Mercy: A High-Concept Thriller Confronting Global AI Anxieties
Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson have opened up about their chilling new cinematic venture, Mercy, a high-concept thriller that directly tackles the world's mounting fear of 'scary' artificial intelligence. In exclusive interviews, the Hollywood stars revealed their personal concerns surrounding rapidly advancing AI technology while acknowledging its potential benefits in specific contexts.
When AI Justice Turns Into a 90-Minute Nightmare
The film presents a disturbing vision of a future where advanced technology administers justice through a terrifyingly efficient system. The accused are strapped to a chair and given precisely ninety minutes to prove their innocence. Failure to convince the artificial intelligence judge results in the chair transforming into an electric execution device.
In a compelling narrative twist, Chris Pratt portrays an LAPD officer who originally helped create the robotic judge system—essentially an AI-powered RoboCop—only to find himself on the wrong side of the proceedings. He becomes subject to the merciless judgment of AI Judge Madox, played with intensity by Rebecca Ferguson. As the clock counts down, his character makes a horrifying realisation: while the AI's lack of sentience has contributed to reduced crime rates, it simultaneously creates a fundamental obstruction to true justice.
Hollywood Stars Voice Their AI Apprehensions
"It's appalling, it's horrendous, it's scary," Ferguson confessed to The Independent when questioned about the rise of artificial intelligence. "It's also something that we don't fully understand. I haven't created the technology myself. I don't know how quickly it grows or how rapidly it learns."
Addressing specific concerns about AI's expanding role in Hollywood, Ferguson emphasised the importance of human experience in creative writing. "Stories that are written should be crafted by people with genuine life experience," she stated. "When you read such material, you can relate to it because you know the writer actually possesses that lived understanding."
Pratt acknowledged harbouring more fears about artificial intelligence than he typically admits publicly. "I'd like to claim that I'm not scared of it," he revealed, "but I also make sure to say please and thank you, with the thought that one day it might decide: 'Spare him; he was polite.' So I suppose I must be somewhat scared after all."
Recognising AI's Potential Benefits Amidst the Fear
Ferguson brought nuance to the discussion, levelling that artificial intelligence can also prove "very helpful" in certain applications. She highlighted one particular area: "People who cannot afford traditional therapy can potentially access AI alternatives and still receive some form of support."
This perspective finds some support in recent research. A 2025 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggested that AI therapy could show effectiveness for individuals suffering from major depressive disorder, with chatbot therapy platforms utilising data analysis to help alleviate symptoms. However, this development has sparked increasing debate within medical and psychological communities, with many experts firmly believing that humans, and humans alone, should treat those with complex emotional and mental health disorders.
Ferguson added an important socioeconomic consideration to the conversation. Speaking as "someone who can afford things," she urged remembering that "life isn't like that for everyone else, so you have to be very careful with your opinions when this technology can potentially help in so many different ways."
Mercy, directed by Timur Bekmambetov, arrives in cinemas, challenging audiences to confront their deepest anxieties about technology, justice, and humanity's future.
