Chris Pratt confronts AI judge in Mercy, a thriller that questions digital privacy and accountability

Chris Pratt takes audiences along on immersive AI journey in 'Mercy'

This video file cannot be played.(Error Code: 102630) LONDON, Jan 20 ((Reuters)) - Thriller "Mercy" imagines a near future where the justice system is powered by artificial intelligence and suspects are presumed guilty unless they can prove their innocence. In a violence-ridden Los Angeles in 2029, police detective Chris Raven (Chris Pratt) wakes up in a stupor, shackled to a chair, facing the AI judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson) that he helped create. Raven is accused of murdering his wife and has 90 minutes to prove his innocence or he will be executed on the spot. The Timur Bekmambetov-directed movie felt like a theatre play said Pratt and Ferguson, who were split up on separate stages, communicating via earpieces and acting out 40-50-minute long scenes. "I've never played a robot or AI, tapping into human emotions," said Ferguson. "The conversations that came with that, it was really fun." "For me, being confined to a chair was something that was different. I'm a pretty physical person," said Pratt, who asked to get strapped in for takes. "I found it helpful because I truly felt I could fight against it, and felt even more claustrophobic." To portray the motionless Maddox, who mimics humans, Bekmambetov gave Ferguson a chart of emotions. "He would say, 'I want you to smile at the oddest moment'," she said. "There wasn't that much for me to work with, other than behind the eyes." Maddox has access to the city's cloud, to which all citizens are legally obligated to connect their devices, and which Raven can use to try to exonerate himself. Shot in Bekmambetov's "screenlife" style, much of the film's action takes place on displays. As Maddox and Raven scour social media accounts, surveillance feeds, police body cameras, doorbell recorders and databases, the images are blasted on the futuristic courtroom's walls. Pratt believes the film's immersive nature will make audiences question their own behaviour. "They're going to probably be thinking, 'I've etched each of my actions in digital stone over the past 12-15 years. If I'm ever put in a position where this could be used against me, there's a lot of stuff out there," he said. "You're kind of on the same journey with my character. As I'm defending myself, you're sort of defending your own actions," said Pratt. "It's like your life is being thrown at you. It's a little bit jarring." "Mercy" begins its global theatrical rollout on Thursday. Reporting by Hanna Rantala, Editing by Nick Zieminski Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Mercy: Chris Pratt on being locked into an executioner's chair for new film

Being locked barefoot in an executioner's chair sounds uncomfortable, but that is what Chris Pratt requested for his latest film, Mercy. More familiar as a wisecracking action hero in blockbusters like Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World, this role is quite a departure for him. He plays homicide detective Chris Raven, who's fighting for his life after being accused of murdering his wife. Raven is an alcoholic who wakes in the chair after a drinking binge, with just 90 minutes to convince an AI judge he's innocent, or he'll be executed immediately. The film is set in real time, so we see Raven defend his case - while enduring a crashing hangover. He also can't recall what happened. "I've never played a character like this before, in a genre like this," Pratt tells BBC News.

For Chris Pratt, AI is 'an awesome tool' but needs 'safeguards'

Chris Pratt reveals how the electric chair scenes in "Mercy" pushed him into a claustrophobic and emotional headspace. A decade ago, the thought of AI being judge, jury and executioner in our legal system would have been "outlandish" to Chris Pratt. Now, with AI being such a part of the actor's life - and everyone's - the premise of his new sci-fi thriller "Mercy" feels closer to reality than not. With technology in general, Pratt is reconciling with the positives and negatives constantly. "I'm also trying to implement some safeguards around my own health and certainly to help with my children and my family around it," he says. "I feel a little differently. I don't think it's because of being in this movie. It's just being in the world." "Mercy" (in theaters now) casts Pratt as LA homicide detective Chris Raven, who champions the use of the AI-powered Mercy Court when the murder rate increases to an alarming level. If a murder suspect has a 97.5% probability of guilt, they're put on trial using this legal advancement and have to prove their innocence to a digitized judge. Raven, though, gets to see the new technology up close and personal: When he's accused of murdering his wife, the cop has 90 minutes to sift through the evidence against him - while confined to an electric chair - and find reasonable doubt for Judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson) or else. An AI judge "could happen tomorrow," says "Mercy" director Timur Bekmambetov. "It takes too long to make movies. In today's world, when you make a movie about the future, it's very dangerous because everything is so compressed (with) the avalanche of innovations and tragedies and geopolitical stuff. What we think will be in 10 years, it's happening today and it's scary." While Pratt was swept up more in the story than the messaging when he was making "Mercy," he acknowledges he takes a more measured approach these days when using AI. "I have used AI for many years - probably without realizing it, as we all do - but now I'm more actively choosing to use AI with the different apps," Pratt says. For him, "it's an awesome tool" for organizing his thoughts as well as for "designing chicken coops and birdhouses and putting together a shopping list." However, he is trying to be mindful of his time with it, like not endlessly scrolling through Instagram Reels. "That algorithm knows exactly how to capture my attention, just like everybody, which is essentially appeal to my righteousness and make me angry," Pratt says. "That's what everybody's doing on theirs: 'I knew I was right!' Confirming whatever bias I have, and it understands that I have, because it learns everything about me by the things that I search, the things that I'm taking an extra second to look at."

Chris Pratt steps into a darker sci-fi world with 'Mercy'

Chris Pratt in 'Mercy': Mercy centers on homicide detective Chris Raven, who awakens strapped into an executioner's chair with no memory of the night his wife was murdered. Judged by an AI system, he is granted ninety minutes to prove his innocence before execution. The movie delves into justice without juries, the challenges of automated punishment, and how shallow, intense and constant monitoring increase fear. Chris Pratt is taking a bold step away from his well-known, charismatic screen persona with his latest movie, Mercy. Popular mainly for humorous and action-driven characters, the actor adopts a darker and more psychologically demanding role in this intense science-fiction thriller that delves into justice, memory, and artificial intelligence. In Mercy, Pratt features Chris Raven, a homicide detective who wakes up restrained in an executioner's chair,confused, suffering from a hangover, and confronting a terrifying accusation, the murder of his wife. With no memory of how he came to this moment, Raven is granted just 90 minutes to prove his innocence before an AI-controlled justice system offers its verdict. The story reveals in real time, elevating tension as Raven battles against both the clock and a system made to be rapid, cold, and unforgiving. This role represents a striking transformation for Pratt. Raven is intensely flawed, emotionally broken, and struggling with alcoholism, a drastic contrast to the actor's earlier lighthearted and heroic roles. Reflecting on the challenge, Pratt openly stated , "I've never played a character like this before," showing his hope that audiences will watch a new side of his acting. Overseeing Raven's fate is AI Judge Maddox, featured by Rebecca Ferguson. The movie presents a disturbing picture of a surveillance-driven society where artificial intelligence controls the courtroom. In this world, justice is brutally efficient, with statistics indicating that 92% of trials conclude in immediate execution. Pratt explained the theme with chilling simplicity: "Commit a crime today, you'll be dead tomorrow." Q1. What genre is Mercy? Mercy is a science fiction thriller movie with strong psychological and ethical factors. It concentrates on suspense rather than traditional action. Q2. Who does Chris Pratt play in the film? Chris Pratt features Chris Raven, a homicide detective accused of murdering his wife. The character must prove his innocence under extreme strain. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)