Controversial New Sci-Fi Movie is Closing in On An Incredible Record That’s Stood For 27 Years

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It’s common for critics and general audiences to disagree about movies. You often see this on sites like Rotten Tomatoes, where critics might love a film that viewers dislike, or vice versa. However, this new sci-fi movie has a particularly large difference between the two scores. Critics gave it a low 20% rating on the Tomatometer, while audiences enjoyed it much more, giving it an 81% on the Popcornmeter. This is the second-biggest gap between critic and audience scores for a major release, only surpassed by Boondock Saints, which had a 65% difference. Kraven the Hunter follows with a 57% difference.

The new sci-fi movie, Mercy, starring Rebecca Ferguson and Chris Pratt, has received mixed reactions. The story follows a police officer (Pratt) who stands accused of murdering his wife. He’s put on trial by an AI court system – one he actually helped develop to fight crime. The AI judge, Judge Maddox (Ferguson), gives him just 90 minutes to prove his innocence using the system’s technology, or face immediate execution. While the film’s concept is intriguing and relevant to current discussions about AI, it ultimately didn’t quite deliver on its promise.

Why Mercy is So Hated By Critics

Critics have found a lot to dislike about the film, primarily its clumsy use of technology and its self-seriousness despite promoting ideas it doesn’t actually seem to believe in. Dionar Hidalgo of Algo Más Que Cine described it as a visually appealing but ultimately empty experience, saying it feels like propaganda rather than a warning, borrowing style from classic sci-fi while quietly supporting surveillance and authoritarian control. Peter Travers of The Travers Take echoed this sentiment, noting the film’s wasted potential – despite featuring a timely concept of an AI judge – it ultimately falls flat due to its own superficiality.

Even the more positive reviews weren’t great. Dana Han-Klein from We’re Watching What advises viewers to avoid this film, calling it a pointless piece of police/AI propaganda that wastes your time. Michael Compton of The Bowling Green Daily News gave it a D-, criticizing its lack of suspense, over-reliance on its technical gimmick, and a lackluster lead performance. Overall, critics seem to have universally disliked the film, with the casting of genre veteran Ferguson as a rare bright spot.

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2026-01-25 23:40