I’ve watched. That in mind, I have to say that I do not get all the bad press that Mercy is getting. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again…in this age of communication, everyone has a voice. And they use it. For some, they make their living off having things to say. I’m not one of those people. I WISH I was making money with my reviews. I don’t make a dime.
Nope. I do it for love of the medium and so that normies like you and me can enjoy a movie now and again and not be fooled by a ‘reviewer’ that is getting $$$ from someone with a vested interest.
Are you not entertained?
I’m not vain enough to think that my voice DEMANDS to be heard. In fact, I don’t have that much viewership, even though I’ve been consistently putting out reviews for over two years. Clearly, I’m doing this for another reason. That reason is: the TRUTH matters.
But Average Dude, you might say, movie reviews are inherently based on opinion! How can you say YOUR truth is THE truth. Fair question. The answer is: I don’t. The truth I offer is that, whatever grade or opinion I give on a show is an honest opinion, free from any outside influence. When the review comes at personal cost, you can be sure that the review is personally honest. And my sole goal with them is to help you find a little enjoyment in whatever time cinema has left in this world.
I see what you did there
Okay, why does your Average Dude say all that? I say it to say this: I really liked Mercy. From what I’m seeing, that’s kind of a minority report (that’s foreshadowing, btw). I’m seeing a lot of somewhat trusted reviewers bag on Mercy…well…mercilessly. I think it’s unfair. Critical Drinker didn’t think much of Mercy. I mostly trust that guy, I think he’s still one of the honest ones. But I think there’s a pitfall in being a fulltime reviewer. When you see a lot of stuff, you inescapably compare them. You rank them. And some suffer due to that.
Receipts: comparing the LotR trilogy to the Hobbit trilogy makes the latter suffer. But the Hobbit is a very enjoyable watch. It’s on the Annual Watch list for a reason. And yet, lots of reviewers poo-poo it because it’s not LotR. Truth.
Make mental choices
So How Do I Avoid that trap? Simple. I quite on purpose look for something good in everything I watch. Sometimes it’s easy. Sometimes, it’s like shoving butter up a cat’s butt with a red-hot poker. But, as in most things – movies, situations and people – there is a bright side (if you look for it). It is often a choice to view things through a more positive lense. We can make those decisions all the time. We don’t have to be told how to feel. And we don’t have to be passive receivers.
Have mercy
What was there to like about Mercy? Easy question. Chris Pratt has amazing riz. Though politics in Hollywood are trying to push him out, he still has cache. In the hierarchy of charisma in Hollywood today, there’s Glen Powell, Ryan Reynolds, Chris Pratt and then everyone else (sorry, Tom Cruise…you are the OG all-time great). Point is, his charm is off the chart. And even in a movie where he’s mostly cuffed to a chair, it still shines through.
Speaking of Cruise…
The story of Mercy is basically that the future has installed an AI justice system where an emotionless digital judge is going to decide your fate. Said digital entity is also empowered to be your executioner. Did Tom Cruise do it better in Minority Report? No question. But he had the advantage of one Steven Spielberg. You may have heard of him. Again, let’s not compare. Lets enjoy Mercy for what it brings us today.
Mercy is more of a tense crime drama than an action thriller. Pratt plays Detective Chris Raven (really?), a good but broken man who wrestles with his tragedy-born demons. We can all identify with his struggles. There are plenty of twists and reveals in Mercy that keep us constantly engaged. We want to pay attention because we are immediately invested in the fate of Detective Raven. As the story unfolds, it sheds light on the legit concerns of having an AI Judge decide if you live or die.
Mercy also touches on the topic of how an AI might ‘evolve’. Can it learn compassion? Can it learn Mercy? Unknown at this time. But the questions get raised and they’re fair. If AI can learn the finer qualities of humanity, could it also learn its baser instincts? Food for thought.
Okay, lets get to the score
I’m giving Mercy a solid 3.75 based on Chris’s riz, a story that is more current than Minority Report was in its day. Mercy is thought-provoking and evolves at a really decent pace. It doesn’t run on too long or get overtly preachy. It lets us think about the implications on our own time. Mercy gives us some credit for not being mindless masses. If you choose to not see it in the theater, that’s cool. You’ll enjoy it from home, too. I liken it to The RIP as far as an engaging crime drama. Worth your time, wherever you see it. I guarantee, when it gets to Netflix, it’ll be a top view.
Think I’ll go watch The Hobbit. Or Die Hard 2. Either is a stand on its own great watch.
*The Exception: Drive Away Dolls. I can NOT warn you off this movie enough.
Check out all the Average Dude Movie Reviews and our super cool merch at www.barredlands.com
Follow us on X
Follow and Like us on Facebook
#barredlandsdotcom #AverageDudeMovieReviews #PCLoadletter64 #Mercy #ChrisPratt #TrustYourAverageDude